You’ll know. It is really not a question of knowing “if” but instead knowing “why.” If you experience unexplained back pain you should consult a medical professional for advice.

The diagnosis of back pain includes a physical examination and a lot of questions about the conditions that produced pain initially and what movements currently cause pain. To test your range of motion, you may be asked to sit, stand, walk around, bend over, and lift your legs. Many cases of back pain that are caused by a soft tissue injury (muscle and connective tissues like ligaments) can be diagnosed on the basis of your description of the pain and the physical exam. However, to rule out other more serious causes of back pain, the doctor may order some tests.

The tests that are commonly used to illuminate the cause of back pain are imaging tests that produce a picture of your spine and surrounding tissues. An X-ray is the simplest of these, while a computerized tomography (CT) scan provides more detail and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) even greater detail. These can reveal things like tumors and disc injuries that can put pressure on the spinal nerves. Occasionally, electroneurography (ENG) is performed to test if the nerves are conducting information to the muscles properly.

In some cases, blood tests can be done to look for signs of infection or inflammation. These include the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and complete blood count (CBC).