Typical Back Pain vs. Cancer-Related Back Pain
Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether you have typical back pain or cancer back pain just by feel. Both types cause sharp, dull, burning, throbbing, or stabbing pain. The main differences are the activity that triggered the pain, when it started, how long it lasts, and what symptoms you have with it.
The cause: Back pain often follows an injury — for example, if you lifted something heavy or twisted while playing a sport. Cancer-related back pain happens without any known cause.
The timing: Injury-related pain hurts more during the day when you’re moving. Cancer pain feels more severe at night. One reason for this is that cancer releases inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that irritate nerves and make them extra sensitive, Sag says.
Also, your natural pain control system is turned off at night. “The body normally produces steroids in the morning, and that helps to relieve cancer pain,” says Andrew J. Fabiano, MD, the chair of the department of neurosurgery and the director of spinal oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York.
The duration: Pain from an injury comes on quickly and should gradually improve. Cancer pain usually doesn’t let up. It can persist for weeks or longer, or get worse.
The other symptoms: Back pain on its own is more likely to be from an injury or chronic condition. Symptoms like unexplained weight loss, severe fatigue, weakness, and numbness with the pain is more concerning.
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