imÂ·meÂ·diÂ·aÂ·cy. n. pl. imÂ·meÂ·diÂ·aÂ·cies. 1. The condition or quality of being immediate. 2. Lack of an intervening or mediating agency; directness: the immediacy of live television coverage. 3. Something immediate, as in importance.
Back pain is accompanied by weight loss, fever, chills or urinary symptoms. You develop sudden weakness, numbness or tingling in a leg. You develop numbness in the groin or rectum or difficulty controlling bladder or bowel function. You have had cancer previously and you develop persistent back pain.
Pain may be described as sudden, sharp, persistent, or dull. Symptoms may be localized to a specific area of the back (e.g. neck) or may radiate into the shoulders, arms, low back, buttocks, legs, and even the feet. Sometimes pain is accompanied by neurologic symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or weakness. Back pain is either acute or chronic.