I answered a couple of questions this morning that made me worry about people not seeking professional assistance when they know deep down something is wrong.
If you have back issues that are not going away, especially if they are accompanied by pain that radiates elsewhere or numbness/tingling, you should really see a professional. You could be putting your spine at risk by ignoring it.
If you have symptoms of infection anywhere in your body, such as discharge that isn't normally there, odor, blood, and/or pain, you should seek professional help.
There are many things that we can treat at home...a minor burn, a cut, a pulled muscle; but when you have serious pain or symptoms of infection, it is a good idea to see a doctor or nurse practitioner. Some things need intervention. An infection will most likely require antibiotics. People no longer die from minor infections because we have medication for that, but if you don't go see someone to get that medication, you run the risk of complications.
If you have a spine or other orthopaedic problem that is ongoing and you don't seek treatment, you may end up with permanent damage. Particularly when it comes to nerves - after a period of time, they just don't come back. For example: My husband just had carpal tunnel surgery done on both of his arms. His right hand will never be the same. It won't get worse, and the nerve might come back a little, but he has permanent nerve damage because he ignored the symptoms for years, even though he knew something wasn't right.
If you know in your heart that something is not right with you, please see a professional. You deserve care and healing.