Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your doctor.

Conditions

• Compression fracture of the spine
• A problem or condition that has been present since birth (congenital defect)
• A history of polio
• Previous back injury that was severe enough to interfere with daily activities, such as going to work or school
• Previous surgery to back area
• Pregnancy

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Smoking or other tobacco use
• Sports activities, such as:
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Contact sports, such as football
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics
  • Skiing
  • Snowboarding
  • Weight lifting
  • Wrestling

Medicines

• Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medicines that are used to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicines that are used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Hyperthyroidism
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Inherited bone disease
• Kidney disease
• Lupus
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Osteoporosis
• Paget's disease
• Parathyroid disease
• Scoliosis or curvature of the spine