Question
3 days ago my partner was lifing heavy items, he was fine that day but the day after as he was in the yard he bent to pick something up and his back just 'went' he wasn't lifting anything at the time merely bending. Since then he has been experiancing very bad lower back pain, constant ache around the groin, pain running up and down his legs, he can barely move, if he does the pain becomes unbearable he even struggles to get out of bed or to sit up. Coughing makes things much worse and if he is standing whilst coughing his legs just 'go'. This morning as he was coming down the stairs he got stuck and couldn't move, like he was paralysed and his lower back made a terrible crunching sound like that of somebody crunching their knuckles. He can be fine for a few hours, move around with lessended pain then he'll cough and it's like he takes 10 steps back. I have told him to visit the doctor but he won't, he wants to see if it will get better by itself so that is why I am writing to you. Should he be worried?

Answer
Yes, for what you are describing, it COULD  be very serious.  If your partner was here in the States we would get an MRI immediately, and see what's going on in the low back.  I suspect it's a disc.  You can read my article about the lumbar disc on my website, www.dynamicclinic.com, it's under the articles section.  

The most disturbing that your partner is collapsing, that indicated that the injury is more severe than merely pain.  The disc is not vascularized, so it can't heal well at all.  Please read my article and get back to me as soon as you do.