Lifestyle

Back Pain That Won’t Go Away and Constant Tiredness Can Be Signs of Multiple Myeloma. Others Doctors Check For

By Curtis Jones · November 4, 2026

Back pain and tiredness are easy to shrug off, especially after 65. But for some older adults, they are part of a pattern that points to multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that is most common in older people.

Multiple myeloma cells are abnormal plasma cells, a type of white blood cell, that build up in the bone marrow and form tumors in many bones, the National Cancer Institute explains. They can damage and weaken bone and keep the marrow from making enough healthy blood cells.

Age is the biggest factor. Most people diagnosed are at least 65, and the average age at diagnosis is 69, according to the American Cancer Society, which estimates about 36,000 new cases in the United States in 2026.

Some people have no symptoms at all, the ACS says. When symptoms do show up, these are among the signs listed in its guide to multiple myeloma signs and symptoms:

Bone pain. It can happen in any bone but is most often in the back, hips or skull.

Weak or easily broken bones. Myeloma can cause bone weakness all over or where there is a tumor, and bones may break from only a minor stress or injury.

Tiredness and shortness of breath. Too few red blood cells, or anemia, can cause weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath and dizziness.

Infections that keep coming back. People with myeloma are much more likely to get infections, may be slow to respond to treatment and may stay sick a long time. Pneumonia is common.

Bleeding or bruising. Too few platelets may cause serious bleeding even from minor scrapes, cuts or bruises.

Signs of high calcium. For high blood calcium, the ACS lists extreme thirst, urinating a lot, dehydration, constipation, belly pain, loss of appetite, weakness, drowsiness and confusion.

Kidney trouble. Myeloma proteins can damage the kidneys. Early on there may be no symptoms, though damage can show up on a blood or urine test. Later signs can include weakness, shortness of breath, itching and leg swelling.

Numbness or tingling. Abnormal proteins can damage nerves and cause weakness, numbness or a “pins and needles” feeling.

Two situations need care right away. If myeloma weakens the bones of the spine, they can collapse and press on nerves, causing sudden severe back pain, numbness or muscle weakness, most often in the legs. And thickened blood can cause confusion, dizziness or stroke-like symptoms, such as weakness on one side of the body or slurred speech. The ACS calls both a medical emergency and says to contact your doctor right away or go to the emergency room.

Many of these symptoms are common on their own, so it helps to notice when several show up together, such as back pain plus unusual fatigue or repeated infections, or when bone pain does not improve.

Tests can sort it out. The NCI says tests that examine the blood, bone marrow and urine are used to diagnose multiple myeloma. If you have symptoms that linger, tell your doctor how long they have lasted and whether anything new has appeared.

For perspective, the five-year relative survival rate for myeloma is 63.7%, according to the NCI’s SEER program, based on 2016 to 2022 data. That figure compares people with myeloma with similar people in the general population.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.