If you’ve done any study on lower back pain, you’re aware that it can be caused by a variety of factors. Can constipation cause back pain, or is it a symptom of something else? The following advice has more information on what to expect if you have this condition.
You can decide whether you need to see a doctor or seek other care after you have more information about constipation and back pain.
Constipation and Back Pain
Constipation is the inability to pass bowel movements on a regular basis. Those who have it have three or fewer bowel movements each week. During a constipation episode, you may experience symptoms such as a dull, painful discomfort or a full, uncomfortable feeling.
Constipation can also present as a struggle to have a bowel movement or a feeling of not being able to empty your stool entirely. Consult your doctor if you experience severe pain, notice blood in your stool, or begin vomiting as a result of your constipation. If you develop a fever, visit a doctor right away because these symptoms could suggest a serious medical problem.
Can Constipation Cause Lower Back Pain?
If you are constipated, you may experience pain in your abdomen or lower back. Constipation can be caused by a variety of factors, including dehydration, a low-fiber diet, and bowel obstruction. Drug side effects or a lack of exercise could be to blame for these symptoms. Constipation accompanied by back pain is a less common sign of rectal or colon cancer.
A muscle strain, ligament sprain, or herniated disc could be causing your lumbar pain. If you’re not sure whether your constipation and back pain are related, go to your doctor or a trusted specialist like an orthopedic surgeon or a gastroenterologist. They’ll give you a physical exam, review your medical history, and go through your medication list to figure out what’s causing your problems.
Conditions that Can Cause Both Symptoms
Constipation and lower back discomfort can be caused by a variety of conditions, including the ones listed below:
- Bowel obstruction: A bowel obstruction can be caused by a buildup of hard stool in the gut or by something pressing on or narrowing the bowel, stopping stool from going forward.
- Endometriosis: It is a condition in which the tissue that normally surrounds the uterus develops in other regions of the body. Frequently, the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bowel, and bladder are impacted.
- Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia symptoms include increased sensitivity to pain, bodily aches, sleeping problems, tiredness, and gastrointestinal complaints.
- Inflammatory bowel disease: It includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease (IBD). As a result of these illnesses, intestinal inflammation can cause diarrhea and constipation.
- Irritable bowel syndrome: IBS symptoms include bloating and cramps in the abdomen, as well as constipation, diarrhea, or both.
- Liver Problems: Liver diseases like cancer, cirrhosis, and hepatitis, can cause nausea, constipation, stomach pain and swelling, itching, and other symptoms. Although liver swelling is uncommon, it can cause back pain by pressing on nerves in the lower back.
- Pancreatic cancer: Pancreatic cancer does not usually create symptoms in its early stages. However, as the disease worsens, a person may experience a variety of symptoms, such as itchy skin, back discomfort, abdominal pain, and digestive issues.
- Peritonitis: It is an inflammation, infection, or both of the lining of the abdominal cavity. Constipation, belly fullness, exhaustion, and body discomfort are just a few of the symptoms it might cause.
- Urinary tract infections: A UTI is an infection of the kidneys, bladder, and ureters that affects the urinary tract. Back and flank discomfort, as well as digestive problems, can be caused by UTIs, particularly kidney infections or stones.
Constipation can be caused by increased hormone levels, and the growing uterus can place additional strain on the lower back, so women may have both of these symptoms at the same time during pregnancy.
Constipation and lower back discomfort are two other prevalent adverse effects of aging. The shock-absorbing capabilities of a person’s back disks may diminish as they age, resulting to back discomfort.
Aging can also impact a person’s level of exercise and how quickly their intestines move. These changes can make constipation worse.
Treatment for Constipation and Back Pain
Constipation on a regular basis, as well as chronic lower back pain, can be tough to manage. Thankfully, you don’t have to live with your ailments. If you’re having trouble with constipation or lower back discomfort, try the following lifestyle changes and advice:
Drink plenty of water
Drinking at least eight glasses of water every day will assist feces to pass through your intestines more readily. Staying hydrated helps your body remove toxins while also providing oxygen and nourishment to your muscles. When you drink more water on a daily basis, you may notice that your constipation symptoms and lower back discomfort improve. Having a reusable water bottle on hand will remind you to drink more often.
Eat more fiber
Increasing your fiber intake can help you have more regular bowel movements. Some of the most popular fiber-rich foods are beans, almonds, oats, and other whole grains. You may get more of this crucial component by eating fruits like apples, oranges, and pears, as well as leafy greens. Most people need between 21 and 38 grams of fiber per day, but if you have any questions about which diet is right for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian (RD). To boost your digestive health, your doctor may also recommend that you take a fiber supplement. A teaspoon to a tablespoon of ground flax seeds, for example, supplies daily fiber and omega-three fatty acids. Large dosages of vitamin C can also act as a laxative.
Exercise on a regular basis
Regular exercise will help your intestines’ muscle activity improve. It will also help to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, which will aid in alleviating lower back pain in the long run. If you’re in discomfort, try something low-impact but helpful, such as walking, swimming, or yoga.
Laser therapy
If you want to avoid taking prescription drugs to address your lower back discomfort, try laser therapy. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), formerly known as low-level laser therapy, is used in this treatment (LLLT). PBMT is beneficial to adults with back pain because it lowers pain, inflammation, and edema in the lower back. Use your laser treatment equipment for as little as 30 minutes each day to relieve lumbar spasms and discomfort. Unlike other treatments for constipation or lower back pain, this one has no known negative side effects.
Also Read: Gabapentin for Back Pain: Does It Really Help?
Bottom Line
Constipation and back pain are two conditions that might occur at the same time as a result of the same problem or for different reasons. If the symptoms are severe or persist for more than a few weeks, a person should see a doctor.
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