Chronic constipation and back pain can be related. If you are suffering from both, you are in the right place. I will explain why constipation can cause lower back pain.
Constipation means abnormally infrequent bowel motions or difficulty when passing stools or passing small, hard stools. It is one of the most common bowel problems in the United States and other parts of the world. Constipation can cause many complications including excess gas, piles, and lower back pain.
How constipation causes back pain
Our backbones (vertebrae of the spine) are separated by soft plates called the intervertebral discs, made up of cartilage. The discs form cushions between the backbones and act as a shock absorber. Too much pressure on the discs can cause the discs to prolapse. slipped intervertebral disc is one of the main causes of lower back pain. The pressure on the discs depends on your posture.
Lying flat on a firm surface produces minimum pressure and standing causes considerable pressure on the discs. Sitting and bending cause double the pressure as of standing.
Guess what? You have chronic constipation. You spend lots of time in the toilet with a bent, seated position and strain a lot to pass stools. That situation creates maximum pressure on the intervertebral discs. The discs protrude from their original position and irritate the nerves. You get terrible back pain.
Now you want to take medications for the back pain. You know that taking Panadol is not going to help much. So, you take stronger pain tablets such as Panadeine or Panadeine Forte, that contain codeine.
Codeine and many other medications make constipation worse.
The next day, your constipation got worse because of codeine. You cannot pass even a small piece of hard stool. You bend and strain more to pass stools. Yes, you are trapped in a vicious cycle. Severe constipation can cause impacted stools in the rectum. The impacted feces can give pressure on pelvic nerves. That is another reason for your back pain.
How to fix constipation back pain?
Eating healthy, fiber-rich vegetables and fruits is the first step you need to take. Sweet potatoes, apples, flaxseeds, and avocados are good sources of dietary fiber. In addition to eating them, you need to drink more water. Doing regular exercise and having regular bowel habits also help with your constipation.
Regular use of a fiber supplement such as Metamucil can help you have easy bowel movements. You can also try a laxative or stool softener.
If your back pain is not getting better after fixing your constipation, you need to think about other causes.
Other causes of back pain.
- Arthritis in the spine
- Injury to the back
- Bulging discs
- Sciatica
- Back muscle strain
- Urinary tract infection and stones
- Osteoporosis
- Pregnancy
- Bone metastasis
Back pain is not always due to constipation. It can be a sign of a serious health problem. So, if your back pain is not getting better, you should see your doctor.