Can Constipation Trigger Lower Back Pain?

January 2, 2022

constipation, upper cervical chiropractic

Thousands of patients go to upper cervical chiropractic practices in the country for back pain. Notably, a significant fraction traces their symptoms to cervical subluxation. On the one hand, others associate their lower back pain with constipation, a digestive problem that affects 16 out of 100 American adults. Do you also experience constipation and lower back pain? If yes, you might need to call for help. 

Several case studies found that digestive issues accompanied by lower back pain often indicate a serious underlying problem. For example, it could be a sign of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), endometriosis, pancreatic cancer, or bowel obstruction. Alternatively, it might be your body’s way of telling you that you have a severe liver problem. Let’s look at what studies and other references say and how you should cope with your constipation-related back pain.

 

How Constipation Leads to Lower Backaches

Constipation causes difficulty in passing bowels and changes the texture of the excreted feces from medium-soft to lumpy and extra hard. Some people who get constipated fail to pass bowels for up to three days and develop rectal ulcers. Others, on the one hand, experience abdominal cramps and bloating. 

Notably, constipation can also trigger mild to severe lower back pain because it strains some muscles and puts pressure on several nerve roots. Unfortunately, until you successfully get rid of the retained fecal matter, the pain will persist and cause discomfort. 

Common Causes of Constipation

Failure to pass bowels regularly can stem from a plethora of reasons. But, in most cases, it develops because of low dietary fiber consumption. Essentially, dietary fiber helps your digestive tract maintain a smooth excretion process. It also improves the stool’s consistency and form, allowing your large intestines to expel wastes quickly when you go to the toilet. 

Besides lack of dietary fiber consumption, studies identify other factors that lead to the onset of constipation. A few examples include: 

  • Dehydration 
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Taking certain medications
  • Presence of a tumor in the digestive tract
  • Fecal impaction

If you seem to show signs of these health concerns, we recommend visiting your physician or consulting with an internal medicine doctor. This way, you can gauge the extent of your lower backache and constipation problem.

 

When You Should Use Constipation and Back Pain Remedies 

Constipation and constipation-related low back pain can resolve independently if they stem from a low-fiber diet and dehydration. So, if your situation doesn’t call for urgent medical assistance, you can try a few natural constipation remedies. These may come in handy in improving your waste excretion and alleviating the pressure on your lower back. Some examples of worthy options you should consider doing include: 

  • Increasing your water consumption
  • Keeping your body in great shape by engaging in physical activities
  • Including probiotics and prebiotics into your daily diet
  • Following a low FODMAP diet to prevent constipation caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Avoiding food products that upset the balance of your gut flora

upper cervical chiropractic

 

 

 

 

 

Signs of Trouble: When to Call a Doctor If You Have Back Pain and Constipation

Most of the time, simple remedies are enough to resolve constipation and its accompanying symptoms. However, some situations require emergency medical assistance because they indicate severe underlying causes. Here are examples of instances when you need to take your constipation and lower back pain more seriously:

You fail to excrete feces for at least a week

Bowel movement patterns differ from one person to another. Some might find it normal to poop thrice a day. On the other hand, some individuals only feel the urge to excrete fecal matter once a day. On average, a normal person passes stool at least three times a week. If you go beyond that or notice the problem to drag on for around one week, we strongly suggest calling your physician and scheduling a routine check-up. 

You notice blood in your stool

A bloody stool primarily indicates internal bleeding or anal fissure. Unfortunately, when your poo changes consistency from soft to hard and lumpy, the lining of your excretory organs becomes irritated. The lining can also tear while excretory wastes pass through the digestive tract and out from the anus.  

The pain lingers after passing bowels

If the pain doesn’t fade away after pooping, you might have nerve compression. Besides your condition, you might also have misaligned spinal bones – a common cause of nerve pain in the country. If you notice this symptom, you can head to your physician to get a more in-depth diagnosis and a referral to a nearby upper cervical chiropractic practice.

 

Consult an Upper Cervical Chiropractic Doctor About Your Lower Back Pain

Experiencing back pains and constipation can be quite alarming. After all, they can indicate several things ranging from having poor digestion to abnormal tissue growth inside the colon. Once you confirm that your backaches don’t stem from constipation but a postural problem, we recommend trying upper cervical chiropractic.

Patients complaining about excruciating lower back pain have seen vast improvements after receiving upper cervical care. Furthermore, many of them have unlocked the path to revitalized health and improved balanced and gait after working with an upper cervical chiropractor. 

If you are 100 percent sure that your back pain stems from postural imbalance and not constipation, we suggest having your neck bones checked and analyzed. The sooner you can fix the postural problem, the faster you can get rid of the aching sensation on your lower back. 

Find a nearby upper cervical chiropractic practice and learn about the best lower back pain remedy today!

 

Find An Upper Cervical Doctor in Your Areato schedule a consultation today.

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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.

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