Back Pain Due To Irritable Bowel Syndrome
A frequent complaint and diagnosis are colon spasms or irritable bowel, a syndrome that occurs more often in women, also during the menstrual cycle. When you suffer from abdominal pain and bloating, it is possible that you suffer from IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. One of the symptoms is a very painful lower back.
Pain in the lower abdomen and the lower back occurs in various ways. Depending on the condition, you can feel the pain in a specific part of the abdomen, for instance at the bottom. Sometimes the entire abdomen can be painful with a painful feeling in the sides and the lower back or in the lower back and the pelvis. This does not always mean it is serious. Many women have this periodically. A hot water bottle and pain killers are still the best cure. In the event of serious pain, you must contact a GP.
Masses Around The Lower Back
Cancer can often manifest in lower back or lower limb pain, alongside bloody stools and difficulty with bowel movements. Since the tumor mass can press on the spinal cord and other nerves found in the lower back, it can often escalate into a life-threatening situation if left unattended.
Swelling, inflammation, lumps, or acute pain and discomfort are also symptoms of tumors. Its often possible to feel the tumor itself if its around the lower back area. These lumps arent always tumors: they can also be swollen lymph nodes, one of the latest signs of colorectal cancer.
Use Laxatives Or Stool Softeners
If youve recently had minimally invasive back surgery, some of the medications youre taking to manage your post-operative pain may be contributing to your constipation. Check with your doctor for recommendations on appropriate choices for laxatives and stool softeners.
If your back pain is causing you great discomfort, you may want to consider fusion surgery or some back fusion alternatives. Beverly Hills patients can count on the expert surgeons at The Spine Institute to diagnose the source of their pain and find a solution for living a pain-free life. Give our office a call today at 310-828-7757.
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What Is A Bowel Program
A bowel program is a plan to retrain your body to have regular bowel movements. A doctor or nurse designs a bowel program specifically for you. Your health, bowel and personal history, physical examination are an important part of this review:
- The level and completeness of your spinal cord injury
- Description and pattern of bowel problems
- Past and present medical problems
- Intake of food and drink
- Physical activities
The goals of a bowel program are:
- Passing a stool on a daily or every-other-day basis
- Preventing unplanned bowel movements
- Emptying your bowel around the same time of day
- Passing medium or large stool every time you have a bowel movement
- Emptying all or most of your rectum each day
- Having stools that are soft, formed, and bulky
- Emptying your bowel completely within 30 minutes after eating
When To See Your Doctor
In most cases, its possible to apply home remedies and management to back pain caused by constipation. The pain usually subsides once the blockage has been removed, though patients need to monitor themselves if theyre prone to bouts of constipation.
However, there are situations where its more advisable that you consult your doctor immediately about your lower back pain:
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A member of our customer service team recently received feedback from a customer who had been experiencing such severe constipation that it was transitioning into lower back pain. This isnt the first time Ive heard a report like this. Soreness and lower back pain can definitely be related to constipation. It’s not only severe constipation even minor cases of constipation can lead to back pain.
Does Constipation Cause Lower Back Pain
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Sometimes, constipation and low back pain can strike at or around the same time. When this happens, its natural to wonder if you have back pain because youre constipated or if both symptoms are unrelated.
In some cases, constipation can cause lower back pain, and thats because when youre constipated, you dont poo as often or as much as you normally do. The extra poo sitting in your bowels makes them swell up and this can lead to pain in your back.
If youve been constipated for a while, its also possible for a dry hard lump of poo to get stuck and block your bowels. This is known as faecal impaction and can also cause back pain.
But this doesnt always happen, which means that you shouldnt assume constipation is giving you back pain if both happen at the same time. Something else may be to blame.
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How Common Is Constipation
You are not alone if you have constipation. Constipation is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal complaints in the United States. At least 2.5 million people see their doctor each year due to constipation.
People of all ages can have an occasional bout of constipation. There are also certain people and situations that are more likely to lead to becoming more consistently constipated . These include:
- Older age. Older people tend to be less active, have a slower metabolism and less muscle contraction strength along their digestive tract than when they were younger.
- Being a woman, especially while you are pregnant and after childbirth. Changes in a womans hormones make them more prone to constipation. The baby inside the womb squishes the intestines, slowing down the passage of stool.
- Not eating enough high-fiber foods. High-fiber foods keep food moving through the digestive system.
- Taking certain medications .
- Having certain neurological and digestive disorders .
Constipation Produces The Following Symptomswhich Can Cause Stomach Pain
Cramps
This cause of stomach pain that is annoying and irritating. These aren’t usually too much trouble unless:
- A fever is present
- Cramping lasts more than 24 hours
Stomach cramps usually come from constipation, gas, indigestion, and bloating.
Nausea
This results from backed up stool in the colon.
This backed up stool causes problems with the whole gastrointestinal tract. The regular function of moving food into the digestion processes is slowed down, which can result in nausea.
The following can also cause nausea:
- Distension of the colon
- A bowel obstruction
A full feeling
When constipated, have you experienced a bloated, distended stomach? Then in a few hours perhaps it gets worse, as your stomach starts feeling even tighter and starts to hurt.
This tight sensation makes you feel heavy and full. Sometimes you might skip a meal because you feel so full and by skipping a meal can cause a hunger headache and dehydration.
Intestinal blockages
This can cause severe stomach pain. Constipation can cause intestinal blockages at any point in the colon.
These can block the intestinal track from passing waste material, fluids or gas along the digestion pathway, producing sharp stomach pains.
Gas build up
This can be caused by constipation. Yeast in the colon ferments the stool, and a byproduct of fermentation is gas. When this gas cant be expelled, it produces pressure and pain.
Indigestion
Bloating
Belching
The gas that is produced is expelled through the mouth.
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Back Pain Relief Options
If an impacted colon is making the pain worse, then it needs to be unblocked as soon as possible.
There are a number of ways you can do this.
You can consider using natural herbal laxatives that contain either cascara or senna. Although these herbal remedies can help unblock an impacted colon, they can also irritate the gastrointestinal tract. This means, they should only be used temporarily.
If you have chronic constipation and the fecal impaction is severe you may require a colon cleanse to unblock and completely clean out the colon. This should be considered as a last resort because your interfering with bodies natural bowel movements and bacterial balance.
I want to emphasize that these two options are only remedies, theyre not cures. They will help to relieve the constipation and back pain but wont address the true cause of the problem.
The fact is, your digestive system is designed to eliminate waste effectively as long as it remains balanced. However, poor lifestyle choices can easily disturb this fragile balance.
Constipation is a the result of an imbalanced digestive system. This happens when the numbers of intestinal flora have been reduced to a level where they can no longer protect you from the spread of yeast infections and disease causing bacteria.
Once they take hold, bloating, excessive gas, abdominal pain, constipation problems and food allergies become the initial warning signs.
How Is Constipation Treated
Self-care
Most cases of mild to moderate constipation can be managed by you at home. Self-care starts by taking an inventory of what you eat and drink and then making changes.
Some recommendations to help relieve your constipation include:
- Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks and alcohol, which can cause dehydration.
- Add fruits, vegetables whole grains and other high-fiber foods to your diet. Eat fewer high-fat foods, like meat, eggs and cheese.
- Eat prunes and/or bran cereal.
- Keep a food diary and single out foods that constipate you.
- Get moving, exercise.
- Check how you sit on the toilet. Raising your feet, leaning back or squatting may make having a bowel movement easier.
- Add an over-the-counter supplemental fiber to your diet .
- If needed, take a very mild over-the-counter stool softener or laxative . Mineral oil enemas, like Fleet®, and stimulant laxatives, like bisacodyl or senna , are other options. There are many laxative choices. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for help in making a choice. Do not use laxatives for more than two weeks without calling your doctor. Overuse of laxatives can worsen your symptoms.
- Do not read, use your phone or other devices while trying to move your bowels.
Medication/supplement review
Prescription medications
Surgery
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How Do You Know It Is Constipation Causing Your Lower Back Pain:
- Consistent and persistent pain that gets worse during your motions.
- The pain spreads way above your lower and middle back.
- The pain becomes more intense with time, and pain medications dont help.
Constipation can also result sciatic nerve compression and hence be a non-spinal factor that causes sciatica an intense lower back pain that travels right down to your leg it is a case of sciatica.
How Is Gas And Bloating Responsible For Lower To Middle Back Pain
Intestinal gas is a regular feature with most of us. The problem with our fast and heavy schedules is that we hardly get a chance to have proper meals. We always seem to be in a hurry, so most of the food we gulp down is partially digested.
Gas is typically caused due to fermentation of this partially or undigested food. Gas is also caused when your alimentary system is unable to break down certain components in your food such as sugar and gluten. This means that the gas bubbles are trapped inside your intestines. This, in turn, can lead to abdominal bloating and cramps.
Some gas is completely normal and most of us pass gas up to 20 times each day. Its only when this gas gets trapped and hence cant move through the digestive system freely that we start to get a problem. In this scenario we start to get a build-up of gas which causes bloating and distension of the stomach and abdomen area which in turn results in cramps and pain.
Such cramps can spread to your intestines and even cause lower back pain. If the cramps are really severe, even your middle back can be affected by intense pains. As a knock on effect bloating can cause the tensing of muscles which again can cause back pain.
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Can Ibs Cause Back Pain
In addition to bloating and gas, people with IBS often develop extraintestinal symptoms, or symptoms that involve body parts beyond the gut. These may include sleep problems, headaches, urination troubles, fatigue, muscle pain, pain in the pelvis or jawand back pain.
Back pain is common among IBS patients, though the exact incidence is unknown. Studies estimate it affects between 28 and 81 percent of people with the disorder. Some experts believe that it may be referred pain, or pain that originates elsewhere in the body and is felt in the back. In research, gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and bloating have been linked to back pain.
Another possibility: People with IBS often have other health conditions at the same time, which are also frequently associated with backaches. These include interstitial cystitisa chronic illness that causes bladder pressure and painand the pain condition fibromyalgia. Studies have found that about 3 in 10 people diagnosed with IBS meet the criteria for fibromyalgia, as well.
In addition, IBS can be associated with other inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, which could lead to back pain. IBS symptoms with back pain should prompt you to head to the doctor so you can be sure your symptoms arent caused by any other underlying medical conditions.
What To Do If Constipation Causes Back Pain
When the back pain crops up due to any factor it should be treated properly. Nevertheless, if constipation occurs in a person who has back pain, managing the constipation can assist to a great extent.
At most times, it is perceived that other predisposing factors of back pain which include earlier injuries, straining the muscles, intervertebral disc issues etc. may accompany constipation. Thus, treatment of constipation on top of other additional health conditions is recommended.
When the condition happens it can be cured using drugs. Treatment of the root causes of constipation is correspondingly important. It is highly worthwhile to look for medical advice and adhere to it promptly. The prevention and management of constipation requires minor changes, especially in a persons lifestyle. The changes may include
Drinking Large Amounts of Water and Fluids At a minimum, a person should ensure drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water is per day. Unique adherence to the routine must be done especially during the summer season and/or when playing, working out at the gym or being involved in sports activities.
Adequate Roughage to a Persons Meals They include meals such as whole grain meals for breakfast and suppertimes. Add adequate and appropriate quantities of fruits and vegetables in the meals. Avoid food substances that lead to constipation or gastric issues.
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What Lab Tests And Other Medical Tests May Be Done To Find The Cause Of My Constipation
Your doctor can order no tests or many types of tests and procedures. The decision of which ones your doctor might order for you depends on your symptoms, medical history, and overall health.
Lab tests: Blood and urine tests reveal signs of hypothyroidism, anemia, and diabetes. A stool sample checks for signs of infection, inflammation, and cancer.
Imaging tests:Computed tomography , magnetic resonance imaging or lower gastrointestinal tract series may be ordered to identify other problems that could be causing your constipation.
Colonoscopy: A colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy an internal view of your colon with a scope may be performed. During this procedure, a small sample of tissue may be taken to test for cancer or other problems and any found polyps will be removed.
Colorectal transit studies: These tests involve consuming a small dose of a radioactive substance, either in pill form or in a meal, and then tracking both the amount of time and how the substance moves through your intestines.
Other bowel function tests: Your doctor may order tests that check how well your anus and rectum hold and release stool. These tests include a certain type of x-ray , done to rule out causes of outlet dysfunction constipation, and the insertion of a small balloon into the rectum .
Improve Spinal Health With The Spine And Rehab Group
Constipation is a possible cause for lower back pain, but you should always get a full diagnosis before your doctor before settling it as the only cause. There are a myriad of factors that can trigger the symptoms of lower back pain, and its important to check for all possible conditions to catch any serious illnesses that may be developing.
At the Spine And Rehab Group, we believe in providing high-quality medical care and assistance for any sort of back pain, combined with a commitment to long-lasting solutions and excellent customer service. We have years of experience in treating most causes of back pain, with clinics all over New York that you can visit today.
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Treatment Options For Constipation And Back Pain
The first line of treatment for constipation is changing what you eat. Try adding more fiber and water to your diet to help soften your stool and make it easier to pass.
If constipation occurs after starting a new diet or taking a new medication, call your doctor. They can help you adjust the diet or medication or give the OK to stop it altogether.
Some common treatments for constipation include the following:
- Exercise regularly. Physical activity promotes proper circulation and keeps your bowels healthy.