Can Constipation Cause Back Pain?

Back pain is common and is usually caused by an injury or age-related degenerative conditions affecting the spine, spinal nerves, or muscles in the back. But injuries and age aren't the only causes of back pain. Have you ever had back pain that seems unrelated to any injury? Surprisingly, this unexpected back pain may be a side effect of constipation.

Find out more about constipation-related back pain and what you can do about it.

What is constipation?

Almost everyone experiences constipation at some point in their life. The general medical definition for constipation is when you have three or fewer bowel movements a week, passing stool that's dry and hard. But if your usual bowel movement schedule isn't like others and is usually less frequent, true constipation is when there's a change in your normal bowel movements.

Some people poop several times a day, while others poop only a few times a week. According to the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), individual constipation is pooping less often than normal or passing stool that's rock hard and requires excessive straining. A slowdown in the movement of food waste through the digestive tract, or more specifically the colon, causes constipation.

Your digestive system absorbs as much nutrition as possible — carbs, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting nutrients — from the food you eat as it moves its way through. The food waste that reaches the colon is made up of nondigestible fibers and water.

A lot happens in the colon as the food waste moves through. The microorganisms that live in this part of your digestive tract feed off the fiber and make essential nutrients, the waste collects toxic substances for removal, and any remaining water is reabsorbed. The longer it takes for stools to move through the colon, the more water it removes, creating the dry, hard, and difficult-to-pass stool.

Constipation has many causes, including a change in diet, alterations in your usual routine, stress, or certain medications. For most people, constipation clears up on its own within a few days. However, if you continue to have infrequent or hard-to-pass poop for several weeks, you may have chronic constipation.

Symptoms of constipation

Common constipation symptoms mostly center around your bowel movements and include:

• Having fewer than three bowel movements a week or changes to your normal bowel habits
• Passing rock-like pieces of stool (hard and small)
• Straining to pass stool
• Experiencing pain during bowel movements
• Lingering urge to poop after having a bowel movement

More serious symptoms of constipation include:

• Inability to pass gas
• Bleeding during a bowel movement
• Blood in stool
• Constant stomach pain
• Not passing stool
• Vomiting
• Fever

On top of these symptoms, constipation may cause back pain, seeming completely unrelated to your tummy issues.

Can constipation cause back pain?

In a nutshell, constipation can cause back pain, especially in the lower back. The pain may occur because of a buildup of stool in the large intestines, leading to swelling that puts pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves.

Preliminary research also shows an association between constipation, an imbalance in the gut microbiome, and back pain. People who experience constipation are more likely to have an imbalance in bacteria in the gut and more severe lower back pain than people without constipation, according to a 2018 study published in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. The researchers theorize that the imbalance in the microbiome may affect communication between the gut and brain, influencing and exacerbating pain sensations. But this is preliminary evidence and more research is needed to better understand the connection between constipation, chronic back pain, and the microbiome.

Lower back pain is also a symptom of fecal impaction, a severe form of constipation that requires immediate medical attention. It's a type of bowel obstruction where dry, hard stool gets stuck in the rectum, the last section of the large intestine that holds stool before elimination. Abdominal pain, bloating, and difficulty passing stool are other symptoms you may have with fecal impaction. Without immediate treatment, the impacted stool may tear through the intestinal wall, leading to an infection.

Conditions that cause both constipation and back pain

Constipation and back pain are symptoms that occur from any number of causes. Experiencing both symptoms at the same time can help pinpoint the underlying cause.

Constipation is one of many symptoms that affect people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional gastrointestinal disorder where the gut and brain don't work together as they should. Symptoms vary in type and severity with irritable bowel syndrome but may include abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits.

Other conditions that can cause both constipation and back pain include:

If you have chronic pain, taking certain medications to manage your discomfort may cause or worsen constipation.

When to see a healthcare provider

If you have severe abdominal pain, difficulty passing stool, or signs of dehydration related to your constipation, seek immediate medical attention. You should also make an appointment with your doctor if you have severe constipation and back pain that lasts longer than a few weeks.

Severe back pain, numbness and tingling in the legs, difficulty controlling bowel movements (incontinence), or unexplained weight loss are also symptoms of concern that should benefit from a doctor's evaluation.

Self-care for constipation and back relief

Making changes to your lifestyle may help you manage both your constipation and back pain. Increasing your fiber intake and managing stress may help relieve both symptoms. More fiber adds bulk to stool, making it easier to pass, reducing buildup and pressure. Stress may trigger IBS and exacerbate back pain and constipation.

Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated can help prevent constipation. You also want to limit foods with little to no fiber, such as snack foods, fast food, and processed food.

Getting regular exercise also benefits constipation and back pain. Walking and yoga are good forms of physical activity that can improve bowel function and reduce symptoms of constipation. Exercise also releases the body's natural painkillers to help reduce chronic back pain.

Your doctor may also recommend a stool softener and a bathroom routine that helps you find relief from constipation. Natural stool softeners like prunes, flaxseed, and psyllium may also help.

Final word

Constipation and lower back pain are common health complaints. Though back pain has many causes, you may not connect your chronic pain with your infrequent bowel movements, but constipation can cause lower back pain. Improving bowel regularity may help you get relief from your back pain, but you should talk to your doctor if your constipation persists.