Does constipation cause back pain?

Doctor's Answer

Thanks for your question. It's an interesting one! Constipation has an interesting relationship with back pain as acute back pain, with prolapse of an intervertebral disc and compression of nerves can lead to an alteration in bowel habits, which includes constipation.

Equally, some people can develop back ache symptoms as a consequence of constipation. Remember, you are three dimensional and hence if you are experiencing pain in the abdomen it can be felt in the back too.

Sometimes people can also develop back pain while straining when trying to pass motion. This is similar to when people develop back pain when coughing or sneezing - the sudden increase in pressure can lead to an intervertebral disc suddenly being force beyond its normal constraints and hence back pain can develop.

Importantly, do you have any other symptoms of a significant back pain? This can include numbness, tingling or weakness in the limbs or numbness around the back passage (anus). If you do, it’s definitely worth getting yourself assessed.

I hope this helps.

Bw

Dr Dinesh

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