Lower back pain may look like a problem that is associated with just your back but studies have shown that it can be linked to digestive issues.

A lot of people that suffer from different forms of digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and other symptoms that affect the digestive system often find that they also suffer from lower back pain.

In this article, we will look at digestive problems that can cause by lower back pain

What are Digestive Problems?

Digestive problems also known as gastrointestinal disorders are diseases that affect the digestive tract commonly known as the gastrointestinal tract( GI). The GI includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, liver, gall bladder, and pancreas.

Some common symptoms of digestive disorders include diarrhea, bleeding, bloating, abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea, etc.

Digestive problems can be linked to lower back pain because the nerves that connect the intestinal tract also pass through the back. The intestinal tract also sits ventrally in from of the lumbar spine, therefore any time a person suffers from any form of digestive disorder it impacts the lower back and could cause lower back pain.

Digestive Disorders That Cause Lower back pain

Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome also known as IBS is a common digestive disorder that has a largely unknown cause.

Some studies suggest that it happens when food moves too quickly or too slowly through the large intestines.

The fairly common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include bloating, cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.

For some people, IBS can be triggered by certain foods such as dairy, beans, cabbage, etc. It can also be triggered by stress.

Lower back pain has been associated with sufferers of IBS even though a direct link has not been detected. There are suggestions that the pain felt in the lower back is a referred pain that comes from increased spinal loading that comes from strain during defecation.

IBS is managed by a reduction in stress levels, and dietary changes. You are advised to see a doctor if IBS pain persists and results in rectal bleeding, difficulty swallowing, and weight loss.

Bowel Obstruction

Bowel obstruction is a digestive disorder that occurs when food can not pass normally through your intestines due to a restriction that may be partial or total. Some likely causes of this construction may include, twisted intestines, scar tissue from abdominal surgery, and tumors.

The obstruction caused a build-up which begins to give you pain. Some of the bowel symptoms of this disease include cramping, nausea, lack of flatulence, hard swollen belly, and lack of appetite.

Bowel obstruction can cause back pain because it creates a dull pain in your abdomen which is passed on to your lower back.

Liver Disease

One of the health conditions that can cause back pain for a sufferer is liver cirrhosis. It is the build-up of scar tissue on the liver which prevents the liver from regenerating its damaged cells. This often leads to liver failure.

People that suffer from liver cirrhosis tend to complain of pain in the neck, shoulder, and back, this is called referred pain. Because the liver does not have any nerves running through it, damage to the liver is often felt by surrounding organs which then refers pain to in other parts of the body.

Symptoms of liver cirrhosis include severe abdominal pain, pale-colored stools, dark urine, fever, etc.

Fecal Impaction

Fecal impaction happens when a constipated person has a hard dry stool that is stuck in the rectum. This occurs when a person has had constipation due to long use of laxatives or when they have had surgery that requires medications that causes constipation.

Fecal impaction can cause rectal muscle pain during bowel movements which in turn causes lower back pain as the pain reverberates to the lower back.

Typical symptoms of those who suffer from this disease include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating and rectal bleeding.

Urinary Tract Infection

This disease may not be a digestive disorder but it also causes lower back pain which can get severe if the bacteria travels to the kidney to cause a kidney infection.

Urinary tract infection occurs when the urinary tract becomes infected with bacteria that cause a burning sensation when urinating.

When UTI causes lower back pain, the symptoms are high fever and vomiting which is the interaction with the digestive system. UTIs can be cured with a course of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.