Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptoms of ConstipationHow It FeelsWhen to See a ProviderSelf-Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms of Constipation
How It Feels
When to See a Provider
Self-Care
Your aching back may not be a result of strain. Rather, it may be a symptom ofconstipation. Both of these conditions are very common. About 39% of adults experience low-back painand up to 27% of adults experience constipation each year.While these symptoms not always related, there may be a connection in some cases.This article will explain how constipation can cause back pain and when to see a healthcare provider. It will also explore other symptoms of constipation and what it feels like when back pain results from too few bowel movements.Fabio Camandona / Getty ImagesHow Constipation Can Cause Back PainConstipation can lead to nagging lower back pain. But not all constipation is alike. The following conditions can result in back pain and constipation.General ConstipationIf you have constipation, it means you’re not sufficiently emptying your bowels. Your stool may be hard, dry, and lumpy and may also be extremely large or come out as small pebbly segments.Constipation may be due to the following:Not getting enoughdietary fiber from fruits and vegetablesTaking certain medicationsDehydrationPhysical inactivityNot responding to the urge to pass stoolExperiencing depression or anxietyWhen too much stool is packed into the lower intestine, it can press on the back muscles and cause an uncomfortable achiness. This pain may last until you are able to get your digestive system moving again.Fecal ImpactionSome cases of chronic constipation can causefecal impaction. With fecal impaction, some stool remains stuck at the end of the intestine, blocking normal bowel movements until it can be dislodged. This usually affects people with long-term constipation. It can be a serious condition that needs to be promptly addressed.Sometimes, the stool can be softened with the aid of a mineral enema or with the use of a suppository. Other times, a healthcare provider must manually break the stool into smaller pieces before carefully removing it. In severe cases, the stool may need to be surgically removed.In the meantime, the pressure from the hardened mass of stool on the nerves of the lower back (sacral) may leave you with considerable lower back pain.Back Pain Causing ConstipationWhile many times it’s the constipation that causes the back pain, in some instances, it’s the reverse. If you have back pain from a pinched nerve or a slipped (herniated) disk, this can make it difficult to pass stool. If you are unable to exert the pressure that you need to to poop due to back pain, this can lead to constipation.Worse, you may develop what’s known as neurogenic bowel.This nerve problem can also get in the way of normal bowel function.If you have a lower spinal cord injury, this may lead to what’s known as a flaccid bowel problem in which the normal movement of the colon is reduced. This, in turn, may cause you to become constipated in addition to possibly causing other bowel issues.Conditions That Cause Both Constipation and Back PainHaving both constipation and back pain does not necessarily mean that one is causing the other. Conditions that can be associated with both may instead be the underlying issue. These include:Cancer: In some cases, tumors that develop near the spinal cord can press on it, causing back pain and also slowing bowel movement. Likewise, abdominal tumors can press on the bowels, creating pressure in the area and making it more difficult to pass stool.Endometriosis: With endometriosis, tissue similar to the uterine lining develops elsewhere. This may even be inside or outside of the intestines.If the bowels are involved, this can cause symptoms such as constipation, lower back pain, gas, pain during intercourse, fertility issues, and bleeding from the rectum during menstruation.Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS): This chronicfunctional bowel disorderinvolves changes in bowel habits. TheIBS-C subtypeand IBS with mixed bowel habits subtype can cause both constipation and back pain. Other common IBS symptoms may include stomach cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.Fibromyalgia: In cases of fibromyalgia, individuals may experience pain anywhere in the body, including the back. If you have this condition, you may also have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, which can include constipation and back pain.Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD): This group of immune-mediated conditions includesulcerative colitisandCrohn’s disease. The body attacks parts of the intestine, sometimes causing constipation and accompanying back pain. The hallmark sign of IBD is gut inflammation, something which distinguishes it from irritable bowel syndrome.Symptoms of ConstipationAnyone who has less than three bowel movements a week is at risk of constipation. Here are some of the symptoms that you may have to contend with:Hard stools that are difficult to passStools that are lumpy and dryFeeling as if there is stool remaining in the bowelHow Back Pain With Constipation FeelsConstipation can leave you feeling uncomfortable and looking for relief. If you’re experiencing chronic constipation, you may feel a heavy, dull ache in the lower back due to stool lodged in the colon. You may also experience bloating and abdominal discomfort associated with constipation.In some cases, if the bowels are putting pressure on thesciatic nerve, you may feel pain that extends beyond the lower back and continues down your leg (sciatica). This may be a shooting or burning sensation or feel like pins and needles.Sometimes, it may just be hard to describe.You may also experience muscle spasms in your back and notice a weakness in your leg or foot.Sciatica SymptomsSciaticasymptoms can include both lower back and leg pain. Your leg or foot may also feel differently than normal and may seem weaker. You may also experience muscle spasms in your back.When to See a Healthcare Provider for Constipation and Back PainWhile constipation is often something you can deal with on your own, it sometimes can be a sign of something more. In some cases, it may not be connected to lifestyle or diet; rather, it may be linked to a tumor that needs to be promptly treated.You should contact your healthcare provider right away if you find you are not passing stool regularly despite making lifestyle adjustments and you notice any of the following:Some blood can be seen in the stool.There is bleeding from your rectum (end of the intestine).You are unable to pass gas and have severe stomach pains.You find you are losing weight for no reason.Traditional remedies such as consuming fiber and moving more haven’t helped.You have lower back pain.When to Seek Emergency CareAnytime you see blood coming from your rectum or in your stool, you should immediately seek care. Also, severe abdominal pain, as well as finding that you are unable to pass gas, means you need prompt attention. If you experience fever and vomiting together with constipation, you should also seek out emergency care.Self-Care for Constipation and Back PainFor obvious cases of constipation with accompanying back pain, there are some helpful lifestyle measures you can take, including:Increase fluid intake: The aim is to drink 50 to 68 ounces of fluids daily while avoiding alcoholic beverages and those with caffeine.Consume around 25 grams (g) of fiber from high-fiber foods each day: These include fruits and vegetables, whole grains like bran and oatmeal, and seeds and nuts.Takepsyllium-containing fiber supplements: Metamucil is one brand.Take a stool softenercontaining docusate sodium: Colace is a brand name.Try an over-the-counter (OTC) laxativecontaining polyethylene glycol (PEG): Miralax is a brand name.Stay active: Regular physical activity is recommended for treating constipation and preventing it.For most types of low-back pain, staying active is also recommended.SummarySometimes, constipation can lead to an aching lower back or sciatica, in which pain can also travel down your leg. In severe cases, it may result in a fecal impaction with stool stuck in the intestine that requires intervention from your health provider to remove.Having constipation and back pain does not necessarily mean one is causing the other. Conditions ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to cancer can be linked to both. If you are contending with constipation related to back pain, this can usually be resolved with lifestyle measures and over-the-counter medications.
Your aching back may not be a result of strain. Rather, it may be a symptom ofconstipation. Both of these conditions are very common. About 39% of adults experience low-back painand up to 27% of adults experience constipation each year.While these symptoms not always related, there may be a connection in some cases.
This article will explain how constipation can cause back pain and when to see a healthcare provider. It will also explore other symptoms of constipation and what it feels like when back pain results from too few bowel movements.
Fabio Camandona / Getty Images
How Constipation Can Cause Back Pain
Constipation can lead to nagging lower back pain. But not all constipation is alike. The following conditions can result in back pain and constipation.
General Constipation
If you have constipation, it means you’re not sufficiently emptying your bowels. Your stool may be hard, dry, and lumpy and may also be extremely large or come out as small pebbly segments.Constipation may be due to the following:
When too much stool is packed into the lower intestine, it can press on the back muscles and cause an uncomfortable achiness. This pain may last until you are able to get your digestive system moving again.
Fecal Impaction
Some cases of chronic constipation can causefecal impaction. With fecal impaction, some stool remains stuck at the end of the intestine, blocking normal bowel movements until it can be dislodged. This usually affects people with long-term constipation. It can be a serious condition that needs to be promptly addressed.
Sometimes, the stool can be softened with the aid of a mineral enema or with the use of a suppository. Other times, a healthcare provider must manually break the stool into smaller pieces before carefully removing it. In severe cases, the stool may need to be surgically removed.
In the meantime, the pressure from the hardened mass of stool on the nerves of the lower back (sacral) may leave you with considerable lower back pain.
Back Pain Causing Constipation
While many times it’s the constipation that causes the back pain, in some instances, it’s the reverse. If you have back pain from a pinched nerve or a slipped (herniated) disk, this can make it difficult to pass stool. If you are unable to exert the pressure that you need to to poop due to back pain, this can lead to constipation.
Worse, you may develop what’s known as neurogenic bowel.This nerve problem can also get in the way of normal bowel function.
If you have a lower spinal cord injury, this may lead to what’s known as a flaccid bowel problem in which the normal movement of the colon is reduced. This, in turn, may cause you to become constipated in addition to possibly causing other bowel issues.
Conditions That Cause Both Constipation and Back Pain
Having both constipation and back pain does not necessarily mean that one is causing the other. Conditions that can be associated with both may instead be the underlying issue. These include:
Anyone who has less than three bowel movements a week is at risk of constipation. Here are some of the symptoms that you may have to contend with:
How Back Pain With Constipation Feels
Constipation can leave you feeling uncomfortable and looking for relief. If you’re experiencing chronic constipation, you may feel a heavy, dull ache in the lower back due to stool lodged in the colon. You may also experience bloating and abdominal discomfort associated with constipation.
In some cases, if the bowels are putting pressure on thesciatic nerve, you may feel pain that extends beyond the lower back and continues down your leg (sciatica). This may be a shooting or burning sensation or feel like pins and needles.Sometimes, it may just be hard to describe.
You may also experience muscle spasms in your back and notice a weakness in your leg or foot.
Sciatica SymptomsSciaticasymptoms can include both lower back and leg pain. Your leg or foot may also feel differently than normal and may seem weaker. You may also experience muscle spasms in your back.
Sciatica Symptoms
Sciaticasymptoms can include both lower back and leg pain. Your leg or foot may also feel differently than normal and may seem weaker. You may also experience muscle spasms in your back.
When to See a Healthcare Provider for Constipation and Back Pain
While constipation is often something you can deal with on your own, it sometimes can be a sign of something more. In some cases, it may not be connected to lifestyle or diet; rather, it may be linked to a tumor that needs to be promptly treated.
You should contact your healthcare provider right away if you find you are not passing stool regularly despite making lifestyle adjustments and you notice any of the following:
When to Seek Emergency CareAnytime you see blood coming from your rectum or in your stool, you should immediately seek care. Also, severe abdominal pain, as well as finding that you are unable to pass gas, means you need prompt attention. If you experience fever and vomiting together with constipation, you should also seek out emergency care.
When to Seek Emergency Care
Anytime you see blood coming from your rectum or in your stool, you should immediately seek care. Also, severe abdominal pain, as well as finding that you are unable to pass gas, means you need prompt attention. If you experience fever and vomiting together with constipation, you should also seek out emergency care.
Self-Care for Constipation and Back Pain
For obvious cases of constipation with accompanying back pain, there are some helpful lifestyle measures you can take, including:
Summary
Sometimes, constipation can lead to an aching lower back or sciatica, in which pain can also travel down your leg. In severe cases, it may result in a fecal impaction with stool stuck in the intestine that requires intervention from your health provider to remove.
Having constipation and back pain does not necessarily mean one is causing the other. Conditions ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to cancer can be linked to both. If you are contending with constipation related to back pain, this can usually be resolved with lifestyle measures and over-the-counter medications.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control.Back, lower limb, and upper limb pain among US adults, 2019.Trager RJ, Mok SRS, Schlick KJ, Perez JA, Dusek JA.Association between radicular low back pain and constipation: a retrospective cohort study using a real-world national database.Pain Rep. 2021;6(3):e954. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000954NHS Inform.Constipation.US Pain Foundation.Speaking out about constipation and chronic pain.Mount Sinai.Fecal impaction.Cancer Research UK.Faecal impaction.Cedars Sinai.Neurogenic bowel.Cancer Research UK.Causes of constipation.Weil Cornell Medicine.What is bowel endometriosis?National Health Services.Irritable bowel syndrome.NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.NYU Langone.Five inflammatory bowel disease symptoms you should never ignore.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What are the symptoms of constipation?Heidelbaugh J, Martinez de Andino N, Pineles D, Poppers DM.Diagnosing constipation spectrum disorders in a primary care setting.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021;10(5):1092. doi:10.3390/jcm10051092NHS.Sciatica.National Institute on Aging.Concerned about constipation?National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of constipation.Cornell Health.Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.American Family Physician.Low back pain.
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control.Back, lower limb, and upper limb pain among US adults, 2019.Trager RJ, Mok SRS, Schlick KJ, Perez JA, Dusek JA.Association between radicular low back pain and constipation: a retrospective cohort study using a real-world national database.Pain Rep. 2021;6(3):e954. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000954NHS Inform.Constipation.US Pain Foundation.Speaking out about constipation and chronic pain.Mount Sinai.Fecal impaction.Cancer Research UK.Faecal impaction.Cedars Sinai.Neurogenic bowel.Cancer Research UK.Causes of constipation.Weil Cornell Medicine.What is bowel endometriosis?National Health Services.Irritable bowel syndrome.NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.NYU Langone.Five inflammatory bowel disease symptoms you should never ignore.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What are the symptoms of constipation?Heidelbaugh J, Martinez de Andino N, Pineles D, Poppers DM.Diagnosing constipation spectrum disorders in a primary care setting.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021;10(5):1092. doi:10.3390/jcm10051092NHS.Sciatica.National Institute on Aging.Concerned about constipation?National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of constipation.Cornell Health.Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.American Family Physician.Low back pain.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control.Back, lower limb, and upper limb pain among US adults, 2019.Trager RJ, Mok SRS, Schlick KJ, Perez JA, Dusek JA.Association between radicular low back pain and constipation: a retrospective cohort study using a real-world national database.Pain Rep. 2021;6(3):e954. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000954NHS Inform.Constipation.US Pain Foundation.Speaking out about constipation and chronic pain.Mount Sinai.Fecal impaction.Cancer Research UK.Faecal impaction.Cedars Sinai.Neurogenic bowel.Cancer Research UK.Causes of constipation.Weil Cornell Medicine.What is bowel endometriosis?National Health Services.Irritable bowel syndrome.NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.NYU Langone.Five inflammatory bowel disease symptoms you should never ignore.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What are the symptoms of constipation?Heidelbaugh J, Martinez de Andino N, Pineles D, Poppers DM.Diagnosing constipation spectrum disorders in a primary care setting.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021;10(5):1092. doi:10.3390/jcm10051092NHS.Sciatica.National Institute on Aging.Concerned about constipation?National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of constipation.Cornell Health.Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.American Family Physician.Low back pain.
Centers for Disease Control.Back, lower limb, and upper limb pain among US adults, 2019.
Trager RJ, Mok SRS, Schlick KJ, Perez JA, Dusek JA.Association between radicular low back pain and constipation: a retrospective cohort study using a real-world national database.Pain Rep. 2021;6(3):e954. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000954
NHS Inform.Constipation.
US Pain Foundation.Speaking out about constipation and chronic pain.
Mount Sinai.Fecal impaction.
Cancer Research UK.Faecal impaction.
Cedars Sinai.Neurogenic bowel.
Cancer Research UK.Causes of constipation.
Weil Cornell Medicine.What is bowel endometriosis?
National Health Services.Irritable bowel syndrome.
NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.
NYU Langone.Five inflammatory bowel disease symptoms you should never ignore.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What are the symptoms of constipation?
Heidelbaugh J, Martinez de Andino N, Pineles D, Poppers DM.Diagnosing constipation spectrum disorders in a primary care setting.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021;10(5):1092. doi:10.3390/jcm10051092
NHS.Sciatica.
National Institute on Aging.Concerned about constipation?
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of constipation.
Cornell Health.Constipation.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.
American Family Physician.Low back pain.
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