Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDescribing Back PainCausesEndo Back Pain & SciaticaManaging Chronic PainRecognizing TriggersSpecialists Who May Help
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Describing Back Pain
Causes
Endo Back Pain & Sciatica
Managing Chronic Pain
Recognizing Triggers
Specialists Who May Help
Back pain from endometriosis (endo) stems from muscle tension or lesions and scarring near pelvic organs and nerves. Nerve irritation can trigger radiating pain in the lower back, legs, hips, or buttocks.Back pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with endo, alongside chronic pelvic pain and pain during menstruation (dysmenorrhea).
This article reviews how endo back pain feels, reasons for the pain, how endo affects nonreproductive organs, how to recognize and manage flares, and specialists who can help.
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Describing Back Pain From Endometriosis
Pain from endometriosistypically affects the lower back, pelvis (between the hips), and sacrum (base of the spine). Pain also can radiate to the upper back or down the legs, hips, and buttocks. This pain may feel like a nagging, dull ache or sharp, stabbing sensations, pulling, or throbbing. It often worsens during menstrual cycles orovulationand can impact daily functioning.
Endometriosis StagingEndometriosis stagingcategorizes the severity of endo, as follows:Stage 1: Minimal (small lesions with no scarring)Stage 2: Mild with more lesions but less than two inches of scarringStage 3: Moderate with deeper lesions, potentially with ovariancystsand scar tissueStage 4: Severe, with multiple lesions, potentially with larger cysts, and extensive scar tissue
Endometriosis Staging
Endometriosis stagingcategorizes the severity of endo, as follows:Stage 1: Minimal (small lesions with no scarring)Stage 2: Mild with more lesions but less than two inches of scarringStage 3: Moderate with deeper lesions, potentially with ovariancystsand scar tissueStage 4: Severe, with multiple lesions, potentially with larger cysts, and extensive scar tissue
Endometriosis stagingcategorizes the severity of endo, as follows:
What Does Endometriosis Feel Like?
Reasons Endometriosis Causes Lower Back Pain
Pain From Lesions on Other Organs
Endometriosis can grow around nonreproductive structures, causingreferred back painand varying symptoms. For example, bladder involvement may also result in urinary urgency (feeling a need to urinate), frequency, pain, or incontinence (leaking).
Involvement of the intestines (tubes that carry food out of the body) can cause abdominal bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.You can also experience upper abdominal or chest pain if endo grows around the chest cavity.
Endometriosis, Back Pain, and Sciatica
Compression on the pelvic nerves (sciatic, obturator, femoral, pudendal) can cause sharp, shooting pain in the leg, hips, or buttocks. Symptoms may be cyclical and worsen during ovulation or menstruation.In addition to pain, you may experience:
Do Herniated Disc Symptoms Occur With Endo?
Endometriosis Leg Pain: Before, During, and After Periods
How to Manage Chronic Endometriosis Back Pain
Managing back pain may involve a combination of medical and self-care, home remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments.
Medical Treatment
Medical treatment may include:
Home Remedies and Self-Care
Home remedies and self-care include:
Ice vs. Heat TherapyIt may take some trial and error to recognize if your back pain comes from nerve inflammation or muscle tension.Icereduces inflammation, whereasheatrelaxes muscle tension.
Ice vs. Heat Therapy
It may take some trial and error to recognize if your back pain comes from nerve inflammation or muscle tension.Icereduces inflammation, whereasheatrelaxes muscle tension.
Physical Therapy
A physical therapist utilizes manual therapy, myofascial (muscle and facial tissue) release, and gentle stretching to reduce muscle tension. They also teach you pain-management strategies and how to improve flexibility, strength, and posture.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (PFPT)
Pelvic floor physical therapy utilizestherapeutic exercises,kegel exercises, biofeedback, and manual therapy to release tension and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
Dry Needling
Dry needlinginvolves the insertion of thin needles into specific trigger points to deactivate pain signals and promote muscle relaxation.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathinghelps you breathe in more oxygen and exhale more carbon dioxide, promoting muscle relaxation. It also builds core strength, stabilizing the spine and reducing nerve compression.
Massage
Self-massage, massage chairs, orprofessional massageinvolve gentle pressure, stretching, or trigger point release and offer the following benefits:
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Therapy
ATENSunit is a small device that delivers low-voltage electrical stimulation to nerves through electrodes. The electrical current disrupts pain signals in the brain. You can adjust the amount of voltage so it is comfortable for you. Limit sessions to 15–30 minutes.
Acupuncture
Acupunctureinvolves the insertion of fine needles at specific points of the body to alleviate pain. Unlike dry needling, acupuncture utilizes traditional Chinese medicine philosophy to balance the body’s energy flow rather than targeting specific trigger points.
Chiropractics
Chiropractic careinvolves manual spinal adjustments to improve or enhance nervous system function and reduce nerve irritation.
Lower Back and Hip Pain: 11 Ways to Get Relief
Recognizing Endometriosis Back Pain Triggers
Tracking symptoms and identifying triggers can help you anticipate and manage flares. Common endo symptoms include:
Examples of endometriosis triggers include:
Specialists and Multidisciplinary Care for Endo-Related Back Pain
When endometriosis affects other organs or if pain control becomes complex, treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to your primary care andobstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) or other gynecologyprovider, medical care may involve the following specialists:
Summary
Endometriosis lesions can inflame nerves, leading to back pain and pelvic pain that may radiate to the hips, buttocks, and legs. The pain may be a persistent deep ache. But it can also be a sharp, stabbing sensation, pulling, or throbbing.
Endo pain typically worsens around ovulation or your period. There are medical and alternative treatments to help manage endo and reduce pain.
8 Yoga Poses for Endometriosis Pain Relief
18 Sources
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