IBS and Back Pain

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is considered by doctors to be a functional disorder, which means that nothing is detected as the cause of a person's abdominal complaints during an exam of the colon. The exam doesn't answer the question why a person is suffering from bloating, pain, diarrhea and even back pain. The origin or cause of IBS is unknown.

Irritated Colon
When the muscles and nerves of the bowel are functioning abnormally, the symptoms of IBS are produced. The bowel becomes irritated because a dysregulation between the gut, the brain and the central nervous system occurs and this makes the bowel extremely sensitive to stimuli. Certain foods or situations can trigger a bout of IBS.

Primary and Secondary Symptoms
Primary symptoms of IBS include excessive gas, abdominal and stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation whereas lower back pain is considered a secondary symptom as is groin pain, headaches, nausea, acidic stomach, fatigue, shooting pain and heartburn.

Exercise!
If you are suffering from IBS and back pain, the pain in your back may be caused by lack of exercise. Sitting too long or sleeping too much may also result in back pain in IBS sufferers. It is in everyone's benefit to exercise, which keeps our muscles, including our back muscles, strong. If you have IBS, all the more reason to get up off of the couch and move.

Diet
Another reason for back pain in IBS patients may be attributed to their diet. If you do not digest dairy products well or find that caffeine seems to aggravate your IBS, avoid eating or drinking these items because they will aggravate your IBS and will, most likely, induce back pain.

Leaky Gut Syndrome
If you have "leaky gut syndrome," which results in holes in your intestines, antibodies are produced by your body to attack the food molecules that enter your bloodstream by way of the holes. Histamines are then produced, which can cause back pain.

Increased Response to Pain
Sensory neurons called nociceptors are in the skin and tissues of the body. When certain stimuli occur, the nociceptors send messages to the brain and to the central parts of the nervous system. When chemicals, such as histamine, are released around the nociceptors, "inflammatory soup" develops.

This is a mixture of acids that stimulates and sensitizes the nociceptors to the extent that they enter into a state of super pain, which is called hyperalgesia, which means that you are having increased response to a painful stimulus.

Constipation and Back Pain
If your particular brand of IBS manifests in constipation, this will probably result in back pain. Back pain can occur when the colon becomes enlarged due to trapped feces and gas. The pain radiates to your back and presses on sensitive nerves around the spine. Some may avoid or delay going to the bathroom because the back pain increases when straining to have a B.M.

Fiber
If you are getting adequate amounts of fiber into your system, you may be able to avoid constipation and the accompanying back pain because your stool will be softer and will move quickly through your system. You will not have to strain to pass hard stools.