Can Gas Cause Back Pain?

Are you struggling with back pain? You are not alone. Millions of patients have been diagnosed with chronic or persistent back pain that significantly interferes with their day-to-day life. Several health problems cause back pain, including arthritis and osteoporosis.

Any of the following can also bring on back pain:

• Skeletal irregularities
• Muscle or ligament strains
• Bulging disks
• Ruptured disk

 

CAN GAS CAUSE BACK PAIN?

 

While not often discussed, many studies have agreed on the possibility of back pain due to gas. A condition in which intestinal gases fill the gastrointestinal tract is responsible for many back pain cases in India. The same stomach pain associated with excess gas can radiate to the lower back and even the neck. And because of disorders like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and diverticulitis, back pain can be more intensified when the gases travel down through the colon. 

The following health problems can also trigger back pain:

• Liver disorders
• Abdominal aortic aneurysms
• Pancreatic cancer

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

Everyone sometimes experiences bloating and gas in the gastrointestinal tract. These symptoms may be caused by eating or drinking too quickly, typically chewing gum, smoking, or wearing ill-fitting dentures. This condition is also known as aerophagia.

Along with flatulence, gas can form in the gut when the food we consume does not get broken down completely. The digestion process starts when a person begins chewing and swallowing their food, then moving to the small intestine. These partially digested foods move on to be absorbed by bacteria in the large intestines.

While this is totally a natural process, it can produce excess gas. When undigested food enters the large intestine, gas builds up in the stomach and intestines and will cause flatulence. Too much aerophagia or gas may trigger or worsen back pain.

 

DIAGNOSING EXCESSIVE GAS

 

A physician can rule out underlying health issues as the cause of excessive gas. In that case, they will then perform the following tests to identify possible problems in the patient’s digestive tract:

• A stomach X-ray
• A sigmoidoscopy
• A colonoscopy

In addition, a few different tests might help identify the root cause of excessive air swallowing if a patient complains of chronic belching. In some cases, a physician will also do food allergy tests to determine whether a patient’s diet is causing excessive gas.

All in all multiple factors, including excessive gas, contribute to back pain. Fortunately, we have treatments available that can help resolve both of these health problems. Look for back pain treatment in Mumbai? Contact or book an appointment with Dr. Tushar Ubale.