Gas Causing Severe Back Pain

Many people who have severe back pain, especially in the lower back, also experience accompanying gas. The problem is not uncommon, and may be readily explained.

How Does Gas Cause Lower Back Pain?

Actually, it is usually not a matter of gas causing severe back pain, but rather the gas and back pain being caused by the same thing. The source may be constipation, or it may be a problem with the gallbladder. If you have a lot of gas with bloating, the bloating itself can cause pressure on the back, in which case you might say it is gas causing severe back pain. You may want to ask your doctor about the following.

Constipation

It feels as though it is gas causing severe back pain when constipation is “important” constipation. Important constipation includes hard stools that are difficult to pass, or infrequent stools accompanied by abdominal pain, back pain, and abdominal bloating. The patient may experience gas without being able to pass the stool, and the constipation exerts increasing pressure on back muscles, which can develop into severe back pain. Thus, it seems that it is gas causing severe back pain when constipation is causing both.

Gallbladder

A gallbladder attack can also feel as though it is gas causing severe back pain. The primary symptom of a gallbladder attack is typically a steady pain in the upper right abdomen near the rib cage. This pain may, however, radiate to the upper back. The patient often passes gas during an attack, so that it may seems as though it is gas causing severe back pain, when in reality, it is the gallbladder causing both.

Unrelated Gas

Even though you think it is gas causing severe back pain, the two may be totally unrelated. Everyone has gas. It is normal. Rarely does a person have too much gas. Your back pain may be a muscle strain or other injury, and it is making you notice normal gas more than usual.

Although possible, it is unlikely that gas is actually connected to the back pain. However, without examination one cannot be sure of this.

Please see your physician for an examination as soon as possible. The information here is for educational purposes only.