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Diverticulitis & Back Pain
According to Web MD, about 80 percent of Americans experience back pain at some point 4. It comes in many forms (low, middle or upper pain) and includes many causes. The abdominal pain caused by diverticulitis can radiate to your lower back, thereby causing back pain 12.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Definitions
Diverticulosis is a condition that causes pouches to develop in the colon. Diverticulitis occurs when those pouches become infected, causing problems in the large intestine and the digestive tract 12.
Back pain is defined as any type of pain felt in the back. This pain can be dull or achy, sharp, acute or even chronic.
Diverticulitis vs. Back Pain
The two are related in that the pain from the diverticulitis can radiate up to your back 12. According to Relief Back Pain, diverticulitis may cause back pain 12.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms associated with diverticulitis are abdominal cramping, constipation and diarrhea 12. Medicine Net lists more serious complications as collection of pus in the pelvis, generalized infection of the abdominal cavity and bleeding in the colon.
Causes
Other causes of back pain include back strain, strained ligaments, back muscle injury, strained back muscles, back muscle spasm, excessive exertion, excessive lifting, disc disorders and slipped disc.cause:
- Other causes of back pain include back strain
- strained ligaments
- back muscle injury
- strained back muscles
- back muscle spasm
- excessive exertion
- excessive lifting
- disc disorders
- slipped disc
Treatment
Treatment for back pain include:
- resting
- aspirin
- physical therapy
- chiropractic manipulation
- NSAIDs (an anti-inflammatory agent)
- steroid injections
- analgesics
- anti-depressants
- ice pack
- local heat
- hot water bottle
Furthermore, Relief Back Pain also reaffirms the link between diverticulitis and back pain, saying “most of the problems in the digestive tract may cause back pain sometime or another.” When we feel abdominal pain, as with diverticulitis, the pain typically becomes localized in the back 12. According to Medicine Net, “a high fiber diet and fiber supplements are advisable to prevent constipation and the formation of more diverticula.” Treatment for mild symptoms include anti-spasmodic drugs (to relieve the muscular spasms in the area of the diverticula). The two are related in that the pain from the diverticulitis can radiate up to your back 12.
- back image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com