Back pain remains a continuing illness affecting countless residents in the US. The causes can range from a minute ligament strain to extreme cases of herniated discs and Arthritis.
But have you ever wondered if something like dehydration could be the cause of your lower back pain?
The human body is made up of 50 to 75% water but it’s been found that the hydration levels among today’s population are always on a low. Often resulting in people becoming chronically dehydrated.
In this article we will discover if dehydration can cause lower back pain and if so, why this occurs.
Why is Water Important for the Human Body?
An average person should drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight which amounts to around sixty four ounces of water or eight glasses of water per day.
Water helps in transporting oxygen to all the cells in our body, protects our tissues and helps in repairing them, it also helps with digestion and maintaining a balanced energy level throughout the day. Moreover, water helps with joint lubrication and good health of our bones. Which is why staying hydrated is crucial. Lack of proper hydration in the body can cause severe problems.
How Dehydration Can Cause Lower Back Pain?
Like we discussed, water helps with joint lubrication, the lack of which can be a pressing issue. When our body is dehydrated, there is less water to support brain functioning, this leads to our cells pulling out water from the spine, joints and discs.
1. Dehydrated Discs
Our joints have ligaments and tendons which serve as connecting tissues. Ligament is a jelly-like substance between the two bones of a joint. The ligament provides cushioning that helps in movement like walking, running and stretching. It requires a good amount of hydration to function at its best.
When the body is low on water these areas and the connective tissue thus becomes even more dehydrated, leaving very less water for them to function properly.
Overtime, if the body is chronically dehydrated this process will repeat itself and the joints will become less lubricated which will cause extreme weakness.
Due to this the discs in your lower back can compress and shrink. This shrinkage will reduce the space between the vertebrae causing irritation in the nerves and an increased pressure on the muscle surrounding the nerves.
The irritation along with the added pressure on the muscles can lead to lower back pain and muscle cramps.
2. Chronic inflammation
When there is less water for the body to flush out toxins it gets more inflamed. If the body is dehydrated for a long period of time it can lead to chronic inflammation in the muscles and joints. This causes discomfort and pain in the disk which can possibly cause lower back pain.
3. Lower delivery of nutrients
The intervertebral discs and the muscles surrounding the disc need copious amounts of nutrients. Dehydration hinders the transportation of these necessary nutrients to tissues and muscles near the disk causing weakness and fatigue.
Signs to Look For if You are Drinking Less Water
Some major signs of dehydration that one should look out for are mentioned below
1. Concentrated dark urine
If you find that your urine has turned to a darker shade of yellow which feels concentrated, there's a high chance you must be dehydrated.
2. Feeling thirsty all the time
If you notice that it becomes very difficult to relinquish your thirst then it probably means your body is low on water.
3. Fatigue and Headache
Feeling extremely tired easily and getting random headaches can often indicate that you are dehydrated.
4. Dryness of lips and skin
When there isn't enough water in the body your lips can get very dry and skin can become irritable and dry.
5. Other factors
Age, lack of physical activity, medical problems, changes in the weather, and alcohol consumption are some risk factors that can also cause lower back pain.
Preventive Measures for Managing Lower Back Pain
Some measures that can help with back pain induced by dehydration are-
1. Stay hydrated
Maintain proper hydration by drinking copious amounts of water. Try drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day. Drinking more water is the first step to rehydration. Keep monitoring the color of your urine, if it is slightly yellowish in color then your body may be indicating proper hydration in your body.
2. Start building a healthy lifestyle
Developing good healthy habits like walking, exercising, eating healthy carbs and protein can result in making your body less prone to lower back pain and joint pain in general. Make sure you do some good physical activity every day to maintain the good health of your joints and maintain your overall health.
3. Adapt to the changing weather
When climatic conditions change one should change their way of living in accordance with the environment. For example, during winters the water intake becomes low but when summers arrive one should increase their water intake to stay healthy.
4. Avoid dehydrating drinks
Regulate your intake of caffeinated drinks, beverages high in sugar and alcohol as these drinks can significantly dehydrate the body of its liquids.
Visit a doctor if you see the following symptoms
If you keep experiencing the pain for longer than a few weeks it’s high time for you to go visit a doctor and get yourself checked out. If the pain stops you from doing your day-to-day activities and gets severe then you should get it checked out by a professional.
If there is a history of spinal problems and diseases in your family then you should get yourself tested by a doctor to find the suitable treatment. If you notice any severe signs of dehydration as mentioned above take a visit to your doctor and find out why.
Also Read: What Happens At Your First Pain Management Appointment?
Conclusion
When looking for the potential causes of lower back pain, dehydration may just be the last thing that comes to your mind. However, it's not as minute of an issue as one may believe it to be.
Therefore, it becomes essential to drink water and focus on staying hydrated throughout the day. Hopefully we were able to explain how water can be slowly released from your ligaments and joints when the body is not hydrated properly which causes pressing problems in your lower back.
Remember to drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it’s one of the easiest ways to ensure that your body is in good shape.
