Stomach and Back Pain

What Causes Stomach And Back Pain Together?

Stomach and back pain often happen together. There are a number of reasons this is true and we'll investigate them in this article. But before beginning, let's define the areas of the body that are considered to be the "back" and "stomach."

When people talk about back pain, they often mean lower back pain. And when they talk about stomach pain, they mean the area from the bottom of the breastbone all the way down to the lower abdomen. For our purposes, we'll consider the back to include anything from the coccyx, or tailbone, up to the area covered by the shoulder blades. As far as the stomach area is concerned, we'll consider it to be the area from bottom of the sternum (breastbone) to the tops of the thighs.

That said, let's talk about the most common causes of stomach and back pain together.

Women's reproductive organs As every woman knows, monthly cramps often cause lower stomach and back pain together. There's also a condition called mittelschmerz (a German word meaning mid pain) which signifies discomfort at the time of ovulation. These pains, of course, come and go and are usually normal. However, lower stomach and back pain can be caused by several conditions related to a woman's reporductive organs, and these deserve a doctor's attention. They include ovarian cysts, endometriosis, certain kinds of infections, and cancer. 

Pain from common organ disorders Since the area in the lower half of your body is packed with organs, there are plenty of disorders, diseases and conditions that can cause pain in the stomach and back.

Cancer, of course, is one of the most frightening. Stomach cancer, liver cancer, gallbladder cancer, pancreas cancer and colon cancer are among the diseases that cause stomach and back pain.

Besides cancer, there are dozens of organ related problems that can cause both stomach and back pain. Here's an overview of some of the most common ones.

Stomach trouble Stomach flu, or stomach virus, happens in your digestive system. But the heaving, vomiting and diarrhea that come with it can strain muscles in both your back and stomach. A stomachache is also common with this illness, which is called gastroenteritis by doctors.

Gastritis is the medical name for stomach inflammation. Sometimes this inflammation is caused by a stomach ulcer.

An upset stomach or a sour stomach can cause pain from stomach gas.

Acid reflux is a condition in which stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. Since the tissue in the esophagus is more tender than tissue in the stomach, the acid can erode part of the esophagus and cause a raw stinging sensation of burning pain.

Liver and gallbladder conditions Both cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis can cause stomach and back pain, although many people who have had hepatitis say they didn't experience pain as a symptom.

A liver-related condition called ascites can cause stomach pain. It occurs when fluid builds up in the peritoneal cavity, which is the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and the abdominal organs.

Gallbladder problems, notably a gallbladder attack, have been known to cause pain in the stomach and back at the same time. The same is true with gallstones. Stomach and back pain after eating is often a sign of gallbladder problems, especially if you've just eaten a rich, cholesterol-heavy meal. Your gallbladder has trouble processing too much cholesterol, and it responds by becoming inflamed. This inflammation causes lower stomach and back pain after eating. The back pain will occur in the area of the right shoulder or between the shoulder blades.

Kidney and bladder problems The classic symptom of kidney stones is back pain below the ribs and above the hips. This pain often radiates around the side of the body and into the stomach region. It may even reach down into the genital areas and in some cases, the thighs.

A kidney infection is a dangerous situation that not only causes stomach and back pain, but is considered a serious medical emergency.

Bladder infections, or urinary tract infections usually cause lower abdomen pain.

Colon disorders There are a number of colon health issues that may cause stomach and back pain together. These include diverticulitis and diverticulosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (sometimes called spastic colon), Crohn's disease and colitis.

Referred stomach and back pain One of the reasons for stomach and back pain  together is the nerve system of the human body. Nerve pathways originate in the back and spread across the entire body. Many back problems cause pain that reach around to the "stomach."

Sometimes you'll have a problem in your spinal column: a slipped disc, a pinched nerve, or something similar. You don't always feel the pain solely in the location of the disorder. Pain may travel along a nerve pathway and present on the other side of the body (or even in the legs or feet). This phenomenon is called "referred pain."

If you're feeling back and stomach pain together, it may be the result of a problem in your back, even if you feel the pain in your stomach.

Muscular issues Finally, a word about stomach and back pain and your "core."

You hear doctors and physical therapists talk a lot about the importance of keeping your "core" strong. They're referring the muscles, more or less, in your midsection. As you age, these muscles become soft and poorly toned. This lack of conditioning can be the root of many evils related to stomach and back pain.

First of all, many of the muscles of the stomach and the back are interconnected. A problem in one place can lead to pain in another.

Second, these muscles help hold your skeleton together. As they get loose, your musculoskeletal system just doesn't work as well. Biomechanical problems develop, and pain follows.

Regular exercise and keeping the muscles of your core firm and toned can help avoid problems with stomach and back pain. Also see muscular pain, back muscular pain and muscle spasms.

See our related article on Causes Of Stomach Pain.