- Back pain could be relieved by making some diet changes
- Drinking coffee could be causing lower backache
- Caffeine increases the amount of stress hormones in the body
- Stress hormones lead to inflammation – a cause of back pain
Back pain is a common condition that usually improves by itself within a few weeks or months, according to the NHS.
It could be caused by a minor injury, sleeping in an awkward position, or even by having poor posture.
Diet could also be playing a role in your lower back pain, it’s been claimed.
Drinking coffee every day could be making back pain worse, according to the Illinois Back Institute.
The caffeine in coffee increases the amount of stress hormones in the body, it said.
In turn, that may lead to inflammation – one of the causes of lower back pain.
“Inflammation is a huge contributor to back pain and sciatica,” said the institute.
“It can cause any number of symptoms which can directly affect your back’s health.
“People with chronic inflammation may suffer from many of those symptoms, which can include joint and muscle aches and pains.
“One of coffee’s main affects is to increase the levels of stress hormones in your body. This increase in turn leads to an increase of insulin, which causes inflammation.”
Caffeine exacerbates stress and chronic inflammation, which are both linked to back pain, said medical website The Joint Chiropractic.
Stress leads to production of the hormone cortisol. The body can’t maintain high levels of cortisol all the time, so when the amount of cortisol drops, it makes it more difficult for the body to deal with stress.
This triggers pain all over the body – including on the back – because it’s more sensitive to the pain.
While caffeine can cause back pain, caffeine withdrawal makes it temporarily worse, it warned.
But, rest assured, the pain will eventually pass once you stop drinking coffee, it said.
Left untreated, back pain should get better by itself within a few weeks or months.
The most common type of back pain in the UK is lower back pain.
For short-term relief, try taking anti-inflammatory painkillers.
A pharmacist should be able to help you with over-the-counter treatments for back pain.
Speak to a GP if you have back pain and a tingling round the genitals. It could be a sign of something more serious.