If you live with asthma, you probably experience some common symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. But what if you’re also dealing with back pain? It turns out your asthma and back pain might actually be related. Here’s what you need to know and how to find relief.
Understanding asthma and back pain
Asthma and back pain can go together. Why? Because the same muscles that help you breathe also help support and stabilize your spine. Asthma can put stress on these muscles, potentially leading to back pain.
Medications, exercises, and home remedies can help you manage bothasthmaand back pain.
Asthma and back pain: What’s the connection?
When you breathe, a bunch of muscles are at work. These are called inspiratory muscles, and they include your diaphragm and external intercostals (eleven muscles on both sides of your rib cage).
But here’s the thing: Breathing isn’t the only important job these muscles have. They’re also part of your core muscles and play a role in spinal control. That means they help keep your body upright because they form and maintain intra-abdominal pressure.
People with asthma have a harder time exhaling air from their lungs. This “changes the function of the respiratory diaphragm, as the patient is constantly in the inspiration phase of breathing,” explainsDr. Lev Kalica, owner ofNew York Dynamic Neuromuscular Rehabilitation & Physical Therapyin NYC.
That extra workload may put stress on the breathing muscles that help you stand up straight. And any related posture changes can lead to back pain.
A2016 research reviewdid find a correlation between asthma (and other respiratory disorders) and low back pain. But more studies are needed before researchers can say for sure whether there’s a connection.
Is asthma causing your back pain?
Back pain has lots of different causes. Experts have theories about the correlation between back pain and asthma but don’t yet fully understand the relationship between the two or how exactlyasthma may contributeto lower back pain.
Your lower back pain could also be caused by a variety of other things, including:
Asthma symptoms to look out for
Unsure whether you’re dealing with asthma? Some commonsymptomsare:
You’ll also notice that certain triggers can bring on an asthma attack (aka a flare-up). Triggers vary from person to person, but some common ones are:
When to see a doctor
If your symptoms are affecting your life, it’s important to consult a doctor. But there are some scenarios where you need to head straight to the ER.
These are the signs that you’re dealing with a medical emergency:
Prescription treatments for asthma and back pain
Your doctor will help develop a treatment plan for your asthma that accounts for the severity of your condition and other factors that affect your unique situation.
Some treatments, such asallergy shots(or allergen-specific immunotherapy), can help minimize your asthma triggers, while others can help manage your asthma. These might include medications like:
Your doc will likely also prescribe a quick-acting medication that you can take via an inhaler or nebulizer for emergencies. If your back pain is directly related to asthma, addressing your asthma can have a big impact on your back pain.
But if you have severe back pain, your doctor might prescribe pain medications (like muscle relaxants) or recommend regular steroid injections.
Home remedies
Looking for even more relief that you can try at home? Check out these potential options.
Home remedies for asthma
Your doctor or an occupational therapist can teach youbreathing techniquesto help you get more air into and out of your lungs:
Home remedies for back pain
Some of the following home remedies may help relieve back pain:
Bottom line
If you have asthma, you might experience back pain too. Are these conditions related? Possibly. The same core muscles play a role in breathing and supporting your spine. Talk with your doctor about potential medical treatments and home remedies you’re able to use to find relief.
