If you suffer from lower back pain, you may notice that it’s more intense when you breathe in than when you breathe out. You might be wondering: Why does my lower back hurt when i breathe in?
You could have many causes. Your diaphragm, which is found in the lower half of your abdominal cavity is most likely to be the cause.
Deep breathing, in addition to putting pressure on internal organs, can cause additional damage. The abdominal cavity below your stomach is where your intestines and kidneys are located. They are therefore unable to contract or expand like your lungs when you deep inhale.
They will need to push against your abdomen walls in order for you to breathe more forcefully. This could cause pain or discomfort in your lower back.
Below are some health problems that can cause lower back pain and difficulty breathing.
How can my lower back hurt when I inhale?
Deep breathing can result in your diaphragm contracting and expanding to supply your lungs. If this happens, it may cause discomfort or even pain to your spine.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is the twisting or curving of the spine. This condition can cause pain and discomfort as well as disfigurement. People with scoliosis often feel a pinching or stabbing sensation in the lower back after taking a deep, slow breath.
There are many things that can lead to this, such as the following:
- Scoliosis alters the normal curve of your spine. Your back muscles become stretched and have to work harder.
- Supporting abnormal spinal curves can cause disc damage between the vertebrae. They may bulge outwards or be thinned.
- Deep breathing causes your lungs and back to contract. This can put additional stress on the back muscles of someone who has scoliosis. It can also cause discomfort and pain.
Heart Attack
When they breath in, a common problem among heart attack victims is a hurt lower back. The surgery needed to repair the heart attack damage or a medical condition can cause this symptom.
This lower back pain may occur in one of two ways:
1. Increased pressure on the spine is one of the main causes for lower back pain. Normaly, as you inhale your diaphragm contracts and expands, which causes your lungs and ribs to contract.
The vacuum effect creates airflow that pulls oxygen into the lungs. However, if you’ve undergone heart surgery to have a stent put in, this vacuum effect isn’t created properly, which means there’s increased pressure on your spine. You will feel the pain when you inhale.
2. The second way that lower back pain can occur when you breathe in is if you have endocarditis—an infection of the inner lining of one or more of your heart’s chambers or valves—or another type of infection in your heart. The pressure of blood changes from lower to higher areas when you breathe in.
Obesity
Obesity can cause lower back pain by adding weight to your stomach. Because of how your spine and lungs connect, this is possible.
Healthy spines have a curve that is natural and allows for easier breathing. This curve provides support to your lower back, and aids in everyday tasks like picking up boxes or pushing vacuum cleaners.
This natural curve can be compromised if you carry extra weight. It causes lower back pain. Because the stomach pressure makes breathing more challenging, the lungs have to work harder to expand to withstand the extra weight.
Lung Cancer
In the initial stages of lung cancer, patients often feel pain in the lower back. Nerve damage can cause pain in the lower back, and may be caused by tumors or other issues related to lung cancer.
Lack of oxygen can lead to fluid buildup and swelling in the lungs, as well as surrounding tissues. Tissues enlarge to try and contain the fluid. It causes compression in the lungs, lower back and surrounding tissues.
Patients may experience difficulty breathing, weight loss, or coughing up blood as lung cancer progresses.
Kyphosis
Kyphosis causes the spine’s curve to be forward. The forward-curving spine can pinch the diaphram and lungs, causing pain in the lower back.
Pain caused by kyphosis in the lower back doesn’t typically worsen with time, and treatment depends on its severity.
Pulmonary Embolism
A condition called pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot that blocks one or more pulmonary arteries is known as pulmonary embolism. Most commonly, it occurs in large veins along the legs. However, the blood clot can spread to the lungs and become lodged. This could lead to severe complications.
PE can occur in the lungs and cause pain in the neck and chest walls, as well as shortness of breath and dizziness. PE can also lead to pain in the abdomen and lower back if there is an obstruction of one or more veins that runs parallel to a nerve.
Neurogenic inflammation is a term that causes nerve pain. Patients mistake this for strain or sprain pain.
Pleurisy
The common condition of pleurisy causes wheezing and chest pain. However, back pain is one of the more well-known signs.
When you breathe in, you expand your lung’s pleural cavity, which can cause discomfort in your lower back. Inflamed lungs can cause irritation and pain by putting pressure on nerves behind your back.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia refers to an infection of your lungs, which causes fluid buildup and interferes with breathing. It can also cause you to feel pretty grouchy.
For many, lower back pain is an especially prevalent symptom of pneumonia. The back hurts when you breathe in because they don’t work as efficiently as usual when your lungs are inflamed. It can also cause pain in your lower abdomen, shoulder, and chest.
The chest muscles might not expand completely while you breathe, which could put additional strain on your low back.
Your kidneys can also be found in your lower back. If you get pneumonia, it is possible for them to become infected or hurt.
Pneumonia can be a very serious condition and requires urgent medical attention.
Final Thoughts
Lower back pain is most commonly felt when people inhale deeply. To get relief, it’s vital to figure out the cause of the pain. It is important to determine what caused the pain.
