Back Pain From Gastritis: Causes & How to Get Relief

Key takeaways:

• Back pain is a common symptom of gastritis.
• You may have other symptoms such as numbness, weakness, or tingling.
• Certain symptoms may suggest a more serious cause of your back pain apart from gastritis.

The back is an intricate structure. The major part of the back is the spine, which is often called the backbone. The spine is made up of small bones called vertebrae. In between the vertebrae are soft, rubbery pads known as discs, which help support and protect the spine. Running down the back of the spine is the spinal cord. It contains the nerves that communicate between your body and the brain. These nerves project sensations of pain, temperature, and vibration. Nerves also stimulate (innervate) the muscles, which allows them to function properly.

Back pain is extremely common and can have multiple causes. Sometimes the pain stems from organ systems, like the stomach or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. An example of this is a digestive disorder known as gastritis. It can cause pain that radiates to other areas of the body, including the back.

Can gastritis cause back pain?

Yes. Along with pain in the abdominal area, gastritis can cause back pain. This is because of how the nerves in your body work. When you have gastritis, nerves can radiate pain from your stomach to your back. Thus, back pain is a common symptom of gastritis.

Symptoms associated with back pain from gastritis

Along with back pain, gastritis can cause other types of symptoms. Knowing about these can help your healthcare provider better identify and treat what is causing them.

GI symptoms

Gastritis is defined as inflammation of the stomach lining. Because it is GI-related, gastritis typically causes symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn, and indigestion. Gastritis has numerous possible causes, including excessive alcohol consumption, radiation injury, peptic ulcer disease, acid reflux, or infections. These causes can also affect the symptoms you are experiencing. For instance, if you have a fever, it could mean there’s an underlying infection. If you have heartburn, it could suggest gastroesophageal reflux disease (known as GERD or acid reflux). Although these are usually the primary symptoms, inflammation of the stomach area could also lead to back pain.

Chest pain, shortness of breath, and rib pain

Other organs and structures surrounding the stomach may also be affected by gastritis. These include the lungs, ribs, diaphragm, and heart. This means gastritis can also lead to chest pain, which may represent a process that affects your heart. The diaphragm is the muscle that helps your lungs expand and contract. So, you may experience shortness of breath or changes in breathing if you have inflammation or a disease that affects this muscle. One example is pleuritis, which is inflammation of the lining surrounding the lungs (the pleura). Pleuritis is associated with rib pain, as well as back pain.

Generalized symptoms

Along with back pain, gastritis may also cause more generalized symptoms. For instance, you may feel more tired than usual. That’s because gastritis increases the level of stress in your body. Also, it negatively affects your body’s ability to digest normally. So, you may notice weight loss or weight gain, changes in your sleep pattern, or increased irritability.

How to tell if your back pain is caused by gastritis

If you are having GI symptoms similar to those described above along with back pain, your symptoms may be caused by gastritis. To confirm the cause, your doctor will obtain a comprehensive history, and do a complete physical exam and diagnostic workup.

Considerations based on the location of back pain from gastritis

As mentioned, gastritis can cause back pain. Where the back pain is located can also provide clues about whether your symptoms are related. Following is a further description of the location of the back pain and how it may relate to gastritis.

Lower back pain from gastritis

The lower back (lumbar region) is typically not affected by gastritis. That’s because the lower back innervates organs and muscles located further down from the stomach. If you’re having gastritis symptoms and lower back pain, these symptoms are likely from separate causes. You may experience numbness, weakness, or tingling in the legs. This can suggest lower back disc herniation. It could also suggest degenerative disc disease of the joints in your lumbar spine.

Middle back pain from gastritis

Middle back pain may reflect gastritis. It may also reflect problems of the lungs, ribs, or abdominal organs such as the kidneys.

Upper back pain from gastritis

The upper back is the most common region for people with gastritis to experience back pain. Typically, pain is felt between the shoulder blades, an area known as the scapula. Along with upper back pain, you’d likely experience the associated GI symptoms of gastritis.

Right-sided back pain from gastritis

The right side of the back is an unusual location to experience back pain associated with gastritis. That’s because the stomach is on the left side of the abdomen. Right-sided back pain may reflect problems affecting abdominal organs on the right side, such as the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, or right kidney.

Left-sided back pain from gastritis

Gastritis pain may be localized to the left abdomen, although that isn’t common. Pain in that area is usually related to the region near the stomach around the upper middle abdomen. Although left-sided back pain from gastritis is possible, it likely suggests problems with other abdominal organs on the left side of the body, such as the spleen or left kidney.

How to get relief from gastritis-related back pain at home

Knowing your options for treating symptoms at home is important. If you notice persistent or worsening symptoms despite using some of these methods, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider.

Pain medications

One way to help relieve pain in your back is using topical medications, such as a Lidocaine patch. You can also take over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol). Another option is nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Be aware, however, that these medications can increase the risk of bleeding. This can potentially be dangerous, especially if your symptoms are caused by bleeding in the GI tract.

Dietary modifications

You can also try lifestyle modifications, such as adopting better dietary habits. Eat smaller meals more frequently and be sure to take enough time to properly chew your food. Other dietary changes include avoiding spicy, acidic, and greasy foods. Similarly, do not lie flat shortly after eating any food, as this may worsen your back pain. Although it sounds like an obvious and simple method, make sure you drink plenty of water and other fluids. Reducing your caffeine intake can also help.

Other lifestyle changes

If you drink alcohol or smoke, reducing your use (or better yet, stopping altogether) can help improve your symptoms. Also, reducing stress can provide relief. If you’re experiencing back pain that’s worse in certain positions, focus on stretching and using other supportive care measures. For instance, applying heat and ice can help stretch your muscles and reduce possible inflammation.

When to see a doctor about back pain from gastritis

After trying various home remedies, if you’re still suffering from gastritis-related back pain, don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider.

You should see a doctor if:

• You notice weight loss;
• You have significant changes in appetite;
• You experience worsening abdominal pain;
• You experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
• You have a fever (temperature above 100.4℉).

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You experience rectal bleeding or black, tarry stools;
• You’re vomiting blood;
• You experience sudden dizziness that does not go away;
• You experience ongoing palpitations (the sensation of a racing heart);
• You experience chest pain;
• You lose consciousness;
• You lose control of your bowels or bladder;
• You’re unable to keep anything down, including food or liquids.

Questions to ask your doctor about back pain from gastritis

• Why am I having back pain along with gastritis?
• Should I get X-rays or other imaging done?
• Should I get an endoscopy or additional blood work or studies?
• Would modifying my diet help relieve my symptoms?
• Could medications I take or other medical problems be contributing to this?

How a doctor can help treat back pain from gastritis

Your healthcare provider can determine the appropriate treatment for your back pain from gastritis, including prescription medications, if indicated.

Acid suppressing medications

If your gastritis is related to acid reflux or peptic ulcer disease, your doctor may recommend acid-suppressing medications like famotidine or Protonix. Some of these may take some time to have an effect. If your condition has been chronic, you may need to take the medications continuously. If you’ve been troubled by symptoms for only a short time, you may only need a short course of them.

Antibiotics

If your gastritis is due to an underlying infection, you may need antibiotics. These drugs will treat the infection and prevent any changes in the mucosal lining of your stomach, as well as prevent other possible complications.

Other medical intervention

Your symptoms may reflect something other than gastritis and related back pain. A comprehensive workup can help identify other causes, as well as whether there’s a risk for GI bleeding. Your doctor can then tailor the treatment appropriately to your diagnosis.

Frequently asked questions: gastritis and back pain

Here are some of the most common questions asked about gastritis and back pain.

What if you think your back pain is from gastritis, but you only experience pain when lying down?

This suggests that your symptoms are caused by GERD (acid reflux). Lying down flat can increase the amount of acid in your stomach that reaches back to the esophagus. That, in turn, can cause digestive upset as well as back pain.

What if you’re experiencing back pain from gastritis but only after eating?

This may also suggest GERD. Or, it could represent another GI condition that affects digestion and absorption. It may also suggest other inflammatory processes.

How long can back pain from gastritis last?

Back pain from gastritis can last for a long time, particularly if you have chronic gastritis. These symptoms can last for a period as short as a few days to months with intermittent periods of relief in between flare-ups.

Gastritis and back pain hurt all over

Gastritis and back pain can be extremely frustrating to deal with. Adding to the frustration is that there are many possible causes. You can try various treatment methods yourself to see if any of those give you relief. If not, be sure to reach out to your healthcare provider. A comprehensive history, physical exam, and diagnostic workup can help your doctor identify the underlying cause and create a treatment plan that is appropriate for you.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Lane Thaut, DO.

Sources

Shanda Cook, “Reflux/Acid Reflux (GERD),” Familydoctor.org, April 18, 2022. familydoctor.org/condition/refluxacid-reflux.

Beth Oller (reviewer), “Herniated Disc,” Familydoctor.org, October 10, 2023. familydoctor.org/condition/herniated-disc.