Back Pain & Nausea: Causes, Symptoms & What to Do

Key takeaways:

• Back pain and nausea can often be related and can share underlying causes, including gastrointestinal or musculoskeletal issues or even a systemic problem.
• Identifying the associated symptoms can help narrow down the potential causes and guide your treatment options.
• While many cases are manageable at home, continuing or severe symptoms will likely require medical attention.

Back pain and nausea, while seemingly unrelated, often occur together and can signal a wide range of underlying health issues. Whether it’s a sign of gastrointestinal distress, a musculoskeletal strain, or a systemic condition, you should not ignore this combination. These symptoms can range from mild and temporary to severe and could indicate a more serious medical problem.

Let’s explore the potential causes of back pain and nausea, including common conditions like kidney stones, gallbladder issues, and nerve compression. We’ll also discuss related symptoms, treatment options, and when you should get medical care.

Are back pain and nausea related?

Experiencing back pain and nausea at the same time can be concerning. While these symptoms might initially seem completely disconnected, they often have related causes.

For example, some gastrointestinal issues, such as gallbladder disease, can cause nausea along with referred pain in your back. Referred pain means that the actual pain signals are coming from one part of your body (in this case, your gallbladder), but are felt somewhere else (your back). In addition, kidney infections or conditions like severe muscle strain can lead to a combination of back pain and nausea.

Understanding how back pain and nausea might be linked is the first step in determining how to manage these symptoms effectively. Often, these symptoms are your body's way of bringing your attention to a problem, whether that’s dehydration, inflammation, or a more complex condition.

Keeping an eye on additional symptoms and knowing about potential triggers can provide further clues about what is happening in your body.

Common causes of back pain and nausea experienced together

Several conditions can cause back pain and nausea to occur at the same time. Here are some of the most common:

Kidney stones or kidney infections

Kidney stones or infections can often cause severe pain in your lower back or side and are often accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting.

This can happen when your kidneys or urinary tract (bladder and ureters) are obstructed or infected, triggering inflammation and discomfort. In some cases, fever, chills, or difficulty urinating may also be present, and this is a definite signal to get medical care.

Gallbladder issues

Gallstones or gallbladder infections can lead to nausea, vomiting, and referred pain in your upper back or shoulder blades.

You may notice discomfort worsens after you eat a fatty meal. Chronic gallbladder issues can also cause indigestion, bloating, or a persistent dull ache in your upper abdomen, which radiates to your back.

Spinal cord or nerve compression

Conditions like a herniated disc or sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve, large nerves that run from your lower back and into your thighs and lower legs) can compress nerves, causing pain that radiates to your back.

In severe cases, nerve irritation may also lead to nausea due to your body’s stress response. For some people, these symptoms may worsen with particular movements, prolonged sitting, or physical exertion.

Food poisoning or gastroenteritis

When nausea from foodborne illness or viral gastroenteritis (often caused by norovirus) is paired with back pain, it’s often due to dehydration.

Cramping, diarrhea, and fever are other common symptoms that can go along with this combination. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and replenishing electrolytes with sports drinks or PediaLyte™ is key to a full recovery.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of your pancreas, can cause severe abdominal and back pain, nausea, and vomiting.

This condition requires prompt medical evaluation and treatment. Chronic pancreatitis can also lead to weight loss or changes in your digestion, so early treatment is important.

Causes of back pain and nausea based on other symptoms

The combination of back pain and nausea often occurs with other symptoms that can explain the underlying cause. Here’s what you should consider:

Lower back pain and nausea

Lower back pain accompanied by nausea might be due to kidney-related issues, such as stones or infections.

It can also occur with gastrointestinal conditions that cause referred pain. In rarer cases, issues like pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis may contribute to this symptom pairing, especially in women.

Lower back pain, nausea, and fatigue

These symptoms suggest a more systemic condition like urinary tract infections or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fatigue often accompanies illnesses that strain your body’s energy reserves. Hormonal imbalances, such as those associated with endocrine disorders such as adrenal insufficiency or hypothyroidism, may also cause these symptoms.

Lower back pain and nausea during pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you may experience this symptom combination due to increased pressure on your spine, hormonal changes, or conditions like hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness).

In the later stages of pregnancy, your growing uterus can compress nerves or blood vessels, adding to discomfort and nausea. Consulting your healthcare provider or OB-GYN doctor is essential to rule out complications like preeclampsia (a complication of pregnancy causing high blood pressure and protein in the urine) or preterm labor.

Upper back pain and nausea

Upper back pain and nausea can often mean you have a gallbladder issue, acid reflux, or muscle strain from poor posture.

It can also indicate less common conditions, like problems in the thoracic spine area of your back. If you spend long hours at your desk or in front of a computer, ergonomic adjustments to your chair, proper lighting, and computer placement can help alleviate these symptoms.

Center back pain and nausea

Pain centered in your mid-back, along with nausea, might indicate pancreatitis, esophageal issues, or a gastrointestinal problem.

You should note the onset of these symptoms and what seems to trigger them, as this will help your physician to find out what’s wrong. For example, if your symptoms worsen after meals, conditions like stomach (peptic) ulcers or gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) should be considered.

Back pain, nausea, and abdominal pain

When these symptoms occur together, conditions like appendicitis, an ulcer, or even an abdominal aortic aneurysm should be considered.

Immediate medical attention is needed if appendicitis, a perforated ulcer (an ulcer that has gone through the stomach lining), or an aortic aneurysm is suspected. Inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, can also cause this combination of symptoms.

Back pain, nausea, and diarrhea

This combination of symptoms often suggests gastrointestinal issues, such as food poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Dehydration from diarrhea can make your back pain worse. Keeping track of foods that seem to trigger your symptoms and staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids is important in managing these symptoms.

Treatment options for back pain and nausea

Your treatment options for back pain and nausea depend on the underlying cause. Here are common strategies for relief:

Rest and hydration

Giving your body time to recover while staying hydrated can help to lessen mild symptoms caused by dehydration, food poisoning, or muscle strain.

Adding electrolyte-rich fluids, such as sports drinks, or an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte,™ can be particularly helpful with fluid loss from diarrhea or vomiting.

Over-the-counter medications

Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (brand name Advil or Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) can reduce your back pain, while anti-nausea medications like dimenhydrinate (brand name Dramamine) may help to ease your nausea.

Always consult with your healthcare provider before combining medications, especially if you have an underlying health condition.

Dietary adjustments

For gastrointestinal-related symptoms, eating bland foods (e.g., rice, bananas, well-cooked soft rice, or applesauce) and avoiding triggers like spicy or fatty meals can help.

Eating frequent small meals instead of two or three larger ones a day may also reduce your nausea and prevent strain on your digestive system.

Physical therapy

If your back pain is from a musculoskeletal issue, physical therapy can help strengthen your muscles, improve posture, and reduce pain.

Your physical therapist can instruct you in safe techniques like gentle stretching, core strengthening, and targeted exercises that can enhance your recovery and prevent recurrence.

Heat or cold therapy

Applying a heating pad or an ice pack to the affected area can help to soothe inflammation and relax tense muscles.

Alternating heat and cold therapy on the affected area is often beneficial for pain relief.

Mind-body approaches

Stress or anxiety can make your symptoms worse. Stress reduction techniques such as gentle yoga, meditation, or guided breathing exercises may help alleviate nausea and tension-related back pain.

When to see a doctor about back pain and nausea

You should be able to recognize when your symptoms might mean a serious condition requiring professional care.

You should see a doctor if:

• Your symptoms continue for more than a few days without improvement.
• Your back pain is severe or is worsening.
• Nausea is interfering with your ability to eat, drink, or function normally.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You are experiencing severe abdominal pain along with back pain and nausea.
• You have signs of a kidney infection, such as fever, chills, or painful urination.
• You have symptoms of pancreatitis, including intense abdominal and back pain.

Questions to ask your doctor about back pain and nausea

When visiting your doctor, these questions can help you to understand your symptoms and treatment options:

• What could be causing my back pain and nausea to occur together?
• Are there any specific tests or imaging I need to make the diagnosis?
• What treatments are most effective for managing my symptoms?
• Are there any lifestyle changes that I can make to prevent these symptoms in the future?

Frequently asked questions: back pain and nausea

Can a pinched nerve in your back make you nauseous?

Yes, a pinched nerve can sometimes cause nausea. This is often due to your body’s stress response to pain or nerve irritation.

How long can back pain and nausea last before it’s serious?

If your symptoms last longer than a few days or are getting worse, you should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to rule out a serious condition.

In review

Back pain and nausea can often share underlying causes. These symptoms can usually be managed with home care. However, you should never ignore persistent or severe symptoms as they can indicate a more serious problem. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, your healthcare professional can provide guidance on effective treatments.

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

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