Back Pain While Coughing: Causes & What to Do

Key takeaways:

• Back pain when coughing is common; causes range from minor muscle strains to serious health issues.
• Many cases of back pain while coughing can be managed with home remedies and over-the-counter medications.
• Severe back pain while coughing, accompanied by shortness of breath, should be evaluated by a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Coughing is one of the more irritating symptoms you can experience. It interrupts your sleep and makes simple tasks like eating and holding a conversation more difficult. And when coughing starts to impact your mobility by causing back pain, that’s even worse.

This article will discuss some reasons back pain may be accompanied by coughing. It will also cover which causes resolve on their own, how you can address the symptoms at home, and when to see a doctor.

Is it normal to experience back pain when coughing?

Back pain accompanied by coughing is fairly common. It happens most often when you’ve had a deep, forceful cough, or when you’ve been coughing for several days.

In most cases, this type of back pain is normal. It’s caused by a muscle strain that will heal on its own. However, it’s important to know when your back pain could be a sign of a more serious condition. In that case, you’ll need to visit your doctor.

Causes of back pain when coughing

If you’re having back pain while coughing, the pain may be coming from your back muscles, your ribs, or even within your lungs. Below are some of the most common causes.

Muscle strain

A muscle strain is one of the most common causes of back pain while coughing. When you cough, you’re using muscles in your chest, abdomen, and back.

As with any exercise or overuse of certain parts of the body, repeated or intense coughing can lead to muscle inflammation, fatigue, and strains. This typically results in back pain that you can feel with coughing, deep breathing, or certain movements.

Costochondritis

A condition known as costochondritis involves inflammation of the cartilage that connects ribs to the sternum, or breastbone.

This condition causes pain (sometimes severe) in the chest wall. In the most serious cases of costochondritis, pain can radiate to the arms and mid to upper back. Coughing, strenuous activity, and musculoskeletal conditions are all potential causes of costochondritis.

Pleurisy

Pleurisy is described as chest wall and upper back discomfort or pain. The pain results from inflammation of the pleura, which is the thin membrane that lines the chest wall cavity.

There are many causes of pleural inflammation. Some of these are life-threatening, such as a collapsed lung or a blood clot in the lung. Less severe causes include respiratory infections with associated coughing.

Lung infections and conditions

A lung infection known as pneumonia is known for causing back pain with coughing. Coughing is one of the main symptoms of pneumonia. It can lead to muscle strains and inflammation of cartilage and tissue within the chest wall.

Other lung conditions, such as a collapsed lung (pneumothorax) and a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) can also cause back pain and coughing. These conditions, however, are usually more serious and require emergency care. Longer-term lung conditions, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are also associated with back pain and coughing.

If you're experiencing upper back pain, read our guide on upper back pain when coughing for a more in-depth look.

How to get at-home relief from back pain when coughing

If you experience mild back pain when coughing, several home remedies can ease your symptoms and help you feel better.

Heat

Using a heating pad or warm compresses on the affected area can help reduce inflammation and relieve muscle pain.

Studies show that using heat for back pain can improve discomfort, inflammation, and range of motion. If back pain associated with coughing is due to inflammation of deeper structures, like the pleura or the actual lung tissue, heat is unlikely to provide any benefit.

OTC medications

Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)and ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) can help with pain relief. Ibuprofen has the added benefit of helping reduce inflammation.

That can be useful in the case of muscle strains and inflammation of the lining and cartilage in the chest wall. Over-the-counter cough suppressants can help reduce the cough reflex. That, in turn, will allow your muscles to relax and the inflammation to improve.

Gentle stretching and exercise

Gentle stretching exercises and maintaining good posture can help ease back pain caused by muscle strain.

Range of motion exercises can help prevent stiffness and tightening of the back muscles that may worsen the pain.

How to prevent back pain while coughing

Unfortunately, it may not be possible to prevent back pain with coughing altogether. But some tips on how to be proactive can potentially prevent or at least minimize your risk.

Strengthen core and back muscles

A strong core and back are essential for supporting your spine and preventing muscle strains.

Make an effort to practice regular exercise geared toward strengthening your back and abdominal muscles. By doing so, you’re proactively helping your body prepare to handle the stress of things like coughing without it causing pain.

Cough suppressants

Some people believe they should not stop their coughing because it helps clear their lungs of infection.

Actually, however, there is no benefit to continuing to cough in the majority of cases. At the first onset of a cough, take an over-the-counter cough suppressant. This can help minimize the cough and lower the risk of developing back muscle inflammation and strains.

When to see a doctor about back pain while coughing

Most cases of back pain caused by coughing are not serious and will resolve on their own. However, there are certain situations where you should consult a doctor.

You should see a doctor if:

• Your back pain lasts more than a week;
• You have additional symptoms such as a fever;
• Your back pain is hindering your normal daily activities.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• Your back pain is associated with severe chest pain or shortness of breath;
• You’re experiencing numbness or tingling in your arms or legs;
• You’re unable to control your bladder or bowels.

Questions to ask your doctor about back pain when coughing

You’ll undoubtedly have many questions for your doctor about the connection between coughing and your back pain. Here are some you might consider asking.

• Why am I having back pain when I cough?
• Do I need an X-ray of my back and chest?
• What treatments are available to help with my symptoms?
• How long should I expect my back pain and coughing to last?

How a doctor may help treat back pain while coughing

If home treatment options haven’t helped your back pain from coughing, your doctor may be able to help you with other types of treatment.

Medication

If you’re diagnosed with a bacterial lung infection like pneumonia, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics.

Other medications include prescription cough medicine, steroids, and inhalers. These can all be used to minimize the cough and reduce inflammation. Severe strains or cases of costochondritis or pleurisy may warrant prescription pain medication at your doctor’s discretion.

Physical therapy

If your coughing-related back pain is related to a muscle strain or weak musculature, your doctor might recommend physical therapy.

A physical therapist can teach you exercises that target the muscles of your back and core to improve strength, flexibility, and posture. Physical therapists also often use treatments like heat and ultrasound to reduce inflammation.

Chiropractic care

Seeing a chiropractor differs from seeing a physical therapist. While physical therapy focuses on strengthening the muscles, chiropractors use manipulation of the spine and musculature to help with pain, inflammation, and malalignment.

Read our full guide on treating back pain for more.

Frequently asked questions: back pain when coughing

Patients often have many questions when they experience back pain from coughing. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions.

Does bronchitis make your back hurt?

Not always, but it can. Bronchitis is inflammation in the lungs, which can cause a cough. As previously mentioned, constant coughing can strain the muscles in the chest and back and result in back pain.

What if you experience back pain from coughing and sneezing?

Coughing and sneezing can both cause a strain of your back muscles and lead to back pain. This type of back pain is usually temporary. It can be managed with treatment at home by using a heating pad and taking over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications.

What if you have a dry cough and back pain?

If you have a dry cough and back pain, you should take a close look at any other symptoms you’re experiencing.

If you simply have a mild cold with a dry cough that’s causing back pain, this will usually resolve on its own within a few days to weeks. If you are having more severe symptoms such as fever or shortness of breath along with a dry cough and back pain, it’s important to see your healthcare provider.

Final thoughts

Back pain while coughing is common, and most people will experience it at some point. While muscle strains are usually to blame, don’t rule out the possibility of something more serious. If you’re experiencing significant shortness of breath, fever, or severe back and chest pain, be sure to seek medical care. You may have nothing more than a bad respiratory infection – but err on the safe side and see your doctor to be sure.

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

Clijsen, Ron, et al., “Local Heat Applications as a Treatment of Physical and Functional Parameters in Acute and Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders or Pain,” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 103,3 (2022): 505-522. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2021.06.015 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34283996.

Hunter, Michael P. and Hariharan Regunath, “Pleurisy.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, January 23, 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32644384.

Lee, Annemarie L et al., “Chronic Pain in People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Prevalence, Clinical and Psychological Implications,” Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (Miami, Fla.) vol. 4,3 194-203. 21 May. 2017, doi:10.15326/jcopdf.4.3.2016.0172 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556911.

Schumann, Jessica A., et al., “Costochondritis.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, April 20, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30422526.