Dehydration & Back Pain: How to Get Relief

Key takeaways:

• Dehydration is something we all experience. It has many causes.
• Dehydration can lead to back pain.
• Preventing dehydration is key.

Unfortunately, experiencing dehydration is all too common. There are many potential reasons for dehydration. For example, sickness for any reason can lead to dehydration. When we don’t feel well, we tend not to take in enough fluids. Other times we get too busy and distracted and can’t drink enough or we just forget.

Dehydration is a problem because it diminishes the fluid in our bodies. A certain amount of fluid in and around our cells is required for normal function. When we lose this fluid, sensors in our nervous system start to notice. They send signals to the thirst center of our brains which causes us to feel thirsty. Our mouths become sticky and dry. We may begin to feel dizzy or lightheaded. If the dehydration is severe enough, we start feeling muscle cramps.

Dehydration by itself can cause back pain. But more often, it is due to a separate process that causes back pain.

Can dehydration cause back pain?

Dehydration can cause back pain. When we are dehydrated not only do we lose water but we lose electrolytes. This can lead to muscle cramps.

Our backs contain many large muscle groups. If these muscle groups are affected by cramps, we will feel back pain.

Symptoms associated with dehydration and back pain

Back pain due to dehydration would usually feel cramping and sharp.

How to tell if your back pain is related to dehydration

If you feel dehydrated and are experiencing new back pain, these symptoms may be related.

Other conditions that may cause both dehydration and back pain

There are several conditions that can cause dehydration and back pain. This is not a comprehensive list. We will review some of the most common causes here.

Urinary tract infection

A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria infect any part of the urinary system. Many times this is limited to the bladder. There are times when a urinary tract infection spreads to the kidneys. This is known as pyelonephritis.

In pyelonephritis, the kidneys are inflamed. Because of their location, kidney inflammation frequently causes back pain. This is especially noticeable on the side of the affected kidney. Other symptoms of pyelonephritis include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever.

Dehydration can result from nausea, vomiting, and a general sense of unwellness because we don’t like to drink fluids when we feel sick. So the cause of the back pain, which is the urinary tract infection, eventually leads to dehydration.

Kidney stones

About 10% of Americans will experience kidney stones at some point. Kidney stones are small stones that form inside the urinary tract. They form when salt and water are out of balance, build up in our urine, and harden.

Symptoms of kidney stones include back pain, blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting, and painful urination.

Kidney stones can cause or be caused by dehydration. When patients experience a kidney stone, it is quite painful. This along with nausea and vomiting leads to dehydration. Dehydration can also cause kidney stones. When we are dehydrated, the balance of salt and other minerals is disrupted. This makes it easier for stones to form in our urine.

Viral infection

We have all experienced a viral infection at one point in our lives. Whether a cold or stomach bug, viruses are common causes of illness. Viral infections trigger a reaction in our immune system. The cells of our immune system release substances to fight off the virus. These cause inflammation throughout our bodies.

This inflammation is good as it makes it harder for the virus to live and spread. But it does cause unwanted symptoms. One of the most common symptoms is muscle aches. The muscles in our back and legs are frequently involved in these muscle aches.

Viruses also cause other symptoms that can lead to dehydration. Examples include sore throat, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and generally feeling unwell. All of these can lead to dehydration. This dehydration can cause back pain, as we have discussed.

How to get relief from dehydration and back pain at home

There are several home-based options for back pain and dehydration. You can try these at home and see if they work. If you don’t feel better after 48 hours, call your doctor.

Rehydration

One of the most important things you can do is to hydrate yourself. Start by drinking water.

If you can tolerate that, move to an oral rehydration solution or low-sugar sports drink. These contain the electrolytes that you need. They can be purchased at a local pharmacy or made at home. If you don’t feel better after 24 hours of rehydrating and monitoring yourself, call your doctor.

Over-the-counter medication

Over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are safe for treating back pain. Begin with a low dose. A good starting dose for acetaminophen is 325 mg every 6 hours. For ibuprofen, begin with 200 mg every 6 hours. If these doses aren’t working, slowly increase them. The maximum dose of acetaminophen is 2000 mg in 24 hours. Do not take more than 2400 mg of Ibuprofen in 24 hours, unless directed by a doctor.

If you have a history of stomach ulcers or kidney problems, avoid ibuprofen. Further, if you are treating a child, never give them aspirin. Aspirin is not safe for children under the age of 16 unless given under the direction of a doctor. Aspirin can lead to a deadly condition known as Reye syndrome.

Stretching

Stretches for lower back pain are helpful in both treatment and prevention.

This minimizes strain on the muscles, bones, and joints in your back. It is important to stretch regularly to prevent sprain and strain. This can also treat discomfort we may be experiencing while resting at home. It is normal to rest in bed or on the couch while feeling ill. This is normal, but try to stretch when you can.

How to prevent dehydration and back pain

The best treatment is prevention. This is true of dehydration and back pain.

Stay hydrated

The best method of preventing dehydration is drinking fluids. Make sure that you are drinking enough that your urine is light yellow to clear. This will in turn prevent back pain and other complications of dehydration, like kidney stones.

Make sure if you are going to be outside in the heat or the sun to drink water before, during, and after. The same is true if you are preparing to undergo strenuous exercise.

If you are ill, make sure you are regularly drinking fluids. If you can’t keep them down, call your doctor.

When you should see a doctor for dehydration and back pain

If your symptoms are mild and you can keep fluids down, you may try treatment at home. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen or if you don’t improve after 24 hours.

You should see a doctor if:

• You can’t keep down fluids.
• You have bloody urine or extreme pain while urinating.
• You have tried treatment at home for 24 hours at home and aren’t feeling better.
• Your pain is severe.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You show signs of significant dehydration. These include extreme thirst, dark-colored urination, less frequent urination, and confusion.
• You are running a fever and have back pain.
• You can’t pass urine at all.

Questions to ask your doctor about dehydration and back pain

• What is causing these symptoms?
• Can I do anything for it at home?
• How can I prevent this from happening again?

How a doctor can help treat dehydration and back pain

Your doctor may prescribe additional treatment for you.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics will be prescribed if your doctor suspects you have a bacterial urinary tract infection or if you have a kidney stone with an infection.

In these cases, it is important to take the antibiotics for exactly as long as prescribed. It is tempting to want to stop early once you feel better. But this allows the more resistant bacteria to reproduce. You may end up getting more sick than you were originally.

Intravenous fluids

At times the dehydration can be so severe that oral rehydration alone isn’t enough or you may feel too sick to drink enough fluids.

In these cases, your doctor will place an IV and give you fluids that way. This should always be ordered by an experienced physician in a doctor’s office or an emergency room.

Specialist consultation

In some cases, particularly if you have a kidney stone, you may need to see a specialist. A urologist is a doctor who specializes in caring for patients with kidney stones and other urinary tract conditions.

Read our full guide on treating back pain for more.

Frequently asked questions: dehydration and back pain

It is normal to have questions about dehydration and back pain. Please ask your doctor any questions until you understand what is happening.

What if you’re experiencing upper back pain from dehydration?

This can be a normal response to dehydration. If you are having other symptoms, call your doctor.

How long can dehydration from back pain last?

It may take a day or two for the soreness from muscle cramps to improve. This can even be the case if you are rehydrated.

What if you’re dehydrated and have back pain while pregnant?

Please call your doctor if this is the case.

Final thoughts

While these two symptoms are not always obviously related, they can come together. Please call your doctor if you have these symptoms for more than 24 hours.

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. Adam Carewe, MD.

Sources

Taylor, Kory, and Elizabeth B. Jones. “Adult Dehydration.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/.

Belyayeva, Mariya , and Jordan M Jeong. “Acute Pyelonephritis.” National Library of Medicine , StatPearls Publishing, 28 Feb. 2024, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519537/.

‌Leslie, Stephen W, et al. “Renal Calculi.” Nih.gov, StatPearls Publishing, 20 Apr. 2024, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK442014/.

Turci, Aline Mendonça et al. “Self-administered stretching exercises are as effective as motor control exercises for people with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomised trial.” Journal of physiotherapy vol. 69,2 (2023): 93-99. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36958977/.