Why does a simple cough make your back like you just ran a marathon with a backpack full of bricks? If you assume it’s muscle strain; cough and back pain together can have more complex causes than you realize.
Sadly, we see people in our emergency room daily who have suffered from cough and back pain for months before reaching us. By the time they do, their condition has often become more complex to treat.
If you know what’s causing your back pain with cough, you can get help sooner. That means less suffering, a faster recovery, and fewer medical bills. So let’s go over the causes.
9 Common Reasons for Cough and Back Pain
Here are nine common reasons you have a cough and backache at the same time.
1. Muscle Strain from Coughing
When you cough, your back muscles contract to help push the air out. When you cough repeatedly, those muscles get overworked, causing soreness or sometimes small tears. That’s why you feel an aching back from coughing.
Symptoms:
- Sore or tight back muscles
- Pain worsens with movement
- Cough and fatigue
What to Do:
- Rest and avoid excessive movement
- Apply a warm compress to relax the muscles
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers
2. Herniated Disc
Your spine comprises discs that act as cushions between the bones. A herniated disc happens when one of these discs slips out of place. The slipped disc presses on nearby nerves and even small movements like coughing trigger pain.
Symptoms:
- Sharp or burning back pain
- Pain radiating down the legs (if the lower back is affected)
- Numbness or tingling
What to Do:
- Avoid heavy lifting and intense activities
- Try gentle stretching or physical therapy
- See a doctor if the pain persists
3. Spinal Issues (Like Arthritis or Degeneration)
As we age, our spine naturally wears down. Spinal issues like arthritis or degeneration make the spine less flexible and more sensitive to movement. So when you cough, it puts pressure on already irritated joints and nerves.
Symptoms:
- Stiffness in the back
- Chronic pain that worsens with movement
- Numbness in limbs
What to Do:
- Maintain good posture
- Stay active with low-impact exercises
4. Kidney Issues
Your kidneys sit in your lower back. If you have an infection or kidney stones it causes pain in the back, side, or flank area. When you cough, the pain feels worse.
Symptoms:
- Cough with pain in lower back
- Frequent or painful urination
- Blood in the urine
- Fever (if infection is present)
What to Do:
- Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins
- See a doctor for testing
- Take prescribed medications
5. Pneumonia or Respiratory Infections
If your cough is persistent with back pain, lung infections like pneumonia or bronchitis could be a reason. The non stop coughing can make your back muscles tired and sore. On top of that, inflamed lungs cause pain that radiates into the back.
Symptoms:
- Cough with mucus or phlegm
- Fever and chills
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
What to Do:
- Stay hydrated and get plenty of rest
- See a doctor if symptoms worsen
6. Rib or Spinal Injuries
If you’ve recently had a fall, accident, or injury, your back pain when coughing could be a sign of a fractured rib or spinal issue. Even minor injuries can cause discomfort that worsens when you cough.
Symptoms:
- Upper back pain and cough
- Sharp pain the ribs
- Pain when breathing deeply
- Visible bruising sometimes
What to Do:
- Avoid strenuous activity
- Apply ice packs to reduce swelling
- Seek medical attention if pain is severe
7. Lung Conditions
Sometimes, cough and back pain can be a sign of pleurisy. It is inflammation around the lungs that causes sharp pain when you cough or breathe deeply. In rare cases, persistent cough and back pain could be a symptom of lung cancer.
Symptoms:
- Sharp chest or back pain with deep breaths or coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Unexplained weight loss
- Chronic fatigue
- Dry cough and headache
What to Do:
- If you notice severe symptoms like coughing up blood, seek immediate attention
- Follow recommended treatments
8. Chronic Conditions Like Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia causes tenderness in the muscles and joints. People with fibromyalgia have an overactive nervous system, which makes pain signals stronger than usual. Even mild movements like coughing can trigger sharp back pain because the body perceives them as more intense than they actually are.
Symptoms:
- Widespread muscle pain
- Cough and fatigue
- Tender points on the body
What to Do:
- Exercise regularly to reduce stiffness
- Try relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation
- Talk to a doctor about pain management options
9. Slouching Too Much
If you spend a lot of time hunched over your phone or curled up on the couch watching Netflix, your posture is not doing you any favors. When you cough in a slouched position, it puts extra pressure on your spine and back muscles. Before you know it, you’ve got a sore back from coughing.
Final Thoughts
Now you know that cough and back pain is your body’s way of warning you about something serious, like a slipped disc, lung or kidney infection. Take that signal as a threat. Reach your nearest emergency room to treat your cough and sore back early.
Early back pain treatment saves you from unnecessary complications and costly treatments. Don’t tough it out with cough and back ache. Let us take care of it at ER Fort Worth.
FAQs
1. How can I relieve cough and back pain?
Sit straight when you cough and hold a pillow against your back for support. Apply heat to relax tight muscles. If the cough and back pain doesn’t go away or gets worse, go to the emergency room to find out the real cause.
2. When should I worry about cough and back pain?
If you have a shooting back pain that lasts more than a week, something’s not right. If you also have a fever, trouble breathing, numbness, or blood in your urine, get to the ER as soon as you can.
3. Can coughing really cause a slipped disc?
If your spine is already weakened from age, injury, or bad posture, coughing can put extra pressure on it. Sometimes, this pressure makes a disc slip out of place and press on nearby nerves. That’s when you feel pain in your back and legs.
