Lower back and stomach pain is an unpleasant and worrying experience for any person. Because there are a number of organs in the abdominal and lower back area, there are many different reasons for having pain there. Pain in the stomach and lower back can be caused by constipation, stones in the kidney or gallbladder, or a cyst. However, sometimes the pain could be a sign of a more serious condition like appendicitis or even a heart attack.
Lower back and abdominal pain should never be ignored. Some home remedies can help you find relief from some of the symptoms of lower abdomen and back pain. However, if your symptoms last for more than a few days, or you experience intense or severe pain in your stomach and back, you should visit your doctor for a checkup. This is especially true if the pain is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, severe cramps, or pains in your chest.
Let’s look at the different reasons why you can experience lower back and stomach pain. This will help you find the root cause of your pain and discomfort and discover if there are any natural home remedies to give you relief.
Constipation
A common reason for lower back and abdominal pain is constipation. You can suffer from constipation when you are under stress, don’t consume enough fluids, if you have a low-fiber or an irregular diet, or consume a lot of processed foods. These factors can cause stools to become hard and they can be difficult to pass.
Constipation usually causes pain in your lower abdomen for most people, however, according to the charity Cancer Research UK, chronic constipation can also cause back pain along with abdominal pain.1 This happens because the buildup of hard stool presses on the nerves in your lower back, causing pain.
There are many natural remedies for constipation that can help to soften your stools to make them easier to pass.
One natural way to find relief from constipation and get rid of your pain is to consume coconut oil. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and studies have shown that MCFAs can help to speed up metabolism and this will help you to be more “regular.”2
Mix 1 tsp. unrefined virgin coconut oil with 8-oz. glass of herbal tea and drink 30 minutes before each meal. Make sure to have 3-4 glasses of the coconut oil remedy each day to help find relief from the painful symptoms of constipation.
Castor oil is a natural laxative which will help to get your bowels moving. According to WebMD, castor oil increases the movement of the intestines, helping you to pass stools easier.3 To find out how to take castor oil for constipation, please read my article on the many different natural remedies for constipation. There you will also find other helpful ideas on how to relieve constipation naturally.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can cause severe and intense pain in the lower abdomen and back. Kidney stones are small mineral deposits that can form inside your kidney. They usually pass out when urinating, but sometimes surgery is required to remove them.
According to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, some of the symptoms of kidney stones are severe pain in the back and side, pain that spreads to the lower abdomen and groin, pain when urinating, nausea and vomiting, and possibly a fever.4
Use apple cider vinegar to get rid of kidney stones and ease the pain in the lower abdomen and back. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid which can help to break down the stones in your kidney. One study into acetic acid found that it dissolved kidney stones.5
Acetic acid also plays another role in helping to get rid of kidney stones – it becomes alkaline in the body. Research has shown that kidney stones form when there is too much acid in the body.6
To help dissolve kidney stones and get rid of the lower back and stomach pain that they cause, mix 1-2 tsp. apple cider vinegar in an 8 oz. glass of water. Drink frequently throughout the day until you think that the kidney stone has gone.
You can also use apple cider vinegar to prevent kidney stones forming. To do this, you should get into the daily habit of drinking a large glass of water with 1-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar mixed in it. This will help to balance your body’s pH levels and prevent more kidney stones forming.
Gallstones
Gallstones can cause pain on the right side of your stomach and back after eating a fatty meal. According to Dr. Gregory Thompson on WebMD, the pain can start suddenly and you can experience continuous pain for up to 5 hours.7
Dr. Thompson explains that gallstones form when cholesterol and other substances become hard stones in the gallbladder. Eating well-balanced meals and maintaining a healthy weight are some practical ways to prevent gallstones forming.
Drinking lemon juice is one natural method to help dissolve gallstones and relieve the constant pain in your back and stomach. The citric acid in lemon help to dissolve gallstones and flush toxins out of the liver. To use the lemon water remedy for gallstones, squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon into an 8 oz. glass of warm water. Drink one glass of lemon water first thing in the morning and one in the evening to help get rid of gallstones. Do this every day for relief from the discomfort of stomach and lower back pain that gallstones cause.
Ovarian Cyst
Ovarian cysts can form on one or both of the ovaries and are small sacs filled with fluid. Usually, they don’t cause women any discomfort but if they rupture or become large, ovarian cysts can cause lower abdomen and back pain and may cause cramping but no period.
The Mayo Clinic says that usually, a large ovarian cyst will cause abdominal discomfort. The pain may also be felt in your pelvic region and radiate to your lower back and thighs.8
If you experience severe abdominal or pelvic pain, you should seek urgent medical attention.
If you are concerned about ovarian cysts, my article on the warning signs of ovarian cysts will help you identify other symptoms of cysts on the ovaries.
Endometriosis
Pain and infertility are the 2 most common symptoms of endometriosis. Some of the symptoms of endometriosis are pain in the abdomen and back, pain when passing stools or urinating, or during intercourse.
Endometriosis is a condition in which the lining of the womb grows outside of it. According to Dr. Sarah Marshall on WebMD, the endometrial tissue on the outside of the womb also bleeds during the menstrual cycle. However, because it has nowhere to go, it causes inflammation and swelling in the surrounding tissues.9 This can cause severe cramps, pelvic pain, and lower back pain just before your menstrual period.10
You can get some abdominal and lower back pain relief by placing a hot water bottle on the painful area or taking a warm bath.
You should let your doctor or gynecologist know if you experience severe pelvic pain and heavy bleeding during your menstrual period.
Appendicitis
A dull pain in your lower abdomen that becomes more intense and painful could be the first sign of appendicitis. The other symptoms of inflammation of the appendix are a loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, fever, and abdominal swelling.
According to Dr. Melinda Ratini on WebMD, even though the pain is usually on the right side of your abdomen, appendicitis can also cause sharp pain in the stomach and back.11
Acute appendicitis requires prompt medical attention to make sure of a full recovery. You should call a doctor immediately if you suspect that you have appendicitis.
Premenstrual Syndrome
Many women experience pelvic cramps and lower back pain in the few days before their menstrual period starts. Doctors don’t fully know what causes the pain associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) to be worse in some women than others.
The symptoms of PMS aren’t just connected with lower abdomen and back pain. According to the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S., PMS can cause fatigue, headaches, food cravings, breast swelling, and mood swings. One or more of the symptoms affect up to 85% of all women during their menstrual cycle.12
Depending on what your symptoms are and how severe the pain is, there are many natural remedies for premenstrual syndrome that you can find on this website.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can cause lower abdomen cramps and low back pain which can range from mild ‘grumbling’ to severe pain. Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the womb, usually caused by a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Some of the other symptoms are abnormal vaginal discharge, fever as well as ovary pain.
Dr. Tim Kenny on Patient.info advises seeing a doctor if you have symptoms of PID because, if left untreated, it can cause you to become infertile and you could infect your partner with an STD.13
Heart Attack
Severe pain in the chest that spread to the arms, neck, and jaw is one of the classic symptoms of a heart attack. However, heart attacks can also cause abdominal pain with nausea and back pain.
The NHS in the United Kingdom stresses that not all severe chest pains are a sign that a person is having a heart attack. The pain can be mild and mistaken for heartburn. The person may also feel lightheaded, dizzy, sweat a lot, and start wheezing.14
If you have any concerns that you or someone else is having a heart attack, you should call the emergency services immediately.
Diverticulitis
A constant pain in the left side of your lower abdomen is one symptom of diverticulitis. The steady pain is caused when small pouches in the intestine become infected or inflamed by trapped feces.
Along with pain in the lower part of the stomach, gastrointestinal specialist Dr. Subodh K. Lal says that severe back pain can also be associated with diverticulitis. If you experience sudden pain in your lower stomach and back, have blood in your stools and a fever, you should call a doctor.14
Exercise, enjoying a high fiber diet, taking probiotics, and drinking warm water are just some of the natural remedies for getting rid of the symptoms of diverticulitis that I have previously written about.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
The aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies the body with blood. An aneurysm (excessive enlargement of an artery due to weakening of the artery wall) that forms in the abdominal region can cause deep, constant abdominal and back pain. If the pain becomes severe, it’s important to seek professional medical help.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say that men over the age of 65 and are, or were, heavy smokers are more at risk from an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
To prevent an aneurysm from occurring, doctors recommend quitting smoking, enjoying a healthy diet and getting enough exercise to keep your blood vessels healthy.
Kidney Infection
A kidney infection is a serious condition and it can cause abdominal and lower back pain. Kidney infections are caused when bacteria get into your urinary tract and cause pain and discomfort.
Some other symptoms of a kidney infection, apart from aching pain in your abdomen and back, are frequent need to urinate, burning sensation when urinating, discolored urine that smells bad.
If you are concerned about a kidney infection, you should call your doctor to arrange for a check-up and tests.
Prostatitis
A bacterial infection can also cause chronic prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) which results in pelvic and lower back pain. Prostatitis may result in symptoms similar to having a kidney or urinary tract infection.
Urologist Dr. Jennifer Sobol says that it’s important to treat prostatitis properly and that usually antibiotics are needed to treat prostate infections. During this time, it’s important to drink plenty of fluids and use warm compress or bath to help ease the pain and discomfort.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Early signs of an ectopic pregnancy are low back and lower belly pain. You may also experience cramps on one side of the pelvis.
Ectopic pregnancies are life-threatening to the mother. Associate professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Dr. Irina Burd says that it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you think you may be pregnant and experience abnormal vaginal bleeding with pain around your abdomen and lower back.
Read my other related articles:
1. Stomach Pain after Eating – Causes and Natural Treatments
2. Ovary Pain and Lower Pelvic Pain – 13 Possible Causes
3. Seven Types of Pain You should Never Ignore
Article Sources
Chronic constipation
Medium chain fatty acid metabolism and energy expenditure
Castor oil uses
Kidney stones
Differentiation of human kidney stones induced by melamine and uric acid using surface desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry
Contrasting effects of potassium citrate and sodium citrate therapies on urinary chemistries and crystallization of stone-forming salts
Gallstones – symptoms
Ovarian cysts
Your guide to endometriosis
Endometriosis – symptoms
Understanding appendicitis – symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) fact sheet
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Symptoms of a heart attack
Diverticulitis
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Abdominal aortic aneurysm – self-management
Kidney infection – symptoms
Prostatitis – bacterial
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