Can Dehydration Cause Back Pain?
Dehydration is one of the leading causes of health issues worldwide. Everything from muscle cramps, to heart issues, to chronic fatigue can be the result of dehydration. Many studies indicate dehydration can cause back pain, especially if you have preexisting conditions which are likely to be inflamed from said dehydration. In this post, we’ll be focusing on how dehydration may be causing back pain, how to stay hydrated throughout the day, ensuring you’re properly hydrated while working out, ensuring you’re properly hydrated while flying, and benefits of proper hydration. We hope you enjoy this post and we look forward to helping you with your back pain.
How Dehydration May Be Causing Your Back Pain
Our body functions best when it’s fully hydrated. Without the proper level of hydration throughout the day, everything from our internal organs, to our joints and bones may not be operating at their highest level of performance. Dehydration, especially chronic dehydration, may make you more susceptible to back pain based on the simple fact our spinal discs are composed of around 80% water. If you’re dehydrated, your discs will be lacking the necessary hydration they need to fully function throughout the day; thus leading to the potential for chronic back pain if you’re chronically dehydrated.
Additionally, muscles need the right level of hydration as when there’s a lack of hydration throughout your muscles, you may be prone to excess cramping and tightening of the muscles. If this cramping and tightening occurs in the muscle area of the neck, back, or spine; you could find yourself in a full blown spasm. Staying hydrated is key to so many bodily functions, so why not drink a glass of water when you’re thirsty to help your body function at its best?
How To Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day
Staying hydrated throughout the day may be tough for some, yet we’re here to offer some helpful tips!
Make Water Easier to Consume
If you’re someone who doesn’t like walking up to grab water multiple times throughout the day, maybe it’s a good idea to invest in a high-quality, insulated thermos so you’ll have ready access to your water whenever you need it. The easier you make it on yourself to consume water throughout the day, the more water you’ll drink. Your favorite water bottle in tow may be just the right accessory to promote proper hydration levels throughout even the busiest of days.
Ensure You’re Properly Hydrated When Working Out
When we’re working out, we’re losing a lot of water in the form of sweat. It’s important to stay hydrated, especially if working out for extended periods of time. It’s also a good idea to incorporate a formulated sports drink into your workout routine which can offer you the right levels of sugars, salts, vitamins, and minerals one needs to replenish after an intense cardio exercise regimen. Working out is fantastic, yet if you’re not staying hydrated with the right liquids, you may find yourself feeling worse off post-workout. We don’t want that, so stay hydrated out there when you go for your next run or gym session.
Ensure You’re Properly Hydrated When Flying
Flying dehydrates you primarily due to the very low air humidity levels found inside airplane cabins. It’s very important to stay hydrated while you fly to reduce the effects of jetlag and have your body in its best condition. It’s recommended to drink about a cup of water per hour of flight time and avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, as those not only dehydrate you on the ground, but they also dehydrate you at a faster rate when flying 40,000 feet in the air under intense cabin pressure. Bringing an empty water bottle to fill up at the airport can be a great way to save money and stay hydrated when traveling.
Look at the Color of Your Urine
If your urine is dark yellow or brown, you’re severely dehydrated and should drink a glass of water ASAP. The ideal color you want your urine to be is a pale, light, golden straw color. If your urine is as clear as water, you’re over-hydrated, and you’ll want to take a break from water intake for a few hours and eat some food to help balance things out. All in all, you can tell a lot about your hydration levels by looking at your urine. So next time you use the restroom, check in on yourself and see where your hydration levels stand.
Benefits of Being Adequately Hydrated
As mentioned in this post, staying adequately hydrated may not only reduce back pain, it will likely help your entire body function better. This is what we want to see as medical providers; healthy, happy patients. If you can consume at least 8 glasses of water per day, you’re on the right track to adequate levels of hydration.
Contact Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants to Learn More About How We Can Help With Your Back Pain
If you’re experiencing lingering back pain which doesn’t seem to improve no matter what you do, you’ll want to reach out to us using the form below. We’ll be sure to have you seen by one of our amazing specialists as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon and we’re eager to begin helping you on your journey towards health and wellness!
DISCLAIMER: No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.