Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Celiac And Back Pain?

oreilly15

By oreilly15
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

oreilly15 Rookie
oreilly15
Posted

Hi I was diagnosed with Celiac about a year ago. I've had a really bad upper back for years and was just wondering if it was because I was eating gluten for so long and my disease went untreated. My doctor doesnt seem to think Celiac can cause long term back issues but I've never had any kind of injury. Has anyone else had this problem and if so will living a totally gluten free life eventually eliminate that pain?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


The Fluffy Assassin Enthusiast
The Fluffy Assassin
Posted
Hi I was diagnosed with Celiac about a year ago. I've had a really bad upper back for years and was just wondering if it was because I was eating gluten for so long and my disease went untreated. My doctor doesnt seem to think Celiac can cause long term back issues but I've never had any kind of injury. Has anyone else had this problem and if so will living a totally gluten free life eventually eliminate that pain?

It causes malabsorption issues, including with calcium and magnesium. You might want to get a Cal-Mag supplement, especially if you go off dairy, as many of us do. Celiac disease is also associated with rheumatoid arthritis, so you may want to be checked for that as well.

I had back pain, though not really bad, and switched to an air mattress. It wasn't to fix my back; I'm just really really poor and my cot broke. Anyway, with the air mattress, I am suddenly a guy who used to have a back problem. Just something to think about.

brigala Explorer
brigala
Posted

Celiac can contribute to all sorts of things. It probably wouldn't be a -direct- cause of back pain, but as Fluffy points out it can cause other problems which can have a domino effect on all our bodily systems. I found that I just didn't heal well from even minor pulls, twists, and injuries when I was eating gluten. I certainly have less back pain now than I did.

On the other hand, it's hard to avoid the temptation to blame EVERYTHING on gluten. A different mattress, some massage, and a trip to the chiropractor are probably in order if your back is still hurting even after a year of gluten-free diet. Even if these things didn't work before, they might work better now.

-Elizabeth

shendler Rookie
shendler
Posted

I would go to the doctor. Although it may be something as simple as your bed it could also be something else that needs to be addressed. Good luck!

CeciliaCeliac Explorer
CeciliaCeliac
Posted

Hi I was diagnosed with Celiac about a year ago. I've had a really bad upper back for years and was just wondering if it was because I was eating gluten for so long and my disease went untreated. My doctor doesnt seem to think Celiac can cause long term back issues but I've never had any kind of injury. Has anyone else had this problem and if so will living a totally gluten free life eventually eliminate that pain?

Ah, great question. I too have suffered from chronic back pain for years before I was diagnosed with Celiac. I had scoloisis as a child but had a spinal fusion to correct it. I blamed my back pain on pregnancy, carrying a kid around, waiting tables and hard work. Now, I do see some kind of connection but haven't quite figured it out either. I can say with confidence that my back pain is somehow directly related to a horrible inflammation problem. (certain prescription anti-inflammatories can kill the pain and work better than pain killers) For me, I reduce the inflammation and my back pain becomes less severe....solving the problem long term though, I have no solutions for. I have only been gluten free since April and have not seen a decrease in the back pain. It is also a goal of mine to find out how Celiac relates to joint/muscle/back pain or if possible we all have other autoimmune diseases causing the chronic inflammation......would love to hear more....

angieInCA Apprentice
angieInCA
Posted

I had sever lower back and right hip pain to the piont it was causing problems walking. Nothing I took touched the pain. After 3 MRI sand countless tests which showed dark or grey spots, the only thing the Doctors could come up with was that I had Synovial cysts in my lower spine and hip joint which were inoperable and would eventually lead to me being wheelchair bound. This went on for 4 years with the pain getting increasingly worse. Then I went Gluten Free. Within 6 weeks I was pain free and all the Doctors can do is scratch their heads. Even with accidental glutenings this pain has not reappeard, Thankfully!

ksymonds84 Enthusiast
ksymonds84
Posted

My friend's only symptom was backache and fatigue. It took awhile for them to find celiac as being the cause. Getting a backache is the only way she knows she's been glutened...no gastro symptoms whatsoever.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


VioletBlue Contributor
VioletBlue
Posted

The lower back pain I was having almost constantly went away after I went gluten-free. The sciatica problems I had before rarely appear now. For whatever reason going gluten-free helped me tremendously.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,356
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Deb powell
    Newest Member
    Deb powell
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.1k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Weak positive blood test and marsh type 1

      By knitty kitty · Posted

    • knitty kitty
      How to navigate living with dermatitis herpetiformis

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Welcome, @Morgan Tiernan, The best thing to clear my dermatitis herpetiformis is to take Niacin, Vitamin B 3, the form called nicotine acid, the kind that causes flushing of the skin.  Flushing Niacin clears my skin quickly.   Yes, the flushing might seem really strange, but it opens the tiny capillaries in the surface of the skin which helps remove the antibodies that gather in those pustules.  The flushing lessens the longer Niacin is taken, but still works at keeping the blisters away.   Be sure to take a B Complex and Benfotiamine, a form of Thiamin , Vitamin B 1.  Covid, shingles and other infections like strep throat deplete our Thiamine quickly.  Having frequent infections can indicate low Thiamine.  We have a higher metabolic demand during infections, physical trauma or surgery, emotional and mental stress, and while physically active like dancing.    Thiamine has anti-virus and antibacterial properties.  The eight essential B vitamins work together.  Taking Benfotiamine in addition to the B Complex is safe and nontoxic.  Excess B vitamins are easily excreted because they are water soluble.  New Celiacs are often low in vitamins and minerals due to malabsorption.  Vitamin D can help calm the immune system.  Following a low histamine Paleo diet , like the Autoimmune Protocol Diet by Dr. Sara Ballantyne, a Celiac herself, is also very helpful.  Steroids lower histamine, but the low histamine AIP diet is safer.   This research may be old, but Flushing Niacin does work!!! Nicotinic acid therapy of dermatitis herpetiformis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15412276/ P.S. Wearing natural fibers helps my dermatitis herpetiformis.  Synthetic fibers keep sweat next to the skin, causing further irritation.  Natural fibers wick moisture away, keeping skin dry and exfoliated.
    • Morgan Tiernan
      How to navigate living with dermatitis herpetiformis

      By Morgan Tiernan · Posted

      Hey @Rogol72! thanks for your very helpful response. Those videos are great and super educating! I’ve forwarded them to my family members too as often it can be very difficult to explain to those around you just what you’re going through. Though, I’m fortunate that they’re super supportive and keen to help me get to the bottom of the problem. Interesting how you mentioned soaps and shower gels irritating too! Is it better to rinse off the sweat straight after exercising just with some cool water? Additionally, is minimising soap in those areas during showering helpful too? Or is there a particular soap that may be helpful! I have some more questions about dapsone too, if you don’t mind me asking. As mentioned in my response to Trents, I take prednisolone for when I am glutened or when my symptoms become too unbearable. With oral steroids it’s usually a 4 week dose as I have to reduce my dose to slowly come off them. How long can you take dapsone for? Can it impact your immune system in the same way as oral steroids (I have to be super careful I don’t pick up any infections whilst on my steroids as my immune system is compromised.) Yes, I’m from South Wales in the UK. Though my grandfather is Irish, explaining my surname (very well spotted!)
    • Morgan Tiernan
      How to navigate living with dermatitis herpetiformis

      By Morgan Tiernan · Posted

      Hi Trents, thank you so much for your help and support. Yes it’s not ideal from my surgery practice. This is just one of the many problems I have experienced with them, we’ve had to pay to go to a private consultant now instead (I’m from South Wales in the UK, spot on about the spelling of “coeliac”! I completely forgot there was another way of spelling it around the world!) The dermatologist I have been seeing over the last few months has been amazing. And thank goodness for places like google and forums like these, I don’t think I would’ve ever thought it could be gluten! Interesting about the iodine. I’ll definitely start to limit this out of my diet. It makes sense as the places of irritation are places I sweat or pressure points (wrists, waist etc.) Dapsone was mentioned in my last appointment also. He’s reluctant to put me on it just yet, probably just until this biopsy is done so we can confirm for definite. At the moment I’m being put on prednisolone (oral steroids) every time I either become glutened or my symptoms reach an ultimate. I think he’s said if I need to be in them for any more than 3 times a year, dapsone will be more considered. I’m keen to go on it as every time I come off the prednisolone I can see the blisters creeping back. I’ve got loads that have burst on my hairline. I also start to get flaky/peeling skin as well which I’m not sure is related?    As well as limiting iodine, is there anything else that might help irritation with sweat? Is it better to wear more loose fitted clothing? Can I apply something to stop the irritation of sweat whilst i’m exercising?    Thanks for all your help so far! I will keep you all updated on my journey! 
    • Lynnard
      Waiting on biopsy results but wanted opinion on bloodwork

      By Lynnard · Posted

      Thank you - that makes perfect sense and I understand. celiac disease is an autoimmune disease which will cause further damage while gluten sensitivity is different. Based on my symptoms and bloodwork, I am almost certain I have celiac disease.  I kind of hate to hope for a positive biopsy but a negative one would be frustrating for sure. Regardless, I have done a lot of research on gluten-free diet and am prepared to begin a new lifestyle journey - with a lot of questions along the way.  I appreciate your information and advice! 
×
×
  • Create New...