Lower Back Pain After Drinking Coffee

Lower back pain can result from various causes, including muscle strain, herniated discs, poor posture, obesity, and aging-related degeneration. Inflammation, spinal stenosis, and traumatic injuries also contribute. Sedentary lifestyles, heavy lifting, and stress may exacerbate symptoms. Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and pain management.

Caffeine and its effects on the body

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, and energy drinks. When consumed, it stimulates the central nervous system, increasing alertness and reducing fatigue. However, excessive intake can lead to restlessness, insomnia, and increased heart rate. Regular consumption can result in tolerance and withdrawal symptoms when caffeine is reduced or discontinued.

Relationship between coffee consumption and back pain

Research on the relationship between coffee consumption and back pain is inconclusive. While some studies suggest caffeine may alleviate pain by reducing inflammation, others propose it might contribute to muscle tension. Individual responses vary, and moderation is key.

I know firsthand how diet can cause an old injury to flare up. For example, I suffered a lower back injury a few years back while working out at the gym. I was doing pistol squats and felt a twinge in my lower back. It felt like a rubber band snapped on the right side of my lower back, near my L4/L5 area. I immediately, stopped what I was doing but my back was never the same. Then, in the following week a friend of mine asked me to spot him doing skull crushers, so I squatted down to pick up the weight, and as soon as I lifted the weight to give it to him my back “gave out.” I immediately felt a “sharp stabbing like pain” in my lower back. I could barely walk after for about 3-4 days.

What’s interesting, is that about 1 month before my injury I started taking a “pre-workout” supplement which was primarily comprised of caffeine and niacin. So, I would feel a rush of adrenaline and blood flow during my workouts. When I did further research on it, I discovered that I was ingesting about 150mg of caffeine per serving. Later, I put 2 and 2 together and linked the caffeine intake to my back pain.

After I was able to rehab from the injury utilizing Chiropractic care and decompression, among other things, I started drinking coffee and I noticed I would feel MORE back pain every time I would drink it. At one point, my back flared up to the point where I felt the same exact immobilizing pain. So, I stopped drinking coffee altogether and my back felt better…So, to reiterate, your body is affected by your diet, but more specifically, your back can be negatively impacted from your diet. Sadly, many Americans suffer chronic pain and inflammation at the hands of their terrible diets and daily visits to a coffee shop. If you already experience pain, a poor diet could make the pain worse.

Chronic back pain and possible triggers

Chronic back pain, lasting for 12 weeks or more, can result from various triggers. Common causes include herniated discs, spinal stenosis, arthritis, poor posture, and muscle imbalances. Injury, obesity, and stress can exacerbate symptoms. Identifying and addressing the underlying cause is crucial for effective treatment and pain management.

Understanding the connection – How coffee affects the nervous system

Coffee’s active ingredient, caffeine, impacts the nervous system by blocking adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness. Caffeine’s inhibition of adenosine leads to increased release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, resulting in heightened alertness, improved mood, and enhanced cognitive function.

The role of caffeine in muscle tension

Caffeine can contribute to muscle tension due to its stimulant properties. It increases the release of stress hormones like cortisol, which can lead to muscle contractions and increased muscle tone. High caffeine intake or sensitivity may exacerbate tension, potentially causing discomfort or pain, especially in susceptible individuals.

Research on the link between coffee and lower back pain

Research on the link between coffee consumption and lower back pain is limited and somewhat conflicting. While some studies suggest that caffeine’s anti-inflammatory properties may provide relief for individuals with certain types of chronic pain, including lower back pain, others propose that excessive caffeine intake might contribute to muscle tension and exacerbate discomfort. Individual responses vary, and more comprehensive research is needed to establish a clear relationship. Additionally, it’s essential to consider other factors like lifestyle, posture, and underlying medical conditions when exploring the impact of coffee on lower back pain.

THE “MEAT”If you eat a pro-inflammatory diet, you’re going to cause systemic inflammation that “ATTACKS” the weak areas in your body. Often, you’ll begin to FEEL old injuries when your diet is “OFF.” For example, if you’ve injured your back in the past the standard American diet or S.A.D diet for short (B/C it’s very SAD) can cause it to flare up on you.PROCESSED FOOD

NUMBER 1 on the LIST is PROCESSED FOOD or what I like to call “Synthetic-Food-Like-Substances.” There is a very important rule I want you to memorize and that is: “The closer a food is to its natural state, the healthier it is for you!” Highly processed foods just aren’t healthy for you and will wreak havoc on your body overtime.

So, what are we talking about? Highly processed packaged foods – you know the stuff in boxes or packages, like your cookies, cakes, your snack foods, chips, things like that. Almost everything in a box or package is SO highly processed that it doesn’t even remotely resemble anything that would be considered a food. Very soon after ingesting this CRAP your body goes into full blown inflammation! Think about it, how is your body that was DESIGNED to ingest “REAL” Food going to digest something that is synthetic?

Your body simply cannot digest FAKE FOOD! What makes processed food so bad is that they contain a ton of BAD FATS, Artificial Ingredients, Processed Soy, Fake Colors and Dyes; Sulfites, Nitrites and Nitrates. All these things will cause a ton of Inflammation in your body.

AT THE GROCERY STORE:

To avoid the perils of processed food and having to read food labels ad-nauseum, shop the PERIMETER of the grocery store. The perimeter is where all the fruits, veggies, power greens and super-foods lie. Also, you can find grass fed meats, wild caught fish, organic poultry and eggs as well. The middle isles are stacked full of junk food and the CRAP you don’t want to be eating.

C.R.A.P stands for:

C = Carbonated Beverages (High Amounts of Refined Sugar, and Very Acidic)R = Refined Sugars (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cane Sugar, Dextrose, Corn Starch)A = Artificial Flavourings, Dyes; anything artificial (MSG, Aspartame, etc.)P = Processed Foods (Bad Fats, Artificial Additives, Refined Salt, Refined Sugars)

So, if you’re going to buy something in a box or a package, get good at reading labels. And, as a general rule of thumb if it takes you too long to read through it all, it’s probably something that doesn’t belong in your body! I also liked the rule “if it doesn’t rot it doesn’t get bought.”

SUGAR

Sugar is one of the number 1 culprits of inflammation. How does sugar cause inflammation? According to the research there is a “low-grade, acute inflammatory response to [ingesting a mere] 50 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce soda. People who eat a lot of refined sugars have more inflammatory markers in their blood, like C-Reactive Protein or CRP for short. We know that high blood sugar levels cause high insulin levels which sets off chronic inflammation. And, sugar is in everything.

Sugar is extremely addicting, and the Food Manufacturers know this – SO, they put it in everything. And, here’s the sad thing the average American is eating about unknowingly consumes 72 grams of sugar per day, which equals 17 whopping teaspoons! If we were to add all this sugar up, the average person is eating 58 pounds of sugar per year!

Obviously, if a person consumes high amounts of sugar like this year after year, it’s going to be disastrous to their health. And, with obesity rates sky rocketing, American’s should be very concerned with the amount of sugar they are consuming. So, you have to pay attention to how much sugar you’re eating, and work to regulate it.

In our advanced plan diet, we coach people to extremely cut down on their sugar intake to combat chronic inflammation. We even limit their fruit intake to just low glycemic fruits like berries or to NO fruit at all. When it comes to chronic back pain or any pain for that matter you should seriously begin to think about eliminating refined sugar.

DAIRY

“Dairy is scary!” For one the dairy you buy at the grocery store is highly processed. It’s taken through the pasteurization process, which destroys all that was ever good in it. It destroys most of the fat-soluble vitamins, it destroys the enzyme phosphatase which helps your body to be able to absorb the calcium. So I have a question, if your body can’t absorb the calcium in milk, then how can it be good for your bones?

Milk also can contain a high amount of estrogen which is carcinogenic. This is because cows are artificially inseminated while still producing milk from their previous pregnancy! Milk also contains a high amount of sugar in the form of lactose. In fact, one cup contains about 12 grams of sugar! What’s even more crazy is the fact the majority of the population can’t even breakdown lactose because our bodies lack the enzyme to do so (lactase).

COFFEE/TEA/CAFFEINE

Caffeine is one of the most addictive DRUGS on the planet. Yes, I said it, caffeine is a drug. Caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates your central nerve system. It causes a temporarily alertness because it puts your body into fight or flight mode, but more on this later.

According to E-Imports, Expresso Business Solutions, as of 2017, “50% of the population, equivalent to 150 million Americans, drink espresso, cappuccino, latte, or iced/cold coffees. [And], Independent coffee shops equal $12 billion in annual sales.” There are a lot of Americans addicted to their morning cup of coffee/caffeine, including myself at one time.

CAFFEINE AND CORTISOL (STRESS HORMONES): CAN COFFEE CAUSE BACK PAIN?

Consuming too much caffeine raises a major stress hormone in your body called cortisol. According to the research, increased cortisol levels for prolonged periods of time induce inflammation in your body and cause your connective tissue to become inflamed, this can lead to chronic back pain.

Caffeine has a few other negative aspects that can affect your health. It is a diuretic, meaning it makes you pee more frequently. Not only does this cause dehydration but it also leeches minerals from your body. Consider the fact that your discs in your spine are comprised of about 70% water. By drinking caffeine, you are causing water to be driven out of the discs of your spine which causes them to become weak, brittle, and more prone to “blowing out.” This also plays a huge role in Disc Degenerative Disease or DJD for short.

Caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee are also acidic in nature and cause your body to release vital nutrients and minerals, especially calcium in the bones, to buffer the acid. Minerals are essential for your entire body to function normally. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why people get very tired and sluggish from chronic caffeine consumption. [56]

ALCOHOL AND LOWER BACK PAIN?

A study conducted at the University of Sydney Australia looked at 26 studies that investigated the association between alcohol intake and LBP and their conclusion was that “alcohol consumption appears to be associated with complex and chronic LBP.” Alcohol, like caffeine, is a poison, which causes your muscles to tighten up and spark pain in your back. Over time, this can lead to chronic lower back pain. Because it’s a poison, your body is going to want to get rid of it; this causes you to urinate more frequently. Obviously, when you are peeing more you are at risk for dehydration.

ALCOHOL AND INFLAMMATION

Alcohol can cause inflammation because you might have a food allergy to grains, hops, sulfates, barley and/or wheat. Anything used in the production of alcohol could potentially cause more inflammation in your body. This is because an allergy sets off an inflammatory cascade in your body. These allergies can range from mild to severe in intensity.

The other thing about alcohol, which can cause inflammation is that alcohol gets converted to sugar. Excess sugar in your body throws off your insulin and cortisol levels leading to chronic inflammation. When it comes to back pain, alcohol is going to sabotage your recovery.

CONCLUSION

When it comes to healing from chronic back pain, I personally believe your diet is the number one thing you need to pay attention to. A bad diet could not only perpetuate your back pain, but it prevents you from functioning at your FULLEST potential. Switch to a healthy diet for 30 days in conjunction with whatever else you are utilizing to get better.

A healthy diet simply means eliminating the TOP 5 Food culprits and eating more healthy foods that are as close to natural state as possible. Eat an abundance of veggies and fruits, consisting of green leafy vegetables and high glycemic fruits like berries. Include healthy fats in your diet like coconut oil, almond butter, and extra virgin olive oil. When it comes to meat, only eat the best, meaning, grass fed organic beef, wild caught fish, free range poultry, etc… Make sure to drink plenty of highly filtered water.

As a bonus tip, one good way to get more greens in your life fairly easily is to blend them up in a green drink. A green drink is easy to make, it taste good, and I believe them to be more nutritious than a salad because most of the breakdown process is done in the blender. If you would like a copy of my green drink recipe, I would love to gift it to you. Just click this link, fill out the form and a copy will be sent to your email.

For more questions please feel free to email me at thrivespinecenter@gmail.com

REVIEW:

1. Discipline of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, Sydney, NSW 1825, Australia. Paulo.ferreira@sydney.edu.au

2. Medi Resource Inc. “Dehydration (Low Body Fluids)”https://medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/dehydration

3. Biller A, Reuter M, Patenaude B, Homola GA, Breuer F, Bendszus M, Bartsch AJ.Responses of the Human Brain to Mild Dehydration andRehydration Explored In Vivo by 1H-MR Imaging and Spectroscopy.AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Dec;36(12):2277-84https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26381562

4. Cherniske S. Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America’s #1 Drug.1st ed. New York: Warner Books Inc; 1998.

5. E-Imports “How Many Cups of Coffee are Consumed Daily in the US?” Retrieved 3/01/2019https://www.e-importz.com/coffee-statistics.phphttps://thrivespinecenter.com/chiropractic-works-great-for-lower-back-pain-video/