Lower back pain is a common problem eighty percent of individuals face at some point in their lives. However, back pain is usually associated with muscle tension, sprain, or fracture. Hence, it may alarm you that lower back pain is a common sign of spinal, colorectal, and ovarian cancer. Here we will discuss a question that patients often ask their doctors: Is lower back pain a sign of colon cancer?
Since a range of causes can lead to back pain, it is difficult to evaluate if your back pain has a connection with cancer. However, here are a few symptoms that, if experienced alongside lower back pain, can be a sign of cancer:
- Finding blood in your urine and stool.
- Continuous fatigue and tiredness.
- Sudden weight loss.
- Experiencing back pain during the night.
Multiple cancers have connections with lower back pain, such as colon and lung cancer. However, a person who suffers from colon cancer may experience a sudden and unexplainable weight loss and often find blood in their stool. As such, the patient must consult with their doctor immediately.
Aside from colon cancer, other cancers associated with lower back pain include breast cancer and lung cancer. People who experience lung cancer may begin to cough up blood and fall short of breath. On the other hand, people who suffer from breast cancer may find that the cancer is affecting their nerve transmissions, causing headaches, fatigue, and in rare scenarios, seizures.
Here is when you should visit your doctor:
- Do you have a history of cancer and are suffering from lower back pain.
- If you find a deformity forming near your spine.
- Or is there any sudden suffering from lower back pain without any physical injuries?
When you visit your doctor, they will recommend a further check-up and medical tests to determine if your lower back pain is caused due to cancer. If the tests validate your belief, the doctor will recommend treatment according to the type of cancer. It is possible that the doctor may choose to remove the tumor or conduct chemotherapy.
As we have been discussing, lower back pain is rarely caused due to colon cancer, and there are certain home remedies that can help you get rid of the pain and evaluate if your back pain is an isolated incident or a sign of cancer. These home remedies include:
- Place an ice pack or heat pack on your back for 20 minutes. If, after 20 minutes, the pain does not subside, you should visit a doctor.
- Try taking over-the-counter pain relievers. If the pain is persistent after a couple of hours, visit your doctor.
- Try taking a walk or stretching your body. If your back pain is a result of an injury or muscle tension, then the pain will increase as you move your body. If your pain does not increase while you walk and stretch your body, visit your doctor at the earliest.
To conclude our discussion regarding the question is lower back pain a sign of colon cancer or other types of cancers. People suffering from colon cancer rarely experience lower back pain. However, if you are currently suffering from lower back pain and are wondering if your pain is a sign of colon cancer, you can visit Gastroenterology Diagnostic Center. We have the best experts with the experience you need to treat colon cancer. You can call us at 281-357-1977.