What Causes Lower Back Pain When I Cough?

Dr. Brett Berner
6 min readApr 15, 2024

If your back hurts when you cough, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor to check if you have a persistent cough or if there’s another health problem causing this pain.

Photo by Microgen |Adobe stock

When you cough, your upper body moves and this affects your back. You might feel your shoulders rise and your body bend forward when coughing. This change in body position during a cough can cause pain in your back.

The movement from coughing can also affect your lower back, leading to pain that may extend into your hips and legs. This pain often indicates an issue with your lower back.

Reasons for Lower Back Pain When Coughing

Sometimes, coughing a lot can actually cause back pain. When you cough frequently, it puts extra strain on your back muscles, making them contract more than usual. However, if your coughing isn’t ongoing, back pain is usually due to a problem directly related to your back.

Lower back pain can be caused by several things. Some of the most common reasons are:

1. Herniated disk: This happens when the soft part of the cushion-like disks between your spine bones pushes out through the tougher outer layer.

2. Muscle strain: This occurs when a muscle or its connecting tendon in the back gets pulled, torn, or…

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Dr. Brett Berner

Upper Cervical Chiropractor in Lutz, FL. Schedule a complimentary consultation: text CONSULT to 813-578-5889 or www.foundationschedule.com