Living with back pain is like living with a disease. It hinders your daily activity, you live in constant pain, and you don't feel 100% yourself until the pain has completely departed. When living with back pain, having the urge to sneeze will amplify your overall pain and potential injury to the low back.
In order to understand why does my back hurt when I sneeze, you must understand the muscles that are causing you pain. The main muscle that plays a huge role in spine stability and low back pain patterns is the Quadratus Lumborum. Don't let your Quadratus Lumborum hold you back. Master this muscle and start living a pain free life.
Back Hurts When I Sneeze - Quadratus Lumborum:
The Quadratus Lumborum is a 4 sided muscle that wraps from the bottom of the rib cage to the top of the pelvis. Knowing why does my back hurt when I sneeze can be traced to the Quadratus Lumborum. This muscle when tight can become very aggravating and put your lower back in a vulnerable and painful position (check out the QL Claw section below on how to release this muscle through deep tissue massage and live with a pain free back).
Back hurts when I sneeze Quadratus Lumborum Function: The Quadratus Lumborum helps maintain spinal stability by tensing both muscles to keep the spine protected, neutral, and stable. When engaging in high-stress movements like lifting a large object, playing a sport, or carrying a big load, the Quadratus Lumborum's function is crucial. Without the Quadratus Lumborum, the lower back would be extremely vulnerable to harm during these exercises as well as feeling pain in back hurts when I sneeze.
Why Does My Back Hurt When I Sneeze?
The reason why my back hurts when I sneeze is not only because of a tightness or injury to the Quadratus Lumborum. It's also because of how the motion and intensity of the sneeze amplifies your already existing pain.
The motion of coughing or sneezing is swift and almost violent; your muscles contract in an instinctive and fast-moving manner, making it challenging to stop yourself. It's a recipe for disaster for your lower back when your entire body tenses up and you react by throwing your body forward.
When this reaction occurs, having a stiff and damaged back causes your muscles and joints to fire erratically. Imagine it as an unexpected shock to your muscles and surrounding joints. On a more passive scale, even something as little as taking a deep breath can have you wondering why my back hurt when I breathe.
Back Hurts When I Sneeze - QL Claw:
In order to solve your back hurts when I sneeze cycle, you must release your Quadratus Lumborum muscle through QL muscle massage. QL muscle massage is crucial in a lower back pain relief journey. Back hurts when I sneeze problems will only get worse without tending to the Quadratus Lumborum through deep tissue massage. Loosening up the tight tissue will not only give pain relief but also increased flexibility. Try out the QL Claw and rid your low back of pain.
Described by a licensed massage therapist saying - "it's difficult to get that sweet spot with the right leverage, but with the QL Claw those problems are no longer".
Now that you've read about why your back hurts when you sneeze, check out our page on back pain location charts.
[1] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
[2] Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.