Ena G. submitted a question: I am always curious about links between wellness and diet. Is it true that dehydration can exacerbate back pain or discomfort?
Dehydration can definitely exacerbate back pain and stiffness. Your body is requires hydration for a couple of things: If you think of your body is a machine, adequate hydration can help ensure that your soft tissue and joints are sufficiently lubricated. More importantly, all of your activity requires the electrolytes and other nutrients which are replenished through hydration. Dehydration can cause muscle spasm and cramping in extreme cases, and a feeling of soreness and fatigue in less extreme situations.
Now, something to keep in mind is that hydration should not come exclusively in the form of water- particularly if you are participating in strenuous activity likely to result in dehydration. Something not many people realize is that you can actually become dehydrated by consuming too much water. The easiest way to understand this is with a grasp of what is known as the OSMOTIC GRADIENT- that is the idea that minerals and electrolytes dissolved in water tend to go towards places where there are less of them. So, if you consume excessive water without replacing some of the nutrients lost through sweat and activity, the water can actually draw these substances out of your tissue, worsening dehydration.
As always, consume water throughout your day, but be certain that your diet contains sufficient nutrients to replace the ones you use- in short a nicely balanced diet.
If you are running a marathon, or participating in other strenuous activity/exercise- fluid supplements fortified with electrolytes and other minerals can be a useful aid.
One last thing, hydration falls under the larger topic of nutrition. Look back at the blog in late March or early April for a segment with a nutritionist who will discuss other nutritional considerations for back pain.
Thank you for your question!
