Low Testosterone And Back Pain: What Is The Relationship?
What is the relationship between low testosterone and back pain? Can low testosterone cause back pain? Yes. Since a testosterone deficiency (low T) can lead a person to have mild to severe aches and pains in joints and muscles, back pain can occur too. When pain due to low T occurs in the extremities such as arms and legs, it can begin to radiate into other parts of the body, including the upper and lower back. Back pain can often be debilitating and take away the ability to do most of the things a person used to do.
Low testosterone levels and back pain can vary amongst different people. Since no two people are the same, back pain can occur when testosterone levels are only slightly low. For others, there has to be a significant deficiency in order for the person to feel symptoms of the condition of low testosterone levels.
Low testosterone levels → Upper and lower back pain
At times, a person may have low testosterone and lower back pain that is so severe that they must seek pain management treatment or even serious surgery. They cannot function at all and barely walk. This person and their doctor may not realize the issue is due to low T and this is highly upsetting. If they were to be diagnosed with low T, they could possibly take care of the problem quickly and safely with TRT and be back to their regular activities in no time at all.
In order for TRT to be taken seriously as a positive and proper treatment for back pain, more people who are experiencing low testosterone symptoms back pain need to know about testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). More education has to be given to doctors and even patients themselves because at this time, traditional doctors will continue to prescribe more evasive, potentially dangerous and time consuming treatment(s) for low testosterone and lower back pain and upper back pain instead of TRT.
TRT is healthier and quicker treatment for back pain caused by low T. In addition, TRT is more appropriate treatment that gets to the root of the problem instead of traditional treatments that either do not work, take a long time to work, mask the problems or lead to other problems.
Can Testosterone Replacement Therapy Help Low Testosterone And Back Pain
Testosterone replacement therapy has been proven to be able to help with low testosterone upper back pain and lower back pain that is caused by a testosterone deficiency. An article published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine shared that traditional medicine is being over prescribed and often causes more problems for those who seek out this treatment for back pain.
The article stated that traditional treatments for patients who complain of back pain are not only expensive, but the treatments are quite intense (compared with TRT) and account for a large portion of Medicare expenditures. Here are some facts from the research:
- There was a 629 percent ↑ in Medicare for epidural steroid injections
- There was a 423 percent ↑ for opioids for back pain
- There was a 307 percent ↑ in imaging for lumbar magnetic resonance
- There was a 220 percent ↑ in the rate of spinal fusion surgery
All of these treatments are severe in nature and can cause other issues to occur as side effects. The article was a great advocate for more research to be done into other forms of treatment for chronic pain; including TRT for back pain.
Low Testosterone And Back Pain: Can Testosterone Replacement Therapy Help?
Research has demonstrated that testosterone replacement therapy can take away back pain that is due to a testosterone deficiency. The Journal of Pain Research published a study that proved using combination therapy for back pain can be a positive encounter. The subjects in the study were a part of combination therapy that included specific exercises and manual therapy with bio-identical HGH and testosterone injections.
When the study concluded, the subjects completed self reports of their experiences. A majority of the participants conferred that their involvement in the study led to a decrease in their back pain. This is a great demonstration of how low testosterone and back pain are related and can be treated either completely or in part by TRT.
At times, back pain may not be caused directly by low testosterone levels. For an example, low testosterone levels can cause a decrease in the rate of metabolism. When metabolism slows down, excess weight gets put onto the body and hence; this can cause back pain. There are many scenarios like this one where back pain due to low testosterone levels can occur indirectly. Testosterone replacement therapy can help to take away the pain no matter how directly or indirectly back pain occurs because of low T. In addition, TRT can help with other symptoms simultaneously.