Today’s episode is entitled “Why does back pain / sciatica affects appetite”. You will learn:
- When you should take loss of appetite seriously
- Why back pain / sciatica affects your appetite
When you should take loss of appetite seriously
If you have a prolonged loss of appetite, I recommend consulting your doctor or physician healthcare practitioner. Particularly if it comes with an unexpected weight loss and/or a fever. Loss of appetite is a systemic symptom. It’s as complex. Your appetite hunger is affected by many things, but most obviously by when you last eat. It’s very important, if you’re in pain, that you’re made to feel safe and secure and reassured. But there are some symptoms that that can be indicative of very serious underlying illnesses.
Why back pain / sciatica affects your appetite
Your autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that monitors all things fundamental to your health. It has an impact on your heart rate, how much you sweat, all the things that you wouldn’t normally have conscious control over. This includes your appetite centres. So if you’re in pain, it’s quite common to experience loss of appetite. It’s not a dangerous symptom, unless you have several days of loss of appetite, connected with weight loss and/or a fever.
The other element to consider here is if you are taking medication. It’s very common with anti-inflammatories that your appetite might be affected, as well as other underlying or ongoing health issues you may have. Gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome often affect appetite. So it may not be your back pain / sciatica affecting your appetite, but one of those concurrent health conditions.
Remember to use our free assessment for lower back pain / sciatica
