Can Constipation Really Cause Lower Back Pain? Denise Mann, MS Replay Video Constipation and low back pain If you have low back pain, you're not alone. As many as 25 percent of Americans saw a doctor for low back pain in the past three months alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One reason the problem is so common is that the list of potential causes for low back pain is long. Your back contains many structures that can cause or contribute to pain, including bones, muscles, joints, nerves, tendons, disks, and ligaments. These can become damaged from trauma, aging, obesity, overexertion, and underlying diseases, among other factors. (Here are some other surprising reasons for back pain.)