Is Caffeine linked to low back pain?

Caffeine actually improves back and other types of pain, and is a reason it's used in a variety of prescription and OTC pain meds. Caffeine stimulates the cardiovascular system, helping to open up the blood vessels. Most opiate painkillers are vasodilators (they open blood vessels) so caffeine works along the same lines, though it doesn't have the mind altering effects of opiates.

Increasing blood flow helps oxygenate and heat the area of pain. This is why you use ice to reduce swelling, and heat to help heal an injury as well.

However, everyone is different, and not everyone handles caffeine in the same way. Caffeine also stimulates kidney and bladder function, so if there's pain in the low back it could be related to a problem in those areas rather than the spine itself.