How To Relieve Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

Risk Of Bias Assessment

The reviewers’ consensus assessment of the risk is detailed in Figure 2. The overall risk of bias across the studies was moderate. Most studies adequately stated the methods used for randomization and allocation concealment barring 4 RCTs . Blinding of participants and personnel was considered unclear in most studies barring low risk in only one study and high risk in 3 other studies . The blinding of outcome assessors was judged unclear risk in 17 studies and low risk in 12 studies . All trials barring one study were judged at low or unclear risk of attrition bias and selective reporting. Most studies were determined to be at unclear risk of other bias mainly due to lack of adequate details regarding blinding or outcome assessment. Finally, the overall bias was adjudged as low in 15 studies and as unclear in the remaining 14 studies.

Fig. 2

Risk of bias summary for included RCTs.

How To Reduce Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

Back pain can be incapacitating especially when your daily life includes activity. If you deal with back pain, below are some incredible ideas that can aid relieve your anguish.Copulate a cushion under your knees How To Reduce Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

When you have back pain, sleeping can be difficult. It can be a vicious cycle due to the fact that when you dont get adequate sleep, your back pain might feel worse. An inadequate sleep setting can also intensify back pain. Try resting on your side. Area a cushion in between your knees to maintain your spine in a neutral setting and also relieve stress on your back. If you need to sleep on your back, slide a pillow under your knees. Be sure to sleep on a pleasantly strong mattress.

Therapies For Treatment/management Of Lbp In Pregnancy

Multimodal management of LBP that includes physical therapy, patient education and psychological therapies, complimentary treatments, and interventional techniques is recommended for optimizing outcomes in non-pregnant patients . The role of these modes of therapy in pregnant women with LBP is discussed below.

Also Check: What Causes Lower Back Pain Just Above The Buttocks

Wear A Maternity Belt

A maternity belt, which you can buy online and in many maternity clothing shops, is a supportive undergarment that helps hold up the belly so the pelvic girdle and lower back aren’t too strained. If your belly is protruding forward in a pronounced way, rather than with your weight diffused across your midsection, the belt can act as a substitute for your abdominal core muscles, which can struggle to prevent your lower spine from painfully exaggerating its curvature. Doctors generally advise women to try maternity belts and use them if they work, but the belts should be seen as a complement to other remedies rather than the only pregnancy back pain relief strategy.

What Are Some Causes Of Back Pain During Pregnancy

There are several reasons why you may experience back pain during pregnancy. Sone of the most common causes include:

• Weight gain: As you gain weight during pregnancy, the spine has to support that added weight. That change causes lower back pain. The weight of the growing baby and uterus can also put pressure on the blood vessels and nerves in the pelvis and back, causing pain.
• Changes in hormones: During pregnancy, your body releases a hormone called relaxin that allows ligaments in the pelvic area to relax and joints to loosen in preparation for giving birth. The hormone can cause ligaments that support the spine to loosen as well. This, along with the shifting of joints, can lead to instability and pain.
• Changes in posture: Poor posture, excessive standing or sitting, and bending over can trigger or increase your back pain. In addition, while youre pregnant, your center of gravity shifts forward as your uterus and baby grow, causing your posture and the way you move to change. This can result in strain and pain.
• Stress: Stress can cause muscle tension in the back, resulting in back pain or back spasms. You may experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.
• Chronic back pain prior to pregnancy.

Also Check: How To Relieve Lower Back Pain From Pinched Nerve

How To Prevent Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time. However, it also comes with a great deal of uncomfortable physical changes including lower back pain. Believe it or not, approximately 80% of women experience back pain at some point during their pregnancies. Weight gain paired with changes in hormones and posture can all lead to lower back pain.

Lower back pain can take a serious toll on a woman’s day-to-day life and cause challenges during delivery. If you’re pregnant or plan to be in the near future, here are some tips to help prevent lower back pain during pregnancy.

Tips For Getting In And Out Of Bed With Back Pain

• Try to avoid lying flat for long periods of time. Its better for your back and your baby to lie on your side.
• You may find it more comfortable to have a pillow under your bump or between your knees to support your back. This can help you sleep better, too.
• Some women find pregnancy pillows can help, but they can be pricey. You may find a normal pillow does the trick.
• If you are getting pain in your hip from lying on your side, it may help to place a duvet under your sheet or use a memory-foam topper for a softer mattress.

Getting in and out of bed can get more difficult as your bump gets bigger. To take the strain off your back, try rolling onto your side moving your shoulders, hips and knees at the same time. Let your legs ease off the edge of the bed and put your feet on the floor. At the same time, use your arms to push yourself up to a sitting position.

Doing this all as one movement can be more comfortable. Try the movement backwards to get back into bed.

You May Like: Can A Chiropractor Help With Lower Back Muscle Pain

As Your Belly Grows So May Your Spine Pain Woes

About 50 to 80% of pregnant women experience back pain. Because the connection between back pain and pregnancy is not fully understood, access to the right treatment can be a challenge. Fortunately, pregnancy-related spine pain typically has a short life spanmost cases go away shortly after your babys birth.Women typically experience pregnancy-related pain in the lower spinethe low back, sacrum, and pelvic regions. Photo Source: 123RF.com.Pregnancy-related back pain is often localized to a specific area of the spine and not widespread. Back pain tends to arise between the fifth and seventh months of pregnancy, though it can begin much earlier.

Chiropractic Care Treatment And Acupuncture

Lower back pain and even knee pain can also be treated by using complementary therapies. These include acupuncture and chiropractic treatment. Before going to have these complementary therapies, tell your doctor that you are expecting a baby.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is considered beneficial in pregnancy-related back pain. The acupuncturist will insert needles at different pressure points of your body to remove blockages and relieve pain. Lower back pain points are present in your hands, foot, lower back, hip, and back of the knees.

When these points are stimulated, pain-relieving chemicals get released from the spinal cord that helps relieve pain. The stimulation of nerves and other tissues helps release endorphins that can change the way your body treats pain.

Chiropractic Treatment

Many pregnant women go for chiropractic treatment where the Chiropractors use spinal manipulation and a range of other techniques to treat lower back pain. The Chiropractors focus on the proper alignment of your musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this treatment is to provide relief from nerve compression and muscle tightness.

Chiropractic treatment helps your body deal with back pain symptoms in a better way by developing spinal health and nervous system function and increasing the mobility of your joints.

You May Like: How To Treat A Pulled Muscle In Your Lower Back

Who Is Most Likely To Experience Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

As with any kind of aches, pains, and conditions, mothers who have experienced similar kind of aches earlier in their lives prior to pregnancy, stand a higher chance of experiencing the same pain during pregnancy, if not more. Furthermore, the lifestyle that involves less activity and is primarily sedentary and lacks exercises results in more pain. This is because the back and abdominal muscles are missing the strength thats required. In special cases, if you are pregnant with more than one baby , it means more body weight and more stress on the back.

Stretch 3 Thoracic And Shoulder Stretch

How to do it:

How it helps

You May Like: How To Cure Chronic Lower Back Pain

Relief For Low Back Pain During Pregnancy

Heal and Soothe is an effective joint pain relief supplement containing healing herbs that promote natural healing and support natural healing. Its made by licensed homeopaths using only natural raw materials. It is not chemically engineered nor synthesized. It is not a dietary supplement. The product was developed by licensed homeopaths using a system of natural medicines called the Pathways of Power that works together to provide a natural healing approach for the mind, body and spirit.

Customers rave about the effectiveness of Heal and Soother. It has helped countless people who suffer from painful injuries and joint pain. This joint pain relief supplement contains natural ingredients such as Arnica, Berberis vulgaris and Fillipendula Ullmaria. Symphytum Officinale also contains White peony root and other plant extracts. Many customers also say it has helped them overcome long-term fatigue and muscle tension. Below is some customer reviews about the product and some insight about how to use it.

After taking this remedy a few times, I noticed that my pain and swelling had subsided. My joints felt a lot better and I moved a little more. I now take it about three times a day to help with inflammation in joints and my back. -Carol P.

Problems With Reporting/gathering Data

Since much of the research that reported on back pain/discomfort in pregnancy relied on retrospective interviews, one must question the validity of self-reporting and recall bias. Much of the later research has partially addressed this issue by taking a more holistic approach. These researchers ask about the quality, location, and consequences of the pain and use pain drawings and diagrams to verify the results obtained by interview . Hansen and colleagues were the only authors to acknowledge the difficulties in distinguishing subjective symptoms of lower back pain/discomfort in pregnancy . This beginning recognition emphasizes the need for more prospective qualitative research and measurement of back pain/discomfort in pregnancy and its effects on lifestyle and well-being in order to define , validate, and strengthen quantitative findings. A beginning point would be a qualitative review of the existing research for themes leading to a conceptual framework.

You May Like: What Causes Lower Back Pain On Your Left Side

Causes Of Back Pain In Pregnancy

There are several physiologic changes that occur in a pregnant body that can explain the increased chance of developing back pain. The most notable is the weight gain that occurs during pregnancy which is typically 25-35 pounds, with at least half of that weight gain occurring in the abdominal region. The weight change also shifts the posture of the spine and changes your body’s center of gravity.

The second major change that occurs is hormonal. These hormone levels that are raised increase the laxity of joints and ligaments in the body. One of these important hormones, called relaxin, has been shown to correlate with symptoms of back pain. Studies have found that women with the highest levels of relaxin often have the most significant back pain.

Stretching Exercises For Back Pain During Pregnancy

Stretching is at least as important as cardiovascular and strength training for back pain prevention and treatment during pregnancy, so try not to sacrifice this crucial component of the exercise program. In order to improve flexibility, it is recommended that stretches be performed daily after you are warmed up. Hold the stretches for 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat 3 times.

Watch:4 Easy Stretches to Relieve Pregnancy Back Pain Video

Although there are many stretches that can safely be performed during pregnancy, the muscles that most often contribute to back pain are the back, hamstring , and chest and neck muscles.

• Back stretch: Start on your hands and knees, with your legs wide apart and hands placed forward just a little in front of your head. Place a small pillow under you to give support to your abdomen, if needed during this back exercise. Sit back on your knees and stretch your arms forward to feel a stretch along the spine.

• Hamstring stretch: Face a chair and place one foot up on it, keeping both hips and feet facing forward. Keep your back straight and lean forward from your hips to feel a stretch in the back of the thigh. If you cant stand tall or your knee bends, try a lower step.

Also Check: What Can You Do For Severe Lower Back Pain

Ways To Ease Back Pain During Pregnancy

Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

• Recovery Timeline

Low back pain and pelvic pain are among the most common problems that occur during pregnancy if you are pregnant and experiencing these symptoms, read on, you’re not alone. About half of pregnant women will complain of significant low back pain symptoms. The changes your body experiences during pregnancy are dramatic, and these physiologic changes can cause unexpected pain and difficulty with seemingly normal activities.

Contrary to popular belief, back pain is not only a problem later in pregnancy. In fact, the incidence of back pain during pregnancy peaks around 18-24 weeks. While the added weight of the developing fetus is a large component of why pregnant women develop these symptoms, it is not the only reason. A complex set of physiologic changes in the body can contribute to the development of lower back symptoms.

When Should I See My Doctor For Back Pain During Pregnancy

Even if you experience only mild back pain, it is important to inform your doctor. He or she can recommend the best methods for you to manage those symptoms and can then monitor you throughout your pregnancy for worsening symptoms.

If your symptoms are severe, become severe, and are persistent or prolonged, call your doctor right away.

You should call your doctor and seek immediate medical care if your back pain is accompanied by:

• Numbness or weakness: Severe pain, numbness or weakness in the legs may be a sign of a condition called sciatica. While sciatica is not common, its symptoms can be similar to normal back pain. However, sciatica can cause leg pain that is more severe than your back pain. You will likely feel it below the knee and in your foot and toes, along with a tingling sensation, numbness or weakness. Call your doctor immediately if you feel weakness in one or both legs, or lose sensation in your legs, groin, bladder, or anus.
• Fever and dull ache: A fever accompanied by a dull ache across your lower back or along the sides of your back could be a sign of a kidney or bladder infection, or urinary tract issues. This would require immediate attention and treatment with antibiotics. Call your doctor immediately if you feel back pain accompanied by painful urination, blood in the urine, chills, or fever.

Also Check: How To Heal Sciatica Back Pain

What Causes Back Pain During Pregnancy

Back pain during pregnancy is related to a number of factors. Some women begin to have lower back pain with the onset of pregnancy. Women who are most at risk for back pain are those who are overweight or had back pain prior to pregnancy.Here is a list of potential causes of back pain or discomfort during pregnancy:

• Increase of hormones Hormones released during pregnancy allow ligaments in the pelvic area to soften and the joints to become looser in preparation for the birthing process this shift in joints and loosening of ligaments may affect the support your back normally experiences.
• Center of gravity Your center of gravity will gradually move forward as your uterus and baby grow, which causes your posture to change.
• Additional weight Your developing pregnancy and baby create an additional weight that your back must support.
• Posture or position Poor posture, excessive standing, and bending over can trigger or escalate the pain you experience in your back.
• Stress Stress usually accumulates in weak areas in the body, and because of the changes in your pelvic area, you may experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.