Avoiding And Easing Back Pain In Pregnancy
Try these tips:
- bend your knees and keep your back straight when you lift or pick something up from the floor
- avoid lifting heavy objects
- move your feet when you turn to avoid twisting your spine
- wear flat shoes to evenly distribute your weight
- try to balance the weight between 2 bags when carrying shopping
- keep your back straight and well supported when sitting look for maternity support pillows
- get enough rest, particularly later in pregnancy
- have a massage or a warm bath
- use a mattress that supports you properly you can put a piece of hardboard under a soft mattress to make it firmer, if necessary
- go to a group or individual back care class
You can take paracetamol to ease back pain while you are pregnant, unless your GP or midwife says not to. Always follow the instructions on the packet.
Is It Safe To Use A Heating Pad On My Pregnant Belly
While using a heating pad to temporarily relive pain in your joints, hips, and back isnt a problem during pregnancy, avoid using one on your abdomen. There can be many causes of abdominal pain while youre pregnant, including round ligament pain, gas and bloating, and constipation. In some case, abdominal pain can be a symptom of a more serious condition.
You should consult your doctor right away if you experience discomfort or outright pain in your abdomen along with any of these symptoms:
- spotting or bleeding
- pain or discomfort while urinating
- nausea and vomiting
Instead of using a heating pad, try treating minor abdominal discomfort by soaking in a warm bath or changing positions. For example, sit if you were standing or recline if you were seated.
Can I Use A Tens Unit While Pregnant Relief Is Near
Many people use a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit to disrupt pain signals and create endorphins to manage pain. Women often experience discomfort during pregnancy, and a TENS unit can manage pain without medication. However, many wonder if it is safe to use a TENS unit while pregnant.
Fortunately, by taking a few precautions, it is safe to use a tens unit while pregnant.
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Tens Unit While Pregnant: How Can It Help
Many pregnant women experience significant pain in their lower back as well as other areas of the body.
Research supports using a TENS unit to help manage pain because it is effective. Not only does the TENS unit work, but it is also a safe treatment for lower back pain during pregnancy.
Acetaminophen is another worthwhile consideration, as is good posture and specific exercises. However, despite these two options helping, a TENS unit during pregnancy proved more successful with relieving pain, especially in the last trimester.
It is also worth noting that using a TENS unit for pain is a better alternative to pharmaceuticals, which is often not recommended during pregnancy.
Back Pain In The Second And Third Trimesters
You might experience back pain during the second or third trimester. In addition to the potential causes listed above, back pain can result from a condition called sciatica. As the uterus expands, it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. This causes pain that runs from your lower back down one leg to the knee or foot. Seeking medical help, taking warm showers, getting physical therapy, and taking pain-relief medication may help reduce the pain. The good news about sciatica is that it will likely resolve itself once your baby is born.
Toward the end of your pregnancy, a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, together with pressure in your pelvis, may be a sign you are going into labor.
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What Is A Tens Unit
A TENS unit uses a low-voltage electrical current. This current travels to the body through the electrodes that you attach to your body in specific areas.
To use a TENS unit while pregnant, you attach the electrodes to your body with sticky pads.
When you turn the device on, the current stimulates your nerves and encourages your body to release endorphins.
Can I Use Pain Relief Cream While Pregnant
Can I use pain relief cream while pregnant? Every woman has to go through many problems during pregnancy. During this, many types of difficulties also have to be faced mentally and physically. Back pain is the most common problem faced by women during pregnancy. The problem of back pain often starts from the 5th month of pregnancy. Usually, back pain during pregnancy occurs in the lower back and thighs and buttocks. As the time of pregnancy increases, so does this pain. Since there is a change in the gravity of the body during pregnancy and during this time the weight increases, so this problem has to be faced. If you are also facing the problem of back pain during pregnancy, then there is nothing to worry about. You can get rid of the problem of back pain by trying these home remedies.
What Causes Back Pain During Pregnancy?
There are many reasons for back pain in women during pregnancy. During this, the weight of the body of women is also the reason for back pain. This pain starts rapidly from the 5th month of pregnancy. The main reasons for the problem of back pain during pregnancy are as follows.
back-pain-during-pregnancyHome Remedies to Cure Back Pain During Pregnancy
The problem of back pain and body pain during pregnancy is due to physical changes. To avoid this problem, you can adopt these home remedies.
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back-pain-during-pregnancy
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Postural Correction Helps Relieve Pregnancy Back Pain
Maintaining an ergonomically supported posture throughout the day can help take a considerable amount of stress and strain off the lower back tissues. Doctors also advise taking rest, limiting strain and high impact activities, and performing stretches and exercises to build strength in the pelvis, hip, and lower back. Pain-relieving medications such as NSAIDs are not considered safe during pregnancy and must be avoided.
Causes Of Back Pain In Pregnant Women
Pregnancy back pain typically happens where the pelvis meets your spine, at the sacroiliac joint.
There are many possible reasons why it happens. Here are some of the more likely causes:
- Weight gain.During a healthy pregnancy, women typically gain between 25 and 35 pounds. The spine has to support that weight. That can cause lower back pain. The weight of the growingbabyand uterus also puts pressure on the blood vessels and nerves in the pelvis and back.
- Posture changes.Pregnancy shifts your center of gravity. As a result, you may gradually — even without noticing — begin to adjust your posture and the way you move. This may result in back pain or strain.
- Hormone changes.During pregnancy, your body makes a hormone called relaxin that allows ligaments in the pelvic area to relax and the joints to become looser in preparation for the birth process. The same hormone can cause ligaments that support the spine to loosen, leading to instability and pain.
- Muscle separation.As the uterus expands, two parallel sheets of muscles , which run from the rib cage to the pubic bone, may separate along the center seam. This separation may worsen back pain.
- Stress. Emotional stress can cause muscle tension in the back, which may be felt as back pain or back spasms. You may find that you experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.
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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.
How To Relieve Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy
Before we dive into helping lower back pain during pregnancy, let me introduce myself. Hi, Im Hannah! I work in the marketing department at Chirp and YES, I am pregnant! So, you could say that Im a reliable candidate to write this blog .
Heres a little background: Im currently 25 weeks prego and I hear this phrase almost every single day, You dont even look pregnant! And its true. Im hardly popping out, even though Im over halfway to the finish line. Its because my sweet baby boy loves to hang out close to my spine and you can only imagine the lower back pain during pregnancy I am experiencing! Let me share my personal tips and tricks on how to help it:
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When To Contact Your Doctor
Back pain is typically a normal part of pregnancy. But in some cases, it can be a sign of serious problems, like preterm labor or a urinary tract infection.
Back pain thats accompanied by fever, burning during urination, or vaginal bleeding shouldnt be ignored. If you experience these symptoms, contact your doctor right away.
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Find The Proper Shoes
You may be a fashion maven who receives regular compliments on your maternity style, but if you’re wearing high-fashion shoes, you’re not doing your back any favors. “High heels increase the curvature of your back and create pressure” that drives the weight of your pregnancy directly into your lower spine and hip joints, Dr. Rosser says. You may also lose your balance and heels cause you to be less stable.
But walking in flats isn’t the answer either, because they leave your feet, which tend to spread during pregnancy because of hormonal changes, unsupported. Poor foot position can manifest itself as imbalance and pain all the way up your legs and back. To get the best support-and to relieve the most pressure-Dr. Rosser advises a low-heeled shoe that is comfortable with either a built-in arch support or an orthotic insertion. The slight rise of the low heel will help distribute the weight that’s on your legs in a more stable and back-supportive way.
Treat Yourself To A Massage
A massage therapist can offer relief for back pain, though they might not be focused on your back itself. One of the things that we joke about here is that we spend 50 to 75 percent of our time rubbing moms bums, says Mickeler. The glutes often contribute to back pain because the shift in the pelvis causes women to tuck their tailbones under, which tightens those muscles. A massage therapist will be able to loosen them up, which will offer you some relief. Rebong says moms-to-be can also use a foam roller at home to loosen up their glutes, hamstrings and calves so those muscles dont pull on the lower back.
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Types Of Back Pain In Pregnancy
Pregnant women may experience back pain that is localized to the lower back area or radiates into the buttock, thigh, and legs, causing or mimicking sciatica symptoms. The pain may be constant, get worse with activity, interfere with sleep, and/or reduce overall functioning. While the symptoms usually resolve spontaneously after delivery, some conditions may remain as chronic disorders. Women with pre-existing lower back problems are typically at a higher risk of developing pregnancy-related back pain.
During pregnancy, natural anatomic and postural changes cause mechanical challenges to the musculoskeletal system, especially in the lower body. Back pain and pelvic discomfort commonly start between the fifth and seventh month of being pregnant. A small percentage of women may experience pain as early as 4 to 16 weeks.1
Lower Back And Abdominal Pain With Cramping
Sudden onset of severe abdominal pain and cramping may indicate a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. In this condition, the egg fertilizes and grows in a place other than the uterus, most commonly inside the fallopian tube, which ruptures due to the growing size of the fertilized egg.7
The symptoms of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy may also include severe lower back and/or groin pain. This condition is a medical emergency and must be treated with surgical intervention on an urgent basis.
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Back Pain Is Common During Pregnancy But Can Be Lessened
Back pain is a common part of pregnancy, especially in the later months. If youre pregnant, back pain may be making your life miserable.
Dont dismiss the aches and pain as simply part of your condition, however. Consider the many things you can do to avoid or relieve back pain during pregnancy.
Many pregnant women can ease their back pain through postural awareness and exercises that relieve back strain, says Kerrie Adams, MD, an OB-GYN at Scripps Clinic Hillcrest. But if your back pain persists, seek medical attention. Your doctor can help determine the cause of your pain and ways to address it.
Women should consult with their health care provider before starting any new medications or treatments for any pregnancy-related discomfort, Dr. Adams adds.
Causes of back pain during pregnancy
Several factors can contribute to back pain during pregnancy, including weight changes, pregnancy hormones, and a shift in posture.
The hormonal changes that occur in pregnancy cause ligament laxity, especially where the pelvis and spine connect. This happens to prepare passage of the baby through the birth canal but can lead to joint instability and cause back pain.
As the weight of the baby increases, so does the pressure on the spine and pelvic areas. Women typically gain between 25- and 35-pounds during pregnancy.
There is also a change in your center of gravity during pregnancy due to your expanding uterus, which can cause postural changes and put stress on your back.
Using A Tens Unit During Pregnancy
Is it safe to use a TENS unit while pregnant? That question has a lot of mixed answers. Generally there are few TENS unit risks, and this electric stimulation device has very few side effects under normal circumstances. But, there is very little evidence regarding how a TENS unit effects women during both early pregnancy and late pregnancy.
The use of TENS units for women in their first or second trimester is very limited, but some reviews state that TENS machines can be effective tools to reduce pain all throughout pregnancy.
In general, a TENS machine works by sending electrical pulses through the brain that prevent pain signals from your nerves from setting off your response. In simpler terms, the electrical pulses stop the pain. You apply the TENS pads on your skin on top of where the pain is coming from. The electrical pulses from the TENS unit are strong enough to cause a tingling sensation, but should not be set so high that they lead to pain or muscle twitching.
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Exercise The Pain Away
Staying mobile can really help with back pain as it keeps your muscles from getting too tight, says Cynthia Rebong, a midwife at Midwifery Care North Don River Valley and a yoga and Pilates instructor. Some forms of phsycial activity can become uncomfortable during pregnancy, but Rebong recommends swimming as a pregnancy-friendly way to keep moving.
Can a maternity belt solve your pregnancy pains? Mickeler suggests focusing on your glutes when you exercise. We have this anterior shift in the pelvis, and now were tucking our butt under, so our butts getting really tight, and super, super weak, she explains. And weak glutes can wreak havoc with your lower back because they force other muscles, like your hip flexors, to do the work for them. Mickeler says exercises like squats, lunges, glute kickbacks or bridges can all help support your posture by strengthening not only your glutes but your back, hamstrings and calves, which will help prevent back pain.
If you already have low-back pain, manual osteopathic practitioner Riki Richter, co-owner of Synergy Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in Toronto, recommends doing squats against a wall, which will give you support at the same time as minimizing that lower back bend. She also suggests cat pose, which will help keep that low-back area flexible. And if you have pain around the dimples in your low back, butt, hips or pubic bone, choose fitness classes that dont involve forward bending, as that can be painful, says Mickeler.
Can I Use A Muscle Rub While Pregnant
In short, over-the-counter muscle rubs like IcyHot or Tiger Balm are OK to use while pregnant because of their low concentration of ingredients, according to Christine Sterling, MD, FACOG, a board-certified ob-gyn in California. Due to the large volume of different formulations available, Dr. Sterling recommends speaking with your doctor before using topical medications, especially while pregnant.
Similarly, Dr. King explained when your doctor is discussing medication safety in the context of pregnancy, they’re often trying to determine how a particular drug will affect a developing fetus. While some medications are perfectly safe to take when you’re not pregnant, they could be very harmful to a baby in utero. “Muscle rubs are locally acting, thus there is minimal systemic absorption, so the concern for harm to the fetus is minimal,” she said.
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