Pregnancy Pain Relief » causes of back pain in pregnancy

Back Pain in Pregnant Women

Keith — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:35:10 +0000

Why Your Low Back Hurts During Pregnancy, and How to Get Relief

Backpain in pregnant women is a very common complaint. In fact, as many as 80% of pregnant women will have back pain at some time during their pregnancy. There are several types of back pain that occur among expectant mothers, but low back pain is the most common. But why does your low back hurt during pregnancy?

This article will explore the causes of back pain in pregnant women, discuss the different types of back pain that occur during pregnancy, and provide information about what can be done to prevent and relieve prenatal back pain.

Backache can occur for a number of reasons, which can be reduced to two main issues: hormones and postural changes.

During pregnancy, your body produces a veritable cocktail of hormones. Among these is a hormone called relaxin. The primary role of relaxin is to loosen the joints and ligaments in your body in order to help them stretch and widen. This allows your body to more easily make room for your baby inside of your pelvis. And, when the time comes for your baby to be born, the hormone relaxin will have helped the joints of your pelvis relax and stretch enough for your baby’s shoulders to pass through your pelvic bones.

But what does all that have to do with low back pain? Well, unfortunately, your body is unable to isolate which ligaments and joints will stretch and loosen, and this happens on a broad scale throughout your body. As the ligaments and muscles which normally support your spine become lax, it can result in some instability in the spine, which can result in aching and pain.

As your uterus expands and your baby grows, it also causes immense changes in your posture, which can result in an aching back. As your abdomen and uterus stretch, it puts a greater strain on your back muscles.

Your center of gravity is changing. Your abdomen is shifting out and down, and your spine curves backward to try to compensate for this shift. As a result, your back muscles become sore and tired, and more prone to injury and strain.

There are two common types of low back pain in pregnancy, lumbar pain and posterior pelvic pain.

Lumbar pain is similar to the kind of back pain you may have experienced before you became pregnant. Lumbar pain is felt in the low back, at the level of, or slightly higher than, your waist. It can also result in pain that radiates to your legs.

Lumbar pain can be triggered by sitting or standing for extended periods of time or by repetitive lifting.

Posterior pelvic pain is low back pain that is experienced in the back of the pelvis, below the waist, and/or across the tailbone or sacrum. It can also be felt in the buttocks, on one or both sides, or in the back of the thighs. You may also have pubic pain. Posterior pelvic pain occurs four times more frequently than lumbar pain during pregnancy.

Posterior pelvic pain can be aggravated by bending, twisting, rolling, climbing stairs, and prolonged leaning forward such as occurs when you sit at a computer for extended periods of time.

Posterior pelvic pain is often mistaken as sciatica. When you have sciatica, it causes pain not only in the low back, hips, buttocks, and thighs, but also in the legs. With sciatica, the leg pain is generally more severe than the back pain, and is accompanied by numbness, tingling, or pin-pricking sensations. This pain and numbness generally radiates all the way into the toes. Numbness may also extend to the groin and genital areas.

Sciatica is generally caused by a herniated or bulging disk.

Your risk of low back pain during pregnancy increases if you have had back pain before becoming pregnant or during a previous pregnancy. You also have an increased risk of prenatal back pain if you are carrying twins or are overweight.

In order to maintain a healthy back during pregnancy, it is essential to engage in a regular exercise regimen. Exercise is essential for controlling and avoiding back pain. When your muscles are weak and inflexible, you are more likely to hurt. Regular exercise will stretch and strengthen your muscles and ligaments to better support your back and prevent pregnancy back ache from occurring.

Pregnancy yoga, also known as prenatal yoga, is a wonderful exercise for pregnancy. It will help to both strengthen as well as stretch and loosen your body. At the same time, it helps relieve backaches.

Walking and swimming are two other preferred exercises, which are excellent for pregnancy. Walking will help keep your legs and hips strong and flexible. Swimming allows you to have a full body work out with minimal stress and strain on the body. Aquatic exercises are highly recommended for pregnant women, and are especially gentle and easy on the body. Avoid any activity which is high impact, or overstretches your body. This can aggravate back pain.

Specific exercises to alleviate low back pain during pregnancy include pelvic tilt exercises, Kegel exercises, back stretches, hamstring stretches, chest stretches, and wall squats. For detailed information on how to do these stretches and exercises, you can visit http://www.pregnancymomandbaby.com/backexercisesforpregnancy.html

In addition to exercises, it is especially important to be aware of your posture, and how you are sitting or standing. Good posture means standing with your hips and pelvis tucked in, keeping your shoulders back and down, and holding your head up.

Sitting for long periods of time can cause your back to hurt. If you must sit for long periods of time, try to take frequent breaks from sitting (at least every half an hour). Also, when you are sitting, try elevating your feet slightly and avoid crossing your legs.

If you must stand on your feet for long periods of time, try resting one foot on a low stool and change positions often.

When you are pregnant, it is especially important to practice safe lifting and bending, to prevent undue strain on your back. When bending over, bend at the knees instead of the waist. Use your thigh muscles to push yourself back up instead of your back muscles. If you need to lift or move something heavy, try to ask for help.

Try to wear low heeled shoes and shoes that have a good arch support. High heeled shoes can aggravate back pain.

The sleeping position most friendly for prenatal back pain sufferers is side sleeping, preferably on your left side. Try sleeping with your knees and hips bent. Try placing a pillow between your knees, and one under your belly for support. You may want to try a pregnancy pillow. There are a wide variety of pillows available on the market that can help in alleviating back discomfort.

Try to keep stress in check. Meditation and breathing exercises, regular exercise, quality sleep, and adequate nutrition can all help keep you feeling more relaxed and at your best.

Some expectant mothers find that a warm (not hot) bath helps to alleviate low back pain. Try adding Epsom salts to your bathwater. The magnesium in the Epsom salt is especially helpful at soothing tired and aching muscles.

Take extra time to rest and take care of yourself. While exercise is important, so is rest. Make sure you get adequate rest and sleep, and don’t over-tax your aching back. This can help keep pregnancy back pain in check.

Massage therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture may help comfort you when you need immediate relief from back pain.

Some women find that the use of a pregnancy support belt helps take pressure off of their back. Always talk to your doctor first.

If you are pregnant with back pain that is very intense, or your pain is rhythmic and feels like menstrual cramps, you should contact your health care provider for advice. Also, if you are having numbness you should always contact your health care provider.

A dull backache could be a sign of preterm labor. If you are concerned about your pain, you should contact your health care provider for further evaluation.

The Pregnancy Pain Relief Book

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The Pregnancy Pain Relief book comes with the Pregnancy Pain Guide inside. You are actually getting two books for the price of one.

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Back Pain During Pregnancy

Keith — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:51:04 +0000

Back pain is extremely common during pregnancy. As a matter of fact, 50-70% of pregnant women experience back pain at some point during their pregnancy. Although it can occur at any point between conception and childbirth, it is most frequently troublesome late in a pregnancy. There are things that can be done to help manage back pain.

Causes of Back Pain During Pregnancy

Implantation- Many women experience low back pain during early pregnancy when the newly formed embryo implants into your uterus. This can cause aching pain and cramping in your back.
Hormonal Changes- When you are expecting, your body produces a wide variety of hormones, one of which is called relaxin. Relaxin’s job is to relax and loosen the tissues of your body in order to help prepare for childbirth. This causes shifting of the joints and laxity in the muscles and ligaments that normally support your body and your spine, resulting in discomfort.
Changes to Your Posture- Your body is growing and changing each day. Your belly is growing and stretching along with the fetus that is inside. This causes the muscles and bones in your body to readjust in new and different ways. Your spine curves backward to compensate for a shift in your center of gravity as your abdomen protrudes. This can cause pressure and tension in your spine.
Weight gain- As your baby grows your weight increases and your back gets strained from supporting the extra weight.
Improper Bending- Heavy lifting, twisting, bending, and prolonged sitting can make your back hurt. You can prevent back pain by being aware of how you stand, sit and move.
Stress- Stress adds tension to the body and can contribute to pain anywhere. With the extra pressure that pregnancy places on your spine, the back is a very common place to experience stress tension. Try out some of our stress relieving tips.

Preventing Back Pain Before it Begins

The following are things you can do to reduce the amount of back pain you are experiencing. Sometimes it is not possible to eliminate pain completely, but the following tips can help dramatically.

Practice good posture- Stand with your hips and pelvis tucked in and your shoulders back and head up.
When sleeping or resting, lie on your side with your knees and hips bent. Try placing a pillow between your knees and one under your belly. This can help take pressure off your low back. There are also some great pregnancy pillows that can help make you more comfortable.
Wear good shoes. Heels and unsupportive shoes can contribute to spinal discomfort.
When you sit, elevate your feet slightly. Try to take breaks from sitting at least every half hour. Don’t cross your legs.
Practice safe lifting and bending. To lower your body, bend at the knees instead of the waist. Use your thigh muscles to push yourself back up without using your back.
Try a pregnancy support belt.
If you will be standing for extended periods of time, try to keep one of your feet elevated on a low stool.
Exercise regularly to support and strengthen your back.
Pregnancy massage(prenatal massage) is excellent for keeping your body loose and free of pain.
Get your partner or friend to practice hands on pregnancy pain relief techniques on your body.
Chiropractic visits can help prevent back pain.
Acupunture can help keep you balanced and prevent you from aching.
Prenatal Yoga can help keep your body loose and comfortable.
Be sure you are getting adequate Calcium and Magnesium in your diet
Drink plenty of fluids.

Treatment for Back Pain During Pregnancy

Use ice or heat.
Take acetaminophen for pain.
See a chiropractor, massage therapist, or acupuncturist.
Use a pregnancy beltor support device.
When lying down use a pregnancy pillow.
Have your partner help you with hands on techniques such as those in the Pregnancy Pain Relief Book.
Herbal Medicine.
Take a warm bath.

When You Should Call Your Doctor

Your back pain is very intense.
Your back pain is getting increasingly worse or you have sudden stabbing pain.
You have rhythmic back pain that feels like menstrual cramps.

Don’t suffer another moment with back pain.

The Pregnancy Pain Relief book will guide you out of pain and into comfort. Whether you have back, hip, chest, groin pain, pelvic, or round ligament pain due to pregnancy, this book covers what you need to do to get great results. There is no need for drugs when you use the right techniques.