Back Pain during Pregnancy- Causes and Tips to Relief

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Back Pain during Pregnancy- Causes and Tips to Relief

Back pain during pregnancy is a normal complaint — and it’s not shocking. It’s attributed to the physical changes that have happened in your body during your pregnancy. Back pain during breastfeeding is not shocking, but it also needs consideration. However, you will also reduce or relieve back pain during breastfeeding.

 

There are many possible reasons why it happens such as:

  • Weight gain: Women typically gain weight between 25 and 35 pounds during a successful pregnancy. The weight must be borne by the spine. This can cause lower back pain. The weight of the developing infant and the uterus also places pressure on the blood vessels and nerves of the pelvis and the back.
  • Posture changes: Your pregnancy changes your centre of gravity. As a consequence, you can gradually — even without noticing — begin to change your stance and the way you walk. This can lead to back pain or pressure.
  • Hormone changes: During pregnancy, the body makes a hormone called relaxation that causes the ligaments in the pelvic region to soften and the joints to loosen 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 muscle sheets (the rectal abdominal muscles) which run from the rib cage to the pubic bone can split along the centre seam. This separation could make the back pain worse.
  • Stress: Emotional discomfort can induce muscle strain in the back, which can be felt as back pain or back spasm. You may find that you have a rise in back pain during the traumatic time of your pregnancy.

 

Tips to get relief from back pain:

  1. Practice good posture: When your baby grows, your centre of gravity moves upward. To stop slipping over, you may be rewarded by sitting back — which may stretch the muscles of your lower back and lead to back pain during pregnancy. Keep in mind these concepts of proper posture:
  • Stand up straight and up high.
  • Keep the chest up tight.
  • Hold the shoulders back and calm.
  • Don’t tie your knees shut.
  • When you’re up, use a relaxed, broad posture to get the most support. If you have to stay for a long time, rest one foot on a low step stool — and take time for regular breaks.

Strong posture means sitting with care, too. Choose a chair that supports your back, or put a small pillow on your lower back.

  1. Get the right gear: Wear low-heeled, not flat, shoes with good arch support. Avoid high heels, which can further shift your balance forward and cause you to fall.
  2. Consider wearing a maternity support belt: While there is little evidence on the efficacy of pregnancy support bands, some women find extra assistance beneficial.
  3. Lift properly: When you raise a tiny thing, squat down and raise it with your legs. Don’t curve your waist or raise your back. It’s necessary to know your boundaries, too. Ask for your advice if you need it.
  4. Sleep on your side: Sleep on your side, not on your back. Hold one or more of the legs bent. Try using maternity or supportive pillows behind your bent legs, under your belly, and behind your back.
  5. Try heat, cold or massage: Although there is little evidence to support their efficacy, massage or the application of a heating pad or ice pack to your back can help.
  6. Include physical activity in your daily routine: Regular physical exercise can keep your back healthy and can relieve back pain during pregnancy. Try easy exercises for your health care provider — such as walking or water exercise. Physical therapy will even teach you stretches and movements that may help.
  7. Stretch your lower back: Relax on your hands and knees with your chin in line with your back. Pull your stomach, round your back a bit. Hang on for a few seconds, then relax your stomach and back — keep your back as smooth as you can. Gradually practise up to ten repetitions. Press the health care professional for such stretching activities.
  8. Prenatal Massage: Certified prenatal massage therapist may offer rapid relief when back pain is acute, particularly when it is the product of muscle clenching that irritates the nerves (particularly the sciatic nerve in the buttocks and legs) and sends messages of pain to the brain. Research has shown that, in addition to alleviating discomfort, daily prenatal massage may help to reduce stress and anxiety throughout pregnancy. Swedish massage is the most traditional and preferred form of prenatal massage, since it is gentle and relaxing, and uses slow, steady strokes that do not aggravate the joints or drive fluid around the body in an unhealthful manner. Women should contact their physicians first to ensure sure the prenatal massage is healthy and then make sure the prenatal massage therapist is accredited. In order to be relaxed on the massage table, the side position is usually the safest.

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