Painful lower back in pregnancy

When a woman becomes pregnant, there are a whole array of aches and pains to contend with including back pain, headaches and tiredness. This all happens due to the hormonal changes and the growing of the uterus which inevitably stretches the muscles. Because the pregnant woman is carrying more weight than she is used to it can cause her to have aches in the hips, joints and the lower back region. Also when a woman is pregnant she will experience her ligaments loosening which will make her feel pain whilst standing, sitting, walking and basically doing anything.

What Types of Lower Back Pain are Common During Pregnancy

Usually there are two types of pain that a pregnant woman will feel in her lower back. The first is the lumbar pain which happens in the area of the lumbar vertebrae. The second is the posterior pelvic pain and this can be noticed in the area in the back of the pelvis. The first pain, the lumber pain would have been felt more than likely prior to pregnancy as well. It is felt just above the waist line across the spinal area, this pain can also sometimes be felt down the legs. It can be made worse when in the sitting position and standing for a long time. The more common of the two is the posterior pelvic pain, which is noticed further down the back. It can also be felt in the buttocks and even on the back of the thighs. Tasks such as going up the stairs, simple walking, rolling around in the bed, getting out of a bath and any form of lifting can trigger the pain. Women who suffer with the posterior pelvic pain will make it worse by bending the hips.

Possibly sciatica

Some people make the mistake of thinking a pain that goes through the buttocks must automatically be sciatica. Sciatica only actually affects around one percent of pregnant women. If sciatica is the problem it will hurt more in the legs than the back and it can sometimes be felt in the knees as well. When the sciatica is worse you can feel numbness in the groin area and urination may become difficult.

Who Gets Back Pain in Pregnancy

If you have suffered with back pain in the past then you are more likely to suffer with it in pregnancy. If you generally have poor flexibility and don’t do a lot of exercise you are also prone to having a bad back in your pregnant months.