Pregnancy back pain

Even though the pregnancy is something that every woman dreams about since her childhood, this wondrous experience goes along with many uncomfortable conditions. Nausea, morning sickness and vomiting are the things that every expectant mother is warned about. However, when the pain in the back appears, it can be quite distressful since many pregnant women fear that it is an indicator of something wrong going on with their pregnancy. Pain in the back is among the most common pregnancy symptoms and it is estimated that even 80% of the pregnant women experience this pain.

Causes of pregnancy back pain

Lower back pain can appear either in the lumbar area of the back or in the posterior pelvic region. Some pregnant women experience the pain only in one of these two areas, but there are cases when the women feel pain in both regions simultaneously.One of the major causes for the occurrence of pain in the back in pregnancy is the growing of the uterus that expands, thus weakening the surrounding muscles. While the uterus is growing, the women gain extra body weight, which changes the body posture and further strains the back causing the pain.Another cause responsible for the incidence of back pain in pregnancy is the increased secretion of the hormones progesterone and estrogen, which make the ligaments in the pelvis softer than before, while the joints turn looser.Furthermore, pregnancy back pain also occurs due to bad body posture while standing, twisting or bending for a long time.

Relief for pregnancy back pain

Every pregnant woman should pay more attention to her body posture since in pregnancy, the gravity center is shifted forward. Therefore, standing straight and tall with the shoulders pulled back is very important in order to avoid the pain in the lower back. It is further recommended that a pregnant woman should avoid being in one position for a long time and for this reason, it is recommended to change the positions frequently.

At night, an expecting mother should avoid sleeping on her back but on one side, with one or both knees bent. When lifting only a small object, it is recommended that the woman should squat first and then lift it with thelegs. Swimming and walking are highly recommended in pregnancy in order to make the muscles in the back strong enough to support the pregnancy. When the back pain appears in pregnancy, applying a heating pad on the affected area may provide relief.