Shoulder pain during pregnancy

Introduction to shoulder pain during pregnancy

Believe it or not, one of the most common problems that a women experiences during her pregnancy is pain in the shoulder.

In fact, according to studies, 40 percent of pregnant women experience pain in this part of the body. Causes

One of the main causes for pain in the shoulder during pregnancy is ectopic pregnancy or tubal pregnancy.

This is a problem in which the embryo is not located where it is supposed to be. The embryo should be located in the endometrial area of the uterus.

When an ectopic pregnancy occurs, the embryo is sometimes located in the Fallopian tube or uterus. It can also be located at the cervix or any other part of the reproductive system where it is not supposed to be located.

When this occurs, there will be a sharp and stabbing pain experienced in the abdominal area, and this pain has been known to radiate to the shoulder and back as well.

This is a very serious problem that will not only terminate the pregnancy, but could also be life-threatening for the moth as well.

Therefore, an immediate medical intervention is needed when an ectopic pregnancy has occurred.

This usually occurs in the initial stages of pregnancy and other symptoms that might point to this problem include vaginal bleeding, faintness, nausea, vomiting, and low blood pressure as well.

Another common cause of pain in the shoulder during pregnancy is when a person has gallstones.

Gallstones are cholesterol deposits or calcium deposits in the gallbladder or in the bile ducts that are located in the surrounding vicinity of the gallbladder.

Gallstones usually result from eating a great amount of fatty foods. When the bile being released into the gallbladder to digest the fatty foods remains there for a long time, then gallstones form.

The digestion process is much slower than usual during pregnancy, and therefore the gallbladder is not able to empty itself out properly many times.

Again, this will result in sharp abdominal pains that may eventually radiate and drift towards the back and shoulder in particular.

If a pregnant women is feeling this type of pain, along with nausea, it is probably a result of eating spicy foods of very fatty foods as well.

There are many other possible disorders that can lead to pain that starts in the abdominal area and leads to the shoulder. For examples, problems related to the esophagus or pancreas, stomach ulcers, constipation, bloating or excessive flatulence, can all cause pains in pregnant women that start in the stomach and then radiate to the back and shoulder area.

The fact that the mother-to-be weighs a lot more while carrying the baby can also lead to shoulder pain. The back muscles could be strained because of the extra weight, which will affect the shoulders as well.