The connection between pregnancy and back pain

Pregnancy and Back Pain

Back pain usually goes hand-in-hand with pregnancy and the main cause of this problem can be easily explained. Namely, since your hormones are preparing your body for carrying the baby and eventually giving birth to it, your ligaments become more lax during the first three weeks of pregnancy. Thus, due to the onset of this process, a pregnant woman may feel the pain in her back area. Yet, if the pain gets severe, you should seek medical attention immediately, because this may be a sign of miscarriage.

This process continues during the second trimester, due to the growth of the baby as well. Thus, pelvic pain can be felt on both sides of your body. Still, if the pain gets quite severe, it could indicate that your pelvic bone has been dislocated. The third trimester is also a risky time, where this may happen as well. Also, your sacro-iliac joint may get dislocated due to the excessive laxness of the ligaments, resulting in back pain of serious proportions.

Another trigger of your pain can be quite a logical one. Since the weight in the front part of your abdomen increases significantly during the pregnancy, it is normal that your back will have to deal with it. However, often, pregnant women bend their backs excessively and apply pressure over certain areas of their bodies. If the back pain moves from the lower back to the legs, the cause is probably a condition called sciatica. This means that a nerve in your lower back has been pinched.

Finally, if the pain takes place during the last trimester, it could be a sign of the labor taking place.

How To Deal With the Pain?

In order to keep your bones and ligaments safe and painless, you need to take good care of your posture. Use lumbar rolls for supporting your back while sitting and place pillows beneath your knees while lying down on the bed on your back. Also, you may seek help from a professional physiotherapist.

Joint dislocation and pinched nerves can also be dealt with through proper posture. Yet, you may want to get examined by your physiotherapist as well. He/she may recommend you to use specifically designed support belts which will keep your bones and ligaments in place, decreasing pain.

Thus, mobilization, weight shifting and proper posture may be all you need to take care of in order to keep the pain at bay. There are specially designed sets of exercises which can help you relieve the pain too.

Finally, once the baby is born, the back pain should cease. If it does not, seek medical attention. Nevertheless, know that your body will take up to 6 month to completely recuperate and return to its former form. During this time, some painful symptoms may bother you.