- What to do to fight back pain during pregnancy
- Is it normal to have back pain in early pregnancy?
- How to avoid back pain during pregnancy
- What can cause back pain in pregnancy
- When to go to the doctor
To relieve back pain during pregnancy, the pregnant woman can lie on her back with her knees bent and her arms stretched along her body, keeping the entire spine well accommodated on the floor or on a firm mattress. This position accommodates the vertebrae well, removing the weight from the back, thus relieving back pain in a few minutes.
Back pain is a common situation that occurs in 7 out of 10 pregnant women, and especially affects adolescents, who are still growing up, women who smoke and those who already had a condition of back pain before becoming pregnant.
What to do to fight back pain during pregnancy
The best strategies to eliminate low back pain during pregnancy are:
- Use a hot compress: taking a hot bath, directing the water jet from the shower to the area where it hurts or applying a hot water bottle on the back is a good way to relieve pain. In addition, for warm compresses with essential oil of basil or eucalyptus on the affected region, for 15 minutes 3 to 4 times a day can also help; Using pillows between your legs to sleep on your side, or under your knees when sleeping on your back also helps to better accommodate your spine, reducing discomfort; Massage: the back and leg massage can be done with sweet almond oil daily to relieve muscle tension. See the benefits and contraindications of massage in pregnancy. Stretching: Lie on your back with your legs bent, holding only one leg at a time, placing your hands behind your thighs. With this movement the lumbar spine is rectified bringing immediate relief from back pain. This stretch should be maintained for at least 1 minute at a time, controlling your breathing well. Doing physical therapy: there are different techniques that can be used, such as kinesio tape, spinal manipulation, pompage and others that can be used by the physiotherapist according to the need; Using medicines: In some cases, it may be necessary to apply an anti-inflammatory ointment such as Cataflan, and in these cases, you should consult the doctor before using it. Taking oral medications such as Dipyrone and Paracetamol is a possibility for times of greatest pain, but it is not recommended to take more than 1 g per day, for more than 5 days. If there is such a need, the doctor should be consulted. Practice exercises regularly: Good options are hydrokinesiotherapy, swimming, Yoga, Clinical Pilates, but the daily walk, for about 30 minutes also has great results in pain relief.
See everything you can do to feel good in this video:
Is it normal to have back pain in early pregnancy?
It is very common for pregnant women to start experiencing back pain early in pregnancy due to increased progesterone and relaxin in the bloodstream, which makes the ligaments of the spine and sacrum become looser, which promotes pain, which it can be in the middle of the back or at the end of the spine.
The presence of back pain before becoming pregnant also increases the chances of the woman suffering from this symptom during pregnancy, right in the first trimester, and in some women the pain gradually increases with the progression of pregnancy.
How to avoid back pain during pregnancy
To avoid back pain during pregnancy it is important to be within your ideal weight before becoming pregnant. In addition, it is important to:
- Do not put on more than 10 kg during the whole pregnancy; Use a support belt for pregnant women when the belly starts to weigh; Do leg and back stretching exercises every morning and evening. Learn how to do it in: Stretching exercises in pregnancy; Always keep your back upright, sitting and when walking. Avoid lifting weights, but if you have to, hold the object close to your body, bending your knees and keeping your back straight; Avoid wearing high heels and flat sandals, preferring shoes that are 3 cm high, comfortable and firm.
Basically, back pain in pregnancy happens because the lower back accentuates its curvature with frontal uterine growth, which in turn changes the position of the sacrum, which becomes more horizontal, in relation to the pelvis. Likewise, the thoracic region must also adapt to the growth of the volume of the breasts and changes in the lumbar region, and it reacts to these changes, increasing dorsal kyphosis. The result of these changes is back pain.
What can cause back pain in pregnancy
Back pain in pregnancy is usually caused by muscle and ligament changes. This pain almost always gets worse when the pregnant woman stands or sits for a long time, when she picks up something from the floor inappropriately, or has very exhausting activities that cause a lot of tiredness.
Some situations that can aggravate this symptom are domestic or professional activities, repetitive effort, having to stand for many hours or sit for many hours. The younger the pregnant woman, the greater the chances of her having back pain since the beginning of pregnancy.
Another cause of back pain in pregnancy is sciatica, which is very strong, which seems to 'trap one leg', making it difficult to walk and remain seated, or which is accompanied by a stinging or burning sensation. In addition, at the end of pregnancy, after 37 weeks of gestation, uterine contractions can also manifest as back pain that appears in a rhythmic manner and that only relieves after the baby is born. See how to identify contractions to find the right time to go to the hospital.
Although it is rare, back pain that does not relieve with rest, and that remains constant during the day and night can indicate something more serious and therefore this is a symptom that should not be ignored.
When to go to the doctor
Back pain in pregnancy is not always dangerous, but the pregnant woman should go to the doctor if the back pain remains even after all the ways to relieve it or when it is so intense that it prevents her from sleeping or performing her daily activities. In addition, a doctor should be consulted when back pain appears suddenly or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea or shortness of breath.
Low back pain in pregnancy should not be ignored because it causes damage to health, and impairs sleep, the disposition for day-to-day life, decreases performance at work, social life, domestic activities and leisure, and even can bring financial problems due to being away from work.
