Pain during pregnancy is a very common issue that affects more than 70% of pregnant women. It can range from mild to acute pain associated with particular activities that ultimately becomes chronic. Mostly the pain that comes during pregnancy becomes so severe that it even disturbs your daily life by making it challenging to take out normal activities.
The pain during pregnancy is normal and reduces entire functioning. The symptoms usually fade away gradually after giving birth, but some pains can become if they remain untreated. Women with pre-existing pains are more likely to get affected by this problem.
Anyhow, if you want to know potential causes and treatment, stick to us till the end.
Types of Pregnancy related Back Pain
There is a certain mechanical irregularity that a woman faces in the lumbar spine during pregnancy which triggers severe back pain. The lumbar spine undergoes lordosis, which grows in the reverse C-shaped curve that strains the lower back joint and discs leading to lumbar pain. It can also occur due to the psoas muscle in the hip, which regularizes the spin and assists in hip and leg movement. It shrinks, causing back pain symptoms.
Here are some common types of lower back pain due to pregnancy:
Pregnancy Posterior Pelvic Pain
The alteration in the pelvis is common during pregnancy. It helps give space to the growing uterus and accommodates it during birth. The expecting women who are experiencing pelvic pain can expect to have different levels of laxity in their joints.
It generally occurs due to the high concentration of the relaxin hormone. It is responsible for softening joints and connective tissues. The majority laity of the sacroiliac joints leads to ilium displacement.
Pain happens due to the moved ilium, which is displaced in an irregular position stressing adjacent tissues. The muscles become tenser when the body returns to its former position. The tension occurs in the pelvic floor muscles, which can cause a wave of severe pain again.
Post-pelvic pain is common during and after pregnancy. About 76% of women are likely to experience this pain. The common features of post-pelvic pain include:
- The irritation and severe pain mimicked sciatica. But it is not sciatic pain.
- The pain feels like someone is stabbing the body and giving sensations to the pelvic of the spine.
- The pain extends to the buttock and pass-through the groin, and back to the thigh.
- Females with prior lower back pain history or who do a job that makes them stand for a long period of time are at a high risk of developing pelvic pain during pregnancy.
Thigh Pain in Pregnancy
Due to this kind of pain, you can experience temporary compression, or irregular blood supply to a peripheral nerve can be sensed in the thigh at the time of pregnancy. It causes swelling of tender tissues, and the stress of the growing uterus puts pressure on the veins and nerves.
This pain can occur under any scenario, such as if the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve gets compressed. This is the main nerve that evokes sensation in the waist and the thigh area. The stress on this nerve results in the following symptoms:
- Burning and achy pain in the outer and inner sides of the thigh.
- Buzzing and waves of pain in my thigh.
- Cold and freezing sensations in multiple parts of my legs.
- This kind of pain can aggravate physical activities such as standing or even walking sometimes.
Pregnancy Pain in the Back and Hip
The lower back pain, such as in the hip, becomes intense during pregnancy due to the lower back and changes in the pelvis. Many areas of the hips can get affected, which leads to a wide range of potential pain and disorders in particular areas.
Transient Osteoporosis
It is a rare yet painful condition that happens because of excessive weight bearing in the last three months of pregnancy. It is pregnancy associated osteoporosis weakens the hips causing acute pain with restricted motion. This pain suddenly occurs due to standing and walking for a long time. Therefore, doctors suggest taking shorter steps and breaking after a few minutes.
Avascular Necrosis
At the time of pregnancy, many biological changes occur, leading to high levels of steroids naturally occurring in the body and hormones such as estrogen and progesterone hormones. It also results in weight gain and increases pressure on joints, and strain muscles in the hip. The common symptoms of Avascular necrosis around the third trimester include:
- Referring and radiating pain to the lower knee, thighs as well as the lower back.
- Pain that directly feels in the groin.
Abdominal Pain with Cramping
the severe abdominal pain may refer to the rupture of ectopic pregnancy. This is a condition in which a fertilized egg grows in size in a place apart from the uterus, mostly inwards of the fallopian tube. With time it tears due to continuous size growth in the fertilized egg. Its signs include severe lower back pain.
Back Labor Pain
At the time of delivery, this pain occurs due to muscle contraction of the uterus, which is similarly intense to menstrual cramps. Labor pain occurs and vanishes with the passage of time. However, the intensity varies from woman to woman.
Some experience unbearable lower back pain during labor, which is known as back labor. It usually occurs when the baby is mispositioned. Anyhow, this back labor pain resolves on its own after a few days of delivery.
Causes of back pain in Pregnant women
There are different types of labor pain, but there are always root causes that trigger the pain. Here are some common causes of lower back pain during pregnancy.
Weight Gain
At the time of pregnancy, a woman can expect to gain weight by 25 to 35 pounds. This increased mass directly affects the spine as it has to support it. It can result in back pain. The baby’s growth and increasing uterus pressure also pressure the blood vessels and the pelvis.
Changes in the Posture
Pregnancy changes your center of gravity which leads to posture adjustment and the way you move without notice. It leads to strain or back pain.
Stress
Stress is another major cause of lower pain during labor. Emotional stress causes muscle tension in the back. You can also feel intense pain during a stressful periods of your pregnancy.
Treatment for Back Pain in Pregnancy
If you are dealing with deep pain felt like thrushing, do not worry, you can soothe sore muscles by following a few methods. Such as:
Exercise: Regular exercise provides strength to muscles to lift weights and boost flexibility. They help the spine lift the excessive weight without causing deep pain. Most pregnant women can do exercises like walking and stationary cycling.
Heat and Cold: the varying temperature also affects the pain in the back. If your healthcare provider agrees, you can begin by placing the cold compressors on the hurting area. After a few days of cold compresses, you can switch to hot compressors. However, you need to be careful while applying heat to your abdomen during pregnancy.
Improve your Posture: bad and irregular posture not only affects during pregnancy but also majorly impacts the back. During pregnancy whether its healthy or have complications, you need to be more conscious. Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees can help relieve stress. On the contrary, while sitting at the desk, you can place a rolled towel behind your back for good arch support.
Stretching Regularly: stretching is the best exercise to keep your bones, joints, and muscles functioning. You can try backward, and low back stretches to strengthen the back and pelvic muscles.
Conclusion
If you face severe or mild pain in the lower back during pregnancy, don’t worry! It is nothing to worry about. Anyhow, you can keep an eye on several factors contributing to the pain. You can avoid or relieve this pain to some extent by considering the right posture, stress on the body, weight gain, muscle separation, etc.
The pain does not end with delivery. It may take 2 to 3 weeks to completely disappear. Pregnant women are directed to consult of the physical therapist before starting pain medicines.
Also interesting to read:
- Newborn To Baby – A Guide To Be A Pro Parent
- What is Baby Sleeping Solutions?: How should you Sleep Train, your Baby?
- Motherhood: Why Mothers are Important to Children
- What is Baby Blues? How does it Affect a Mother’s Life?
- Moms Act – A Step to Bring Ease for New Mothers
- What is Atrial Septal Defect? How it Affects the Baby’s life?
- How to Ensure Baby’s Good Health? – A Guide to be a Pro
- The Signs of Formula Intolerance in Babies
- 12 Weeks Pregnant: What to Expect and Avoid?
- Smoking Pregnancy: The Effects of Smoking on Mothers and Infants
- Teenage Pregnancy: Is it a Good Idea to Have a Baby in Teenage?
