“Pregnancy back pain normally comes about where the pelvis meets your spine, at the sacroiliac joint. There are numerous reasons why it happens, and this is why it is vital to see an experienced Pain Specialist”
Unavoidable Circumstances
“During a healthy pregnancy, women typically gain between 25 & 35 pounds. The spine has to support that weight. That can cause lower back pain. The weight of the growing baby & uterus also puts pressure on the blood vessels and nerves in the pelvis and back”
This weight gain also brings on postural changes, making your body’s centre of gravity shift. – In other words, you automatically adjust the way that you stand and move. – And it is this change that brings on unwelcome strains and aches in your back [1].
In addition to this, pregnant women also experience what is known as ‘muscle separation’: “As the uterus expands, two parallel sheets of muscles (the rectus abdominis muscles), which run from the rib cage to the pubic bone, may separate along the centre seam” [1]. – And this can make pregnant women’s back pain even worse.
Further, hormonal changes add to the issue. – When a woman is pregnant, a hormone named relaxin, relaxes the ligaments in the pelvic region, thus enabling the joints to become looser for the upcoming birth. Moreover, relaxin can loosen the ligaments that support the spine. So both of these processes can result in pain [1].
Emotional stress is another negative, as it can generate muscle tension in the form of back spasms or back pain [1].
So What Can Be Done to Help Your Back Pain?
“A Pain Specialist can show you how to walk, bend forward, lie down, stand, sit & exercise, in back-supporting way!
Fortunately, there are now various options for treating back pain during pregnancy, and that is why finding out about them from a Pain Consultant who specialises in pregnancies, is the first step towards having a happier, easier pregnancy. Due to their experience, they will empathise, and be sensitive to your situation.
A Pain Specialist may recommend specific medication, and/or refer you to an associated physiotherapist who specialises in pregnancy (at the same clinic). The physiotherapist can help you work through your back pain by manipulating nerve pressure points, muscles and joints. And on top of this, you will be given a few easy exercises which you can continue at home.
Reference
Grow by WebMD (2020), “Back Pain in Pregnancy.”
https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/back-pain-in-pregnancy#1
