Low back pain is a very common complaint during pregnancy. Its incidence is around 75%. In other words, 3 out of every 4 women are exposed to this complaint during the pregnancy period. After the baby is born, all the pain goes away to a great extent.
There are different factors that cause pain at every stage of pregnancy. One of the most important causes of low back pain in pregnancy is the increase in the load on the spine, pelvis and coccyx bones and the overload in these bones. Various hormones secreted during pregnancy are blamed for the formation of different pregnancy symptoms, including low back pain. Increased hormone levels in the early stages of pregnancy lead to increased inflammation and sensitivity, especially in the joints. As the baby grows in the second trimester, ribs and pelvis enlargement increase this sensitivity. Posture changes actually start in the early stages of pregnancy. Along with these changes, increased contractions in the muscles and tensions in the nerves are another cause of pain. The rapidly growing uterus and the developing baby in it cause further stretching in the lower back and pelvic region. Normal lumbar spine curvature increases, which can lead to compression of the nerves. The hormone called relaxin increases especially as of the seventh month of pregnancy and allows the birth event to take place more easily. While doing this, it loosens the muscles and ligaments, which can lead to increased pain. Although all these events are a normal process of pregnancy and are necessary for healthy baby development and delivery, each of them can cause low back pain, hip pain, pain in the thigh region, leg pain, numbness in the hip and leg, and loss of strength in the legs. Symptoms appear after a normal process and may be common. However, pregnant women do not have to live with it and endure these pains. Like all symptoms that occur during pregnancy, your doctor will need to be aware of your complaints and do the necessary research on possible underlying causes. There are several ways to reduce pain once all the potential problems have been eliminated.
Ways to reduce low back pain during pregnancy:
Take care of your posture. As your baby grows, your center of gravity shifts to the front. You can stretch your back muscles while trying to compensate your body so that you don’t fall forward, which will cause low back pain. Therefore, posture studies are very important. Take care to stand in a tense position with your head and shoulders upright, without leaning forward as much as possible. Make sure you are in the correct posture while driving. Your knees should be higher than your hips and your elbows should be able to bend comfortably while holding the steering wheel.
Sit and stand carefully. Sit with your feet slightly elevated. Choose a chair to support your back or place a suitable pillow behind you to support your back. Change positions frequently and avoid standing for long periods of time. If you have to stand for a long time, reduce the load on the spine by resting one leg on a small step.
Improve your bending and lifting techniques. Bend your knees and keep your spine straight. When carrying a load, be sure to put all the weight on your legs and keep the object as close to your body as possible. If the load you have to carry is heavy, get help.
Sleep on your side. Make sure to sleep on your side, not on your back. Break one or both knees. Putting a pillow between both knees and even under your stomach will help reduce pain.
Use the right clothing and shoes. Prefer short heels. Wear maternity pants with low and supportive waistbands. Be sure to use pregnancy support belts.
Stay fit. Regular exercise strengthens your lower back and often helps a lot in reducing your pain. With the approval of your doctor, swim, take walks, use a floor bike. Make sure to get frequent rest.
Exercise. All exercises that will strengthen your muscles and make them flexible, especially pilates are very useful. However, it is important to do the exercises consciously, to stay away from the extreme, and if they are done in a center, it is important to inform the trainers about pregnancy even in the early stages of pregnancy.
Drink plenty of water. By drinking plenty of clean water every day, you can reduce the effects of hormonal changes that result in inflammation. Drinking water little by little at frequent intervals is much more beneficial than drinking a lot of water at infrequent intervals.
Apply ice. One of the methods to reduce inflammation is to apply ice to the area of the fire. Due to the increased blood flow during pregnancy, ice should be applied to the inflamed area for 10 minutes, and should be repeated for 10 minutes after a 20-minute break. Ice can be applied to all joints in the body, except for two areas. These are the armpits and buttocks. Because of the superficial blood vessels and lymphatic circulation, ice application to these areas can cause sudden drops in body temperature.
Initiate appropriate medical therapy if necessary. Although it is not clear to what extent chiropractic care or acupuncture is effective in the treatment of low back pain in pregnant women, it may be effective in reducing the pain of some patients. As long as you receive good prenatal care, there is no harm in using these treatments during pregnancy. There is no harm in using acetaminophen group drugs during pregnancy. However, the use of other pain relievers, including aspirin and ibuprofen, is contraindicated during pregnancy. Always talk to your doctor before using medication to treat your pain.
Injection treatments: In case of persistent pain, injections can be made into appropriate areas in order to reduce inflammation in the nerves. Since this treatment is a very specific approach, it should be performed in appropriate patient groups and by physicians with sufficient experience in pain management.
Surgical Treatment: Surgery should be reserved for cauda equina syndrome, which is accompanied by complaints of sudden loss of strength in the legs and urinary incontinence, for low back pain that occurs during pregnancy or intensifies during pregnancy. The month in which the baby is located during the surgery is very important. If the problem arose in the last stages of pregnancy and the baby is in sufficient development, first the baby is delivered and the mother is operated. However, if the baby is not in sufficient development, the mother is taken to surgery because this situation is urgent. If absolute surgery is required, epidural anesthesia is often the preferred method of anesthesia.
Low back pain during pregnancy isn’t a surprise, it’s common, but it doesn’t need to be called completely unimportant. At a low level, intense pain can be a sign of preterm labor. Very severe low back pain or a strong pain accompanied by vaginal bleeding may be a sign of an important problem that requires attention.
