For pregnant women, back pain is quite a common thing but even if it is that common still it has to be addressed so as not to hinder in your day to day activities. Back pain during pregnancy can cause problems that may continue even after giving birth if not given medical attention. Let us try to see back pain in the three trimester of one’s pregnancy.
First Trimester
The first few weeks of pregnancy or the first trimester often brings low back pain. This is quite common since the body has to adjust for the additional weight that your body is going to have. Your bulging tummy now causes imbalance in the body. This added weight results to change in posture which now puts more strain in your lower back
Lots of pregnant women suffer from low back pain in their first trimester. It seems to be a natural process of pregnancy or seem to be part of pregnancy. Although it is hard to accept pain as something natural but just think of childbirth pain and this is all part of a natural process of giving birth. Today the most possible explanation they can give for low back pain in the first trimester is due to hormonal changes and hormonal imbalances in the body.
Relaxin is a hormone which is ten times more from its normal concentration during pregnancy. It is responsible in relaxing the joints in the pelvis in preparation for giving birth. It gives the baby more space to pass in the birth canal. Despite its good function, relaxing can also cause abnormal motion in other joints of the body resulting to pain and inflammation thus can bring about low back pain.
There is not much treatment for this low back pain but doctors usually suggest to their patient to have a healthy diet and try to avoid too much weight. Once you give birth this low back pain usually goes away after birth. But be warned that low back pain during pregnancy can also result to herniated discs which might extend recovery time or might even bring permanent damage.
Second Trimester
During the second trimester, the uterus is now too big to fit within your pelvis. At this time internal organs are usually pushed out from their usual places and there is now greater tension in the surrounding ligaments and muscles. All this changes results into some kind of discomfort. The back pains are usually a result from increase weight and size of its uterus as well as the effects of pregnancy hormone change.
What you feel in the first trimester might increase in severity as your joints in the pelvic bones are in constant work in loosening and softening for the preparation of the baby to pass through your pelvis during birth. As your uterus grows bigger everyday your center of gravity changes and this result to back strain or pain.
Another factor that can result to back pain during pregnancy second trimester is separation of muscles in the front of the stomach. These muscles run from the rib cage down to the pubic bone and usually as your uterus expands, these muscles may separate through the center seam which makes your back pain worse. Your doctor can tell whether the amount of separation is more than usual and may recommend some ways to remedy it after your baby is born.
There are ways though to lessen or prevent back pain;
• Observe the correct way of standing, sitting and moving. Always observe correct posture. Remember to stand with your pelvis tucked in and your shoulder back. If you are standing for a long time then try to rest one foot in a low foot stool if possible. When you sit, try to sit with your feet slightly elevated and do not cross your legs. If you have sit for along period then take a break and move around every thirty minutes.
• Lift correctly. When lifting, do not bend in your waist but rather lower your body through bending at the knees and lift the object using your thighs and not with your back.
• When sleeping, lie on your side. When sleeping try to lie in your side and place a pillow between your knees and another one under your abdomen. This will eliminate the pressure of your back. One study is conducted and the result showed that a wedge-shaped pillow which is an Ozzlo kind that takes shape of the abdomen and supports it is of greater help than the usual pillow (Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1989).
• Exercise. Exercise is the best way to strengthen your muscles in the abdomen. This actually lessens your back pain. If these bring relief then your doctor might just suggest a special back strengthening classes specifically for pregnant women.
Third Trimester
Hip pain is most common during the third trimester. This hip pain usually happens in one side only. The increased hormones in pregnancy may increased your lower back pain along with your hip pain. Exercise can help lessen your pain as well as warm baths too.
During this advance stage of pregnancy you might feel numbness, tingling or pain in your buttock down to your hip and thigh. That is because the pressure of the uterus in the sciatic nerve can cause sciatica. This pain is not really a cause of alarm. When your baby changes position especially when closer to the time of delivery sciatica pain usually disappears. But just to be sure, you should still inform your doctor about the pain just to eliminate any serious problem. Sleeping in the opposite side may help as well as use of heating pads and warm baths. There is a study though that showed auricular acupuncture for the treatment of pregnant women who suffers from posterior pelvic pain and low back pain (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009).