Dealing With Back Pain During PregnancyYou’re excited to be a proud mother in the next few months, but back pain during pregnancy can be debilitating. Most pregnant women share this complaint, especially in the second half of pregnancy. Learn the reasons behind your pain and how to ease your discomfort until your delivery date arrives with tips from WebMD and the Mayo Clinic.

What Causes Back Pain during Pregnancy?

Discomfort is most likely to occur at the sacroiliac joint, which is where your pelvis meets your spine. The pain could be caused by a combination of factors, including:

  • Weight gain: Healthy pregnancies cause women to gain 25 to 35 pounds, increasing the amount of weight the spine must support. The weight of the baby also puts additional pressure on blood vessels and nerves at the sacroiliac joint.
  • Center of gravity changes: Without even noticing it, your center of gravity shifts, causing you to change your posture and the way you move, sometimes resulting in back pain.
  • Hormonal changes: In preparation for the birthing process, your body produces a hormone called relaxin. It’s aptly named, for it causes the ligaments in your pelvic region to relax. This decreases spinal support and leads to instability and back pain.
  • Expanding uterus: This causes the rectal abdominis muscles, which run from your rib cage to your pubic bone, to separate. This can worsen back pain.
  • Stress: During particularly stressful periods of your pregnancy, tension in your back may cause pain or muscle spasms.

How to Treat Pregnancy Back Pain

Unless you suffered from chronic back pain before you became pregnant, you can expect your pain to gradually ease after giving birth. To help you make it through the next few months, try these treatments for pregnancy back pain:

  • Exercise: Safe, gentle exercises such as swimming, walking and stationary cycling help strengthen your back muscles and boost flexibility.
  • Wear the right shoes: Avoid high-heeled shoes as well as flats. Something with a low heel and good arch support is best.
  • Lift with care: When lifting light objects, squat to the ground and lift with your knees, not your back. Avoid bending at the waist when picking up items off the floor. Ask someone else to lift heavy objects for you.
  • Apply cold and heat: The general recommendation is to apply cold (such as a bag of ice or frozen peas wrapped in a towel) to your back for up to 20 minutes at a time several times per day. After two to three days, apply heat (such as a heating pad or hot water bottle) to your back in the same intervals. Be careful not to apply heat to your belly while pregnant.
  • Practice good posture: Invest in a comfortable lounge chair. When seated at a desk or table, place a rolled-up towel behind your lower back to increase support. Sit up straight and place your feet on a stool to reduce strain on your hips. Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. Wear a support belt to improve your posture while standing.
  • Seek chiropractic care: At Spine Correction Center of the Rockies, chiropractic treatments are one of our primary specialties. We treat all sorts of conditions, including back pain during pregnancy.

Know When to See Your Doctor

First of all, you should ask your doctor about your intent to implement any of these suggestions (except for practicing good posture, wearing comfortable shoes and lifting with care; these tips don’t require a doctor’s permission).

Then, recognize when your pain is serious enough to call your healthcare provider. These circumstances include the following:

  • Your severe back pain lasts more than two weeks.
  • Vaginal bleeding, fever or burning while urinating accompanies the back pain.
  • The pain begins abruptly or increases in severity.
  • You experience rhythmic, cramping pains.

If you’re looking for back pain relief, please contact Spine Correction Center of the Rockies or call us at (970) 658-5115. We can help make these last few months of pregnancy as comfortable as possible.