Back Pain During Pregnancy: 7 Tips for Relief
Back pain during pregnancy is a natural occurrence in most pregnant women. And it’s common for them to think that nothing can be done to relieve back pain. But there are different ways to minimize the pain. Lifting things properly, prenatal yoga, physical activity, and chiropractic care are all different ways to tackle the problem. You really should try them out to see what works. This article focuses on how chiropractic care helps with back pain during pregnancy.
Back Pain in Pregnancy Surprises No One
Lots of pregnant women (up to 70 percent) report battling back pain. So, you’re not alone. But knowing that others share the same kind of challenges from which you suffer never eliminates the problems. In the end, everyone has to endure or deal with their fair share of pregnancy-related issues. Expect to experience back pain and general discomfort particularly in the final stages of pregnancy.
What Causes Pain in Pregnancy?
What’s causing that severe back pain that’s reduced the excitement of being pregnant to full-blown suffering? Lots of people complain of back pain during the third trimester of pregnancy. Others report experiencing upper back pain that just won’t go away. And upper back pain during early pregnancy is also pretty common. In addition, some women encounter chest and back pain during pregnancy. So what’s causing all these problems?
Lots of changes occur in pregnant patients. Joints become misaligned. Also, the mother’s abdomen protrudes. In addition, the body’s center of gravity shifts. The mother also sees considerable weight gain. And the upper back’s curvature increases. At that point, the whole body becomes totally imbalanced.
As all these changes happen, pregnant women experience back pain and many other types of pain. Before we consider how to relieve back pain, let’s expand our understanding of the causes of pain in pregnancy.
5 Causes of Pregnancy-related Back Pain
As we’ve seen in the previous section, the pain isn’t the result of just one factor. Several factors work together, often very effectively, to make life extremely difficult for the person. The causes include:
1. Hormonal Changes
2. A Shift in the Body’s Center of Gravity
3. Weight Gain
4. Poor Posture
5. Stress in Certain Areas of the Body
1. Hormonal Changes
A pregnant woman’s body produces different types of hormones that perform crucial roles. One of those roles is to soften ligaments in the pelvic region. They also cause joints to loosen up, paving the way for an easier childbirth. As joints shift and ligaments loosen, the way the back gets support changes. And that causes pain.
2. Center of Gravity Shifts
As the baby grows, it pushes its mom’s tummy outward. That naturally shifts her body’s center of gravity to a new position. The posture changes, too. In the process, the person may experience back pain, other types of pain, and discomfort.
3. Weight Gain
A growing baby progressively gains weight all the way through the last trimester. Concurrently, the mother’s body generates amniotic fluid. Both the baby’s weight and that of the amniotic fluid add to the weight of the mother.
While weight gain during pregnancy may not seem like a good thing, it happens for a reason. The baby needs enough room to grow in, and that explains the ballooning that happens in the mother. The amniotic fluid protects the fetus from shock and holds its waste, particularly urine.
But this weight gain can also cause problems. The spine must work harder to support the added weight and, as it strives to provide the much-needed extra support, pain happens.
4. Poor Posture
How a mother carries herself (literally) when sitting, walking, or doing various tasks can also cause pain. Bending over excessively, standing for too long, or sitting in certain positions often causes pain or worsens it. Most of the time, much of the pain and discomfort experienced comes down to how you sit or walk. Chiropractors are trained to help you achieve the correct posture and avoid pain during pregnancy.
5. Stress
Stress causes lower back pain in pregnant women. It also causes lower back pain in other people. New moms often experience tons of stress mainly because they don’t know how things will turn out for them. Lots of questions swirl in one’s head. Questions such as: Will the baby be healthy? Will the doctors recommend cesarean delivery? Will I ever regain my body shape? What if complications happen and…..? All these questions can cause much stress, particularly in first-time moms.
But How Does Stress Cause Pain in Pregnancy?
Stress escalates tightness in different areas of the body, and that’s a bad thing. Just before childbirth, the last thing you need in your pelvic area, ligaments, and joints is tightness. If you don’t address tightness, you’ll end up with nasty discomfort.
If you’re stressed out, your Cumming chiropractor will most likely recommend the following. They might recommend that you get more sleep, do prenatal yoga, and get emotional support. The right specialist helps you eliminate pain in the lower back, upper back, hips, shoulders, wrists, elbows— everywhere.
Back Pain Isn’t a Hopeless Situation Though
Here’s the thing: you can do something about back pain. The first step should be to schedule an appointment with a qualified Cumming chiropractor. Not ready to make that decision at the moment? Read on to learn how you can suppress different types of pain during pregnancy.
Are you wrestling with lower back pain during early pregnancy or back pain during the third trimester of pregnancy? It happens. And it’s about time you started consulting a trusted Cumming chiropractor concerning your issues.
Do You Have Vaginal Bleeding?
If you have vaginal bleeding, let your chiropractor know. Typically, they don’t help with that. However, they’ll usually recommend a physician who can provide proper medical advice.
Will Chiropractic Adjustments Help with Preterm Labor?
An extensive review of research surrounding chiropractic concluded that it’s beneficial throughout pregnancy. It’s beneficial during pregnancy and immediately afterward. However, preterm labor is a contraindication to chiropractic adjustments. That means it’s best to seek medical advice elsewhere as chiropractic isn’t meant for that.
Get Top-notch Chiropractic Care Now
Do you live in Cumming? You can schedule an appointment with Cumming’s very own Arise Family Chiropractic, a family-centered practice. Our doctors are tested and proven experts who’ll give you accurate and timely advice throughout your pregnancy. Schedule an appointment now.