While pregnancy is a time of great joy and happiness, very often it is accompanied by aches, pains and unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. Although the mother to be is often very uncomfortable it is tolerated as a bitter sweet experience.
It is very common for a pregnant woman to experience back pain and neck pain, sometimes it can be mild but some women experience quite intense pain that can impact her lifestyle negatively.
Back pain during pregnancy can cause numerous problems from missing time at work, a more difficult labour and birth, and very often can also create problems that can extend long after birth.
So while back pain and neck pain during pregnancy are common symptoms it is essential to look at the problem and manage the back and neck pain during your pregnancy.
There are two common types of back pain during pregnancy, lower or lumbar back pain (sciatica) which is felt above the waist and posterior pelvic pain which is felt below the waist.
Lumbar back pain is most often felt when standing or sitting for too long, or from repetitive lifting.
Posterior pelvic pain is often brought on or made worse when sitting up from a lying position, standing up, rolling over, running, walking, taking stairs, bending forward, lifting something or twisting your body.
The three most common causes of back pain during pregnancy are weight gain, changes in the moms centre of gravity which puts strain on different muscles and hormonal changes which relaxes muscles and joints.
Here are some helpful natural remedies you can try for relieving your neck and back pain during this time.
Proper Exercise During Pregnancy for Relieving Back Pain
While exercising during pregnancy is highly recommended it is very important to do exercise that is appropriate for pregnancy. You don’t want to cause more damage than good.
Being fit and active during pregnancy will help you to strengthen your back muscles, abdominal muscles and pelvic floor which will help to reduce back pain. Being active will also help to keep your weight gain under control, which will in turn also help manage back pain.
The fitter and stronger you are during pregnancy the easier your labour and birth will be on your body, so it can also help reduce your labour pain.
Exercise that is considered good during pregnancy is swimming, brisk walking, indoor stationary cycling, yoga and low impact aerobics. Make sure to take take yoga and aerobics classes taught by a certified instructor.
Maintain a Good Posture to Manage Pregnancy Back Pain
As mentioned above, when you are pregnant your centre of gravity shifts causing new muscles to take strain. Add in the additional weight and very often pregnant women then fall into the habit of bad posture.
Having bad posture will cause back and neck pain, so try and hold your spine erect with balanced posture.
Massage Therapy for Managing Pregnancy Back Pain
Getting a massage during pregnancy can help your body to relax.
A massage will also increase reduce joint swelling by increasing circulation and moving fluids around the body. This can help relieve sciatica. The massage therapy can also include heat pack or a cold pack for providing the maximum relief.
It is important to be safety conscious and to only book a massage with a therapist that is qualified in prenatal massage.
Get Enough Rest
It is vitally important to get enough sleep during your pregnancy so you can enjoy your pregnancy in good health. If you are not getting enough restful sleep you will feel it in your body which could increase back pain.
You can check this web article which provides you good information and tips on getting relaxed and pain free sleep at night.
There are many high quality specially designed pillows for pregnant women that can support your back and your belly at the same time. Buy one for your body and baby to give yourself the best care.
Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees can help to greatly reduce back pain.
Visit Your Doctor
This can be your last resort after trying out some of the basic things above. You doctor may recommend you do some effective exercise along with medications that are meant to reduce the inflammation and relieve joint pain during pregnancy.
Neck and back pain during pregnancy can definitely be relieved with the help of these measures. In fact, as soon as you experience some form of pain, the ideal option for you is to become proactive and find out the most suitable measures that can help you. Consequently, you will be able to breathe a sigh of relief soon.
