Lower right back pain pregnancy
Overview
Back pain during pregnancy is very common. Between 50 and 80% of pregnant women have back pain. It can range from a mild pain that comes from doing certain things to severe pain that lasts for a long time.
About 10 percent of the time, the pain gets so bad that it makes it hard to work or do other normal things while pregnant. Studies show that lower back pain usually starts between the fifth and seventh months of pregnancy, but it can start as early as eight to 12 weeks.
Women who already have problems with their lower backs are more likely to have back pain during pregnancy, and it may start sooner.
Symptoms
During pregnancy, lumbar pain is usually in the middle of the back, at or above the waist, and it may be accompanied by pain that goes down the leg or foot.
Posterior pelvic pain, which is a pain in the back of the pelvis, happens four times more often during pregnancy than lumbar pain. It is a deep pain felt below the waist, on one or both sides, or across the tailbone.
Causes and Risk Factors
Increase of hormones — Hormones released during pregnancy allow pelvic-area ligaments to soften and joints to loosen in preparation for the birthing process. This change may affect the support your back normally experiences.
Center of gravity — Your center of gravity will gradually move forward as your uterus and baby grow, which causes your posture to change.
Additional weight — Your developing pregnancy and baby create an additional weight that your back must support.
Posture or position — Poor posture, excessive standing, and bending over can trigger or escalate back pain.
Stress — Stress usually accumulates in weak areas of the body. Because of the changes in your pelvic area, you may experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.
Diagnosis
Back pain during pregnancy is usually diagnosed by looking at the patient’s medical history, giving them a physical exam, and maybe even giving them an MRI to rule out a herniated disk. Because both X-rays and CT scans use radiation, they will not be done.
Treatment
When you are sitting, watch how you sit. Sitting in a chair all day is the worst thing you can do for your spine. Make sure the chairs you use most at home and at work give you good support. A straight back, straight arms, and a firm cushion are ideal. Use a footrest to raise your feet a little, and don’t cross your legs. That can make your pelvis tilt forward, which can make your back muscles hurt even more.
Take breaks. At least once an hour, walk, stand, and stretch. If you sit for too long, it can hurt your back even more. Also, try not to stand for too long. If you work on your feet, try putting one foot on a low stool to take some pressure off your lower back.
Don’t pick up heavy things. If you have to, take your time. Stabilize yourself by taking a wide stance. Bend at the knees, not at the waist, and lift with your arms and legs, not your back.
Watch how much you eat.
Don’t wear the wrong shoes. Both heels that are too high and ones that are too low are out. Experts say that a 2-inch heel will keep your body in the right place.
Don’t reach. Use a stable, low-step stool to get things from high places, and you won’t have to work as hard. Think about good things. When you’re calm, your back feels better. You can also try prenatal yoga, which will calm both your mind and your back.
Most doctors think it’s safe for pregnant women to do physiotherapy, yoga, and exercises like walking, biking, and swimming for 20 to 45 minutes, three to five times a week. Women who are pregnant should be careful to exercise at a light to moderate level, but not so much that they get tired.
Make your stomach stronger. Doing pelvic tilts will help your abs get stronger, which will help your back. You could also sit on a gym ball and rock back and forth.
Go from hot to cold. Use cold compresses on sore muscles for 15 minutes, then warm compresses for 15 minutes.
Get in a hot bath. Or, you can make the showerhead pulse to give your back a massage.
Get a massage. Don’t get one until after the first trimester. Go to a masseuse who knows you’re pregnant and has been trained in the art of prenatal massage.
Talk to your OB at all times.
Back pain can sometimes be a sign that something is very wrong. Preterm labor is one of the most worrying things that can cause back pain during pregnancy. Women should pay attention to new, recurring pain, which could be a sign of uterine contractions, as well as vaginal bleeding or a change in vaginal discharge, which could be a sign of a problem with the placenta or an early rupture of the waters.
If you feel numbness, tingling, or a sharp, shooting pain in your buttocks, legs, or feet, you should call your doctor to make sure there are no serious problems. Even though numbness usually isn’t a sign of something more serious, like preterm labor, it could mean that your sciatic nerve or other nerves that connect your spine to your lower body and pelvic area are being pinched.
Before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, a pregnant woman should always talk to her doctor or nurse. If a woman who takes pain medicine is thinking about getting pregnant, she should talk to her doctor about the risks and benefits of the medicine. When giving painkillers to pregnant women, doctors and nurses should continue to follow the directions on the labels.
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