HEDI - Back Pain

Hormonal changes in your body can cause back pain and discomfort in the pelvic area even during the early months of pregnancy. Your growing belly also plays a role in this during the third trimester. It puts stress on the muscles and ligaments in the spine. Exercise, heat and gymnastics help with this kind of discomfort. A supportive pregnancy belly band can also give you relief.

Why your back hurts

The many changes in your body are often associated with discomfort in your back and pelvic area. During the first trimester, this can be caused by your uterus lifting up. Pregnancy hormones also play an important role. They ensure that the tendons, cartilage and ligaments of the pelvic bones become softer. This is to prepare your body for giving birth. Unfortunately, this also makes the spine less stable. This can trigger back pain and pelvic pain. In addition, your baby bump becomes heavier and heavier as pregnancy progresses. Many people then tend to stick their bellies out ahead. This gives them a hollow back. Posture like this overstrains the back muscles. Thus back pain is then not uncommon.

What helps with back pain

Pay close attention to your posture. Your spine should be as straight as possible, whether you are sitting or standing. That's how you strengthen the muscles. When standing, you can quickly relieve a tight spine by bending your knees slightly and pushing your pelvis forward a bit so that your shoulders, hips and feet line up. Absolutely you should absolutely keep moving. For example,swimming and water aerobics can strengthen the muscles around the spine without straining them. If you'd rather stay on dry land, you can look for yoga classes for pregnant people. There are special exercises that are good for your back. There are also other classes where you can get useful tips, for example about how best to avoid bad posture. Pregnancy gymnastics classes are recommended. Think about which classes suit you. Check with your health insurance company to see if they can cover the cost of the class.

Treat back pain with heat

Heat can work wonders for a sore back. For example, you can treat yourself to a long bath. In the last trimester of pregnancy, however, you should make sure that there is someone at home besides you while you are in the bath. A prolonged warm bath can slow your heart rate enough that you may be so slow getting out that you need someone to help you. You can also place a hot water bottle or a warm cherry pit pillow on the areas causing you pain.

The right clothes

If you suffer from back pain, you should put any high-heeled shoes in the closet for now. Because shoes with flat, soft soles distributed your weight evenly across the soles of your feet, they can help relieve the strain on your back. Many pregnant people have good experiences wearing a support girdle or abdominal belt, especially late in pregnancy. You can order these aids at a pharmacy, medical supply store or online. In some cases, your health insurance company will cover the costs. Ask your doctor if they can prescribe such a device for you.

When the sciatic nerve becomes noticeable

Especially in the last stage of pregnancy, some pregnant people often suffer from pain in the groin area, which often radiates to the thigh and sometimes even to the tops of the feet. This discomfort comes from the sciatic nerve. This is the thickest nerve cord in the human body and is located between the lumbar vertebrae and the sacral vertebrae. When the baby's head presses on the sciatic nerve, it becomes irritated. If this happens, you should relieve your spine immediately. Prop yourself up against a table or cabinet, or you lean forward against a wall. If you’re able to do so, lie down carefully and try to put your legs up or tighten them. A hot water bottle can help ease or stop the pain.

Other measures

Even though back pain is a common discomfort during pregnancy, don't be afraid to ask your doctor or midwife for advice. You may be advised to have physical therapy. Sometimes acupuncture is also recommended. An osteopathic treatment may also do you good. If you experience severe back pain in early pregnancy, be sure to seek medical advice. In this case, the discomfort could be an indication of a complication, such as an ectopic pregnancy.