Is your pregnancy causing your lower back pain? let’s find out!
Overview:
Is lower backache a symptom of early pregnancy? Backache during pregnancy is not an uncommon thing to be experienced by pregnant women. Day by day your baby is growing, it’s a happy moment but it comes with a number of tough times as well. During pregnancy, naturally, the ligaments stretch and become softer, preparing a women’s body for labor. There are a number of reasons behind back pain in pregnancy.
When does back pain start in early pregnancy?
Lower backache is a common symptom of pregnancy. A few studies show that in some cases lower backache can occur as early as 12 weeks or between the 5th and 7th months of pregnancy. The back pain in pregnancy’s first trimester is a result of changes in hormones. There are several causes of backache in pregnancy:
Common reasons behind lower back pain in pregnancy:
Following are the most common reasons:
– Changing body structure (Musculoskeletal changes):
During pregnancy, a women’s body structure faces several changes. Due to the increasing size of the uterus, the pelvis and lower back become unstable. Therefore, changing the normal curvature of the spine – more curved than normal.
The levels of hormones like estrogen and relaxin levels also increase during pregnancy. This results in the widening of the pelvis as a combined effect of both hormones.
– Herniated Disc:
Excessive pressure on the spine can also result in disc herniation. This may result in symptoms like sciatica during pregnancy (radiating pain from the lower back down the leg). Sciatica is a condition that only affects one side or leg of the body.
– Weakened bones and joints:
In some conditions, women also develop conditions like osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) around the third trimester. This is also why; women face lower back pain in the pregnancy’s third trimester.
Tips for getting relief from back pain during pregnancy:
Following are some of the tips for relieving back pain:
- Improve your posture, practice a better posture
- Take care of your sleeping posture. Sleep on your side while keeping a pillow under your knees for support.
- Try minor exercises or physical activities – slightly stretch your back.
When to see the doctor lower back pain in pregnancy?
If you feel severe back pain during pregnancy, consult a specialist as back pain can also be a sign of preterm labor.
In case of back pain, book your appointment with KKT Orthopedic Consultants in Lahore (JT/DHA), Karachi including the other five operational centers across Pakistan.