Lower back pain is almost a ‘normal’ problem in the initial stage of pregnancy. It is, in fact, a reason to smile because it is the first sign that you are pregnant. But it becomes a matter of concern if it persists as the pregnancy advances. The pain becomes very annoying and frustrating especially when the doctors continue to declare it a normal feature of pregnancy.

The pain does not remain limited to the lower back, but you feel its ramifications in the upper back, shoulders and ribs and breasts. Some women have sciatic pains that travel down to their legs, while others have pelvic pain, which affects the pubic joint.

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Back pain during pregnancy can steal some of the joy and excitement that comes with this special time in a woman’s life. When the pain is intense, you want to find some relief quickly, but there are so many restrictions about what over the counter medicines you can safely take when you are pregnant. This is where holistic medicines and treatments can be used to provide safe, effective relief without causing potential harm to the growing fetus. Causes of Pregnancy Back Pain – Your aching back during pregnancy can be caused by a whole host of issues including: ” Change in your hormones and the increase in a hormone called “relaxin” causes the ligaments in your pubic area to soften. This explains why you sometimes feel unstable when you move around. ” Your growing belly shifts your center of gravity, stretching out and weakening those abdominal muscles that support your lower back. ” The weight you have gained is putting more stress on your muscles and joints. ” Your growing uterus could cause sharp pain if it’s pressing down on a nerve. The following are some safe treatment options for pregnancy back pain: Exercise – Muscles and ligaments help support the joints in your body, but given the fact that the ligaments supporting your pelvic area are softened and relaxed during pregnancy, you need to do all that you can to strengthen those muscles that support the pelvis and lower back. This will help both during labor and after the baby is born. Walking, swimming, and riding a bike are good, safe exercises that can be performed for 30-45 minutes at a moderate level of exertion – not to the point of exhaustion – on three to five days per week. Pelvic tilts, Kegels, wall squats, and hamstring stretches will help to build strength in the supporting muscles and prevent pregnancy back pain. Acupuncture -
Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for pregnancy back pain, which can reduce and sometimes even eliminate low back pain after just a few treatments. Using very fine, sterile needles placed in specific acupuncture points along the meridians or energy channels of the woman’s body, the acupuncturist is able to free up the flow of “qi” (energy), which then allows the body’s natural healing processes to take place. Massage – After soaking in a warm bath, ask your partner to gently massage the muscles along either side of your spine, your lower back and shoulders with warm oils. Supportive Garments – Wearing a supportive belt can help to relieve the added strain on the lower abdominal muscles and lower back. Your posture will improve and this can help prevent pregnancy back pain from strain and fatigue. Chiropractic Adjustment – Chiropractors can adjust the body providing pain relief without the use of drugs. The adjustments temporarily relieve compression in the joints helping the muscles to relax. Spinal adjustments are safe and can be used to treat muscle, ligament, joint and neurological problems. Soft tissue work can also be used to keep the muscles relaxed and functioning normally.

Although many women over 35 end up having an epidural, there are multiple other options, and it’s good to be informed about these and ask about them when you talk with your care provider. Types of pain relief range from complementary techniques like acupuncture to powerful narcotic drugs.

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When you are pregnant, your body does a number of things that can cause pain and discomfort, especially for your back.  Hormones that are released can soften tissues while preparing you for childbirth, but the softening can lead to problems, since it makes it easier for everything to get out of balance.  Chances are, you will be looking for some sort of effective back pain treatment. There are some good options available, like chiropractic care and acupuncture, but the option you may find most therapeutic and enjoyable is massage for back pain during pregnancy.

Pregnancy massage is different from normal massage techniques, in that areas that create special problems for pregnant women are focused on.  Attention is paid to those joints and muscles that are most likely to be affected by all of the hormone changes in your body.  A massage can provide some wonderful back pain treatment, while at the same time doing a lot to decrease stress and anxiety you may be feeling.

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Just about every pregnant woman will experience at least some back pain during the course of her pregnancy.  Pain can range from minor to excruciating, but fortunately, there are a number of ways to effectively deal with pregnancy back pain. There are two main kinds of back ache; lower back and pelvic back pain.

Lower or lumbar back pain is concentrated on the central lower back, just above the waist.  It is a common trouble area for back ache, even for those who aren’t pregnant.  Repetitive motion, or sitting and standing in any one position for too long can create tenderness in the muscles along the lower spine, resulting in pain.

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Labour begins when the uterus (womb) starts to regularly contract. The contractions get more frequent and intense as labour progresses and they can become very, very painful.

There are many different types of pain relief for use in labour…

1.    Gas and Air (Entonox) – Entonox is a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and is good for pain relief during labour as it doesn’t cause sleepiness. The gas takes about 30 seconds to take effect. For the entonox to work properly, it should be breathed in at the start of a contraction, which means that it will be at it’s maximum efficiency when the contraction is at it’s most painful. When the entonox has stopped being breathed in then the effects wear off within a minute. Gas and air can be used from early labour right through to the delivery of the baby and although it does relieve the pain, it doesn’t completely remove it.
2.    TENS – Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is best used during early labour. The tens machine has small pads that attach to the back and a low voltage electric current is passed across the pads and this in turn stimulates the body to produce it’s own natural pain relief. It can take up to 30 minutes before the effects are felt from the TENS machine, and the pain relief is moderate . Most women who opt for a TENS machine will hire it from the hospital or groups like the National Childbirth Trust.
3.    Injections – Pethadine and Meptazinol (Meptid) are the most common drugs given by injection, into the thigh or bottom, during labour, they are very similar to morphine and take around 20 minutes to start working. These drugs give good relief of pain and can last up to three hours. It the drugs are given too close to delivery though, they can make the patient and baby feel sleepy.
4.    Epidural – This is one of the most effective forms of pain relief and can provide complete freedom from pain throughout labour. An epidural can be given from early on in labour right up until the end of the second stage when the cervix has fully dilated. Epidurals are administered by anaesthetists, but  once they are in place, a midwife will take over. The patient will be asked to lie on their side or sit up and bend over a pillow, this opens the spaces in the spine, the  skin will then be made numb with a little local anaesthetic and then a small hollow needle is inserted into the back. A very fine plastic tube called a catheter is then threaded through the needle and secured into place with tape once the needle has been removed. The anaesthetic  is then administered through the catheter. It takes about 10-20 minutes for the epidural to become effective. A top up is sometimes needed for the second stage of labour, this means that the birth will be pain free, but it will still be possible to feel some kind of pressure when the baby is born.
5.    Complimentary Therapies – These include aromatherapy, acupuncture, reflexology or hypnosis. Aromatherapy oils can be used in massage to help relaxation. However, the essential oils used by aromatherapists are very powerful and should only be used in labour after consulting an aromatherapist . In acupuncture, fine needles are used to stimulate the energy channels of the body and the release of natural painkillers or endorphins.  Reflexology involves massaging various areas of the feet to help  stimulate channels of energy which connect with other parts of the body. Reflexology can be very helpful during labour  but needs to be carried out by a trained therapist. Self-hypnosis can be taught for use during labour by a hypnotherapists.  The aim is to make the pain more manageable, or minimise it.  Practice during pregnancy is advised so that it is more effective in labour.
6.    Water – Many women have found that soaking in deep warm water during labour allows them to relax, and gives some relief from the discomfort of contractions. Birthing pools are very popular now and can be used in either hospital or at home for pain relief and to help relax. The pool can be used until it’s time to give birth or can be used for giving birth, also gas and air can be used at the same time, giving extra relief.

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Coping with back pain is a reality for the majority of pregnant women.  While the pain is common, many common remedies cannot be used to treat it, since an expecting mother does not want to expose her unborn child to the possible ill effects of analgesics and anti-inflammatories.  So it remains up to the mother to seek out less conventional methods of treatment.

Though it is not traditional in the west, the Chinese have been using acupuncture for back pain during pregnancy for thousands of years.

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BOYF news letter No.9

Period pain

As much as this is important for women to know guys should be aware of this also. Why? You may ask? Because you may have to look after your or someone else’s daughter one day. Another reason may be that you just want to love your wife or girlfriend and knowing some simple keys will mean the difference between peace and suffering for her.

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The emotional and physical changes and experiences during pregnancy can be very unique and contrasting too. It may be the happiest and the most satisfying period of a woman life emotionally but at the same time, is a grueling and painful nine months, physically. Back pain is experienced by almost 80% of pregnant women in the world. Though its very common, it should not be neglected at all. It can point to some serious problems too. Every change/ symptom in pregnancy has a different root and should be taken care of. Generally, pregnancy backache kicks off due to the increase in body weight, which can be up to of your actual weight. The new shape of your body shifts the center of gravity of your body. Release of hormones in the body to relax your joints.

Types Of Back Pain During Pregnancy

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Many women suffer with pregnancy back pain at night.  This type of night back pain in pregnancy is called nocturnal back pain.  You may have it on its own, or concurrently with low back or sacroiliac pain.

There are a couple of different theories as to why night back pain develops during pregnancy.  One theory is that it is caused by muscle fatigue from being active all day.  By the end of the day, your body becomes more fatigued, and thus you feel more discomfort toward the evening hours.

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