Pregnant with back pain - How to get rid of the pain?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Phung Thi Ly - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Times City International Hospital.

Back pain during pregnancy is a common condition in pregnant women because the development of the fetus will directly affect the mother's spine as well as the pelvic area. The most common areas of pain are the lower back and pelvic joints. Usually, women with back pain before or during pregnancy are more likely to continue to have back pain after giving birth. Although this is a normal physiological phenomenon, is there any way to help mom relieve these back pain?

Hormonal changes During pregnancy, the mother's body will secrete the hormone relaxin, which helps the pelvis to expand to prepare for the birth process. The pelvis includes the muscles and ligaments of the lower back. These muscles and ligaments are not strong enough to maintain their expansion, leading to muscle strain, ligament strain, and pain. The expanding pelvis reduces the alignment of the joints, which lack alignment and loosen, leading to pain.
Weight gain The growth of the fetus and the increasing weight of the pregnant woman makes the spine and pelvis bear this burden, causing back pain for pregnant women.
Change position During pregnancy, the uterus grows with the fetus, causing the lumbar spine to curve forward more, the center of gravity of the body changes. To keep balance during the move, pregnant women often lean back, causing the back to bend, causing pain.
In addition, pregnant women like to sit flat, fix their heels on the floor, put their hands behind to keep their body weight, causing the back to be under great pressure. Many people have a habit of putting their hands on their backs when standing up, sitting down or when moving, which also causes back pain.
Stress Stress makes the muscles in the body not have the opportunity to relax, recover and are always in a tense state, over time the muscles will be tired and more tense, causing back pain.

The abdominal muscles are weak The abdominal muscles are responsible for bearing pressure from the body when the mother lies on her stomach and flexibly elastic when the mother bends over. However, during pregnancy, these muscles are weak and stretched too much due to the growth of the fetus, causing the back muscles to be compressed, causing pain for pregnant women.
Fetal position At the end of pregnancy, the fetus reaches its maximum weight in preparation for birth, causing back pain muscles to increase. And if the baby is lying in the belly with the baby's back position against the mother's back, it will put pressure on the mother's back bone.
Gestational movement Brown or bright red bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, abdominal pain and low back pain are symptoms of fetal movement. So, if you have back pain accompanied by the above symptoms, see your doctor for the most appropriate treatment.
Sciatica Back pain is related to sciatica: The appearance of sharp pain in the buttocks and the back of one leg may be due to the ligaments in the back and pelvis of the pregnant mother having been damaged. reduced function.

Exercise Practice gentle and appropriate exercises such as walking, bare-knuckle exercise, yoga, swimming... to help keep the body healthy, bones and joints supple, and support the mother during pregnancy. The birthing process is easier.
Improve posture Practice correct posture and correct posture by lowering your buttocks, straightening your shoulders back and standing up straight, reaching up.
When sitting, the chair should have a cushion to support the back, put your feet on a stack of books or chair and sit up straight, with your shoulders down
Sleeping, the mattress should not be too hard or too soft. Lying on the left side helps blood - oxygen and nutrients circulate to the fetus, helps the fetus absorb most effectively and also helps reduce pressure on the back, waist and pelvis. It is recommended to use a pregnancy pillow to lie on your side in a comfortable position

Do not carry heavy objects Applying heat or cold compresses to the waist, bathing with warm water helps to reduce back pain effectively. Massage therapy for the back and whole body for pregnant women helps the muscles in the back and legs to be stretched and created elasticity so that pregnant women will feel comfortable and reduce the symptoms of back pain. Should wear shoes with flat and low soles, wide and soft, suitable for feet. Wear loose, airy clothing, and wear special maternity pants with a low waistline that can support the abdomen. Pregnant women can still use common pain relievers such as Paracetamol or salonpas. However, these pain relievers should not be abused to avoid harm to the fetus. Do not use pain relief patches on the back with open wounds or pregnant women who are allergic or red in the skin should not use these patches From the 7th month of pregnancy, when the pregnant belly is quite large, the Mothers should use belly support belts for pregnant women to support back support. Balance the diet to avoid excessive weight gain, do not eat too much in one meal, divide it into many small meals, supplementing with enough nutrients for both mother and baby. Supplement calcium and magnesium from foods: green vegetables, legumes, milk... and from medicines, functional foods for pregnant women as prescribed by the doctor for healthy development and prevention of the body. diseases.

Constant back pain that cannot be relieved. Increasing pain makes you extremely stressed. Back pain accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, vaginal bleeding, or a feeling that you will give birth soon. Pain or burning sensation when urinating. Having to take regular painkillers or pain relievers won't make you comfortable either.

Exercise 1: Pregnant mother in a standing position with her back straight, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, hands on thighs. Hold the position while taking a deep breath. Repeat the movement 4 times.

Exercise 2: Pregnant mother in a standing position, one foot steps forward, hands behind her back. Breathe in and out regularly. Change legs. Repeat each leg 4 times.

Exercise 3: Pregnant mother lies on her side, lower hand facing up, palm open. Inhale deeply, and at the same time bring the upper leg and lower arm up. Exhale, lower your arms and legs. Repeat the same movement with the other side. Each side about 4-6 times.

Exercise 4: Pregnant women sit up straight, cross their legs so that the soles of their feet touch each other. Place your hands gently on your knees. Lift your knees and place your knees on the floor so that your back is straight. Hold each pose for about 30 seconds.

Usually, pregnant women will have a lot of back pain in the last 3 months of pregnancy.
In the last months is an extremely sensitive time for pregnant women, with only small abnormalities can also be signs of premature birth, stillbirth, and fetal movement. Therefore, pregnant women should actively conduct regular antenatal check-ups to monitor the baby's health and take early intervention measures if any abnormalities occur.
To protect the health of the mother and baby comprehensively as well as help the mother feel more secure during labor, Vinmec provides a package Maternity service. With this package, the mother will have regular antenatal check-ups and routine tests to monitor her health. The fetus is monitored for fetal heart rate and uterine contractions by obstetric monitor at 37-40 weeks of expected time of delivery.
During labor, the mother will be given pain-relieving techniques during and after birth such as: epidural anesthesia, pudendal nerve anesthesia (applied to normal delivery), postoperative pain treatment (applied to caesarean section). In particular, Vinmec is deploying cold plasma services to help wounds heal quickly such as: cesarean section, perineal stitches, baby umbilical cord, and lactation to avoid swelling, redness, infection, and dryness. , flat, beautiful straight edge, little pain, no bruising, no convexity.
If you have a need to use maternity services at Vinmec, please register directly at the website to be served.