During pregnancy, women are visited by many different kinds of discomforts. While some are fleeting, others have the nasty habit of hanging around. One thing’s for sure, pains are common during pregnancy so here is a look at five of them and their best treatments.
1. Round ligament pain
As your belly continues to grown, one of the pains experienced in the early stages of pregnancy is round ligament pain. You will feel these pains primarily in the sides of your abdomen and in its lower parts. Sometimes, the pain can come as a jabbing, sharp sensation. This pain usually occurs because of the stretching of the round ligament connecting your groin to your womb on the front portion. Most women will complain about this pain when pregnant but it is considered to be a normal condition in pregnancy. Round ligament pain can also extend to your back, bladder and even your belly and can even be worse during your second pregnancy. The best solution for this pain is lying down for some time to give your ligament time to rest. If you start feeling round ligament pain, take a nap for around an hour and the pain will have reduced by the time you wake up. Simple!
2. Back pain
Most moms tend to experience a lot of discomfort with their backs when pregnant, especially during the last stages. The main cause of back pain in pregnancy is the stretching of the ligaments, which is, of course, a normal development during pregnancy. Back pain can also result from movement of your baby, which exerts more pressure on some of the most sensitive parts of your body. Sometimes a woman might feel extremely sore on her back and might find that ordinary activites can be painful, such as lying in bed or sitting for a very long time. Fortunately, there are many solutions that can help to ease back pain, such as undertaking some simple lifestyle changes, massage and use of support belts and maternity belts. Another very effective solution for back pain during pregnancy is the use of ice packs and avoiding heat as it only makes the condition worse.
3. Abdominal cramps
During pregnancy, your ligaments are not the only part that grows and stretches as the uterus goes through various changes in an effort to strengthen itself. This expansion can result in some pain but, just like with other conditions, the pain is quite normal unless proved otherwise by your doctor. The cramps can be slight to moderate and happen as a result of the stretching and growing of the uterus. Most of the abdominal crams that happen during the early stages of pregnancy are mainly caused by constipation and bloating. These are a very common side effect of pregnancy though no less uncomfortable for that. Fortunately, natural remedies are very good at easing the pain, especially the eating of foods with a high fiber content and doing some exercises. Alternatively, you can try using stool softener, which can really help with easing the pain.
4. Braxton Hicks contractions
Braxton Hicks refer to the way in which the body practices and prepares for labor. These are actually false contractions that are mostly experienced during the last few weeks of delivery. The tightening, which is felt in the uterus from time to time, actually feels like real labor and can be very painful, especially for a first time mom. The contractions usually happen as the brain sends messages to the body to prepare it for the actual labor. The best part about Braxton Hicks contractions is the fact that the pain associated with them can be bearable. Most doctors simply refer to it as ‘tightening’ and it is quite different from the real thing. As such, these pains are nothing to worry about as they easily go away when you move around or get up. They are a natural process during pregnancy and thus have a natural cure.
5. Muscle spasms and leg cramps
Muscle spasms and leg crams are very common during pregnancy. In most cases, these pregnancy pains are usually caused by low potassium or dehydration and sometimes both. When you experience leg cramps during pregnancy, drinking a lot of water can help a lot with easing the pain. In addition, make sure that you are providing your body with enough amounts of potassium which is found in raisins and bananas. In addition, sleeping with a maternity pillow tucked in between your legs can also help a great deal with the pain.
While all these uncomfortable pains are very common during pregnancy, a pregnant woman should always go for regular check ups just to ensure that they are having a normal pregnancy. If you are worried that the pain is too much or unbearable, it could be a symptom of a complication, which should be addressed sooner rather than later.
For help with back pain during pregnancy please contact our Midwife Osteopath Team using the link below
