Among all the early signs of pregnancy such as morning sickness, tender breasts, muscle cramps etc, back pain during pregnancy is also one of the most common symptoms. It can be a major source of discomfort for the pregnant woman. According to some studies, it has been suggested that about 80% of moms-to-be will experience some sort of back pain during early pregnancy. You might even experience it before missing your periods. However, this phenomenon is quite normal and must not be very bothersome. This pain would subside after about 20 weeks or so.
Back pain in early pregnancy is normally the result of the softening of the supporting ligaments and disks back that support her upper body. The way the hormone progesterone affects a woman’s body may also cause backache which may be accompanied by muscle spasms or cramps in the lower back as well. Following are some of the common causes:
Causes of Back Pain During Early Pregnancy
1) Stretching is one of the most common reasons for back pain during such phase. It could be the stretching of the ligaments around the abdominal area and is a natural phenomenon that prepares the body for the long process of growth that is going to occur.
2) Extra weight of the developing fetus may put extra pressure and weight on the spinal cord which might result in the pain. In some cases, women tend to gain some weight which the body has to support in addition to the weight of the baby.
3) Along with the expanding uterus, the center of gravity of the body starts moving forward leading to change in posture that may result in lower back pain during early pregnancy.
4) During pregnancy, women are more prone to urinary tract infections which can result in pelvic as well as back pain.
5) The hormonal imbalance in the mother’s body creates havoc by softening the ligaments and the joints are loosened thereby preparing the body to accommodate the growing fetus. Such imbalances can lead to the occurrences of back pain.
The sitting and standing posture also plays a major role in this problem as the center of gravity of the woman’s body changes. Thus it is important to maintain a proper posture to avoid such pains. Another major cause of back pain is stress. The mental and physical stress affects the weakest part of the body which during this phase happens to be the pelvic area.
There are a couple of things that you can do to get relieve from back pain during pregnancy. Exercise is one of the most important things that should be done. There are a number of exercises that may prove helpful. Proper rest is another important component in helping with lower back pain during early pregnancy. In addition, practice safe lifting techniques while you are pregnant. If possible avoid any heavy lifting.
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