Show If pregnancy is becoming a pain in your back, you’re not alone — back pain is one of the most common symptoms among the expecting set. What is back pain during pregnancy?Back pain during pregnancy typically takes the form of aches, stiffness and soreness in the upper or lower back and hips that can sometimes extend into the legs and buttocks. When does back pain during pregnancy start and end?Unfortunately, back pain can start fairly early on in your pregnancy. Some women experience it in the first trimester, but for many women, back pain starts up around week 18, early in the second trimester. It can persist or sometimes worsen as the second trimester progresses and especially in the third trimester, up until you give birth (when it's sometimes replaced by postpartum back pain!). What causes back pain during pregnancy?Throughout your pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin is released, causing the ligaments of the otherwise stable joints in your pelvis to loosen up in order to allow easier passage of your baby during delivery. Add to that the weight of your growing uterus, and your balance gets thrown off as your center of gravity shifts forward. In turn, your lower back curves more than usual to accommodate the load — resulting in strained muscles and, you guessed it, soreness, stiffness and pain. Is pregnancy back pain the same as sciatica?It can be. If you’re feeling sharp, shooting pain that starts in your back or buttocks and radiates down your legs, you may be experiencing sciatica. The good news about back pain during pregnancy is that it's usually as resolvable as it is common. Plus, there are many ways to relieve it — so if one solution doesn’t work, another probably will. Treatments for back pain during pregnancyTry the following remedies to relieve your pregnancy backaches:
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You just found out you are pregnant, but now you're experiencing symptoms that leave you concerned, such as backache and cramping. You might fear that these common PMS symptoms might signal a problem with your pregnancy and the early stages of a miscarriage. These symptoms, however, can be common during early pregnancy for many women. It is possible that you will deal with backache throughout your pregnancy. During your third trimester, the increased weight from your belly can result in lower back pain. Early on, even as early as five weeks, backache is also common. Many early pregnancy symptoms mimic premenstrual symptoms, and backache falls into this category. Thus, a dull--but tolerable--backache is not cause for concern by itself at five weeks pregnant. CrampingCramping at five weeks pregnant in a healthy pregnancy is caused by implantation. When the egg implants itself into your uterine wall, it is possible you will experience some dull cramping similar to premenstrual cramps. Extremely painful cramps can signal a problem with the pregnancy, so contact your obstetrician or midwife if you have debilitating cramps at five weeks pregnant. At five weeks pregnant, the best treatment for backache and cramps is no treatment. If you had experienced these symptoms leading up to your period, you might have used a heating pad or ibuprofen to dull the pain. During this fragile stage of early pregnancy, it is best to kick up your feet, relax and deal with these uncomfortable symptoms without any treatment. Since backache and cramping are often normal around five weeks pregnant, you do not have to rush to your doctor if you experience these symptoms. If, however, the backache or cramps intensify and become unbearable, give your provider a call. If they are accompanied by any bleeding, also call you doctor. While implantation can cause spotting, heavy, red, period-like bleeding can indicate a miscarriage. |