Back pain during pregnancy is quite common. Is this a normal occurrence, or do you need to panic in this case? In this article, we will figure out what to do if during pregnancy you experience discomfort in the back.
Causes of Back Pain During Pregnancy
This symptom, as we said above, often happens. Almost half of all pregnant women complain that they are annoyed by pain in the back.
Pain can be of a different nature: pulling, aching, sharp, dull permanent or periodic. They are also intense (unbearable) or weak (not causing severe discomfort).
The nature and exact location of the pain depends on the specific cause of the unpleasant sensation. The fact is that back pain during pregnancy is just a consequence of any disturbance in a woman’s body. And in order to get rid of a bad symptom, you must first identify and then eliminate the cause, which is the main problem.
This is important because in addition to pain, it can seriously harm the body of the mother and fetus. So, we will understand when pregnant women may experience back pain.
1. In the process of fetal growth, the uterine walls are stretched, the volume of the uterus increases. In this regard, increased pressure on adjacent hollow organs (bladder, intestines). This leads to compression of the nerve endings, from which pain occurs. In some pregnant women, they can occur in front (on the side of the abdominal wall), in others behind (from the back), and others on the side. It all depends on the location of the compressed nerve. With this pathology, pain can be of varying intensity, and they also have the ability to move from one side to the other.
2. A shift in the center of gravity is also the cause of back pain during pregnancy.. It is difficult to call it pathology. Rather, it is a constitutional feature of a woman's body. Discomfort appears in about the same way as in the previous paragraph.
3. Acute or chronic diseases of the pelvic organs (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries) - often lead to back pain. The fact is that during pregnancy, the risk of contracting an STD increases. They, in turn, lead to inflammation of the organs of the reproductive system - adnexitis. Also, during an "interesting" situation, chronic diseases that were not treated before pregnancy often worsen. Pain in this case is usually strong and constant.
4. Diseases of the urinary and digestive systems. Pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, inflammation of the intestines, gall bladder, pancreatitis - all this can contribute to the occurrence of pain both from the abdomen and from the back. The nature of the discomfort depends on the strength of the lesion of unhealthy organs.
5. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (osteochondrosis, radiculitis, myalgia) - very often negatively affect the process of bearing the fetus, giving the expectant mother unpleasant sensations in the back. With these pathologies, pains are localized on the back of the body.
6. Increased uterine tone is a dangerous complication of pregnancy. Its danger lies primarily because this pathology often occurs suddenly. A woman does not always succeed in providing timely assistance in order to maintain pregnancy.
7. Insolvency of the scar on the uterus after the previous cesarean section. This pathology is very dangerous for the mother and the unborn baby and requires emergency medical care. The pain in this case is acute and unbearable.
8. Detachment of the placenta - also an emergency pathology, which may be accompanied by other symptoms and pain in the back.
Diagnosis of back pain during pregnancy
In order to identify the root cause that led to this pathology, the obstetrician-gynecologist must collect a complete history of the patient. Particular attention should be paid to the gestational age (at the time of pain and at the time of treatment) and the presence of chronic diseases. Also, for the doctor, the history of previous pregnancies is important, namely, how they ended (childbirth, abortion or miscarriage) and the method of delivery (natural birth, cesarean section).
After the survey, the doctor conducts an examination (accurate palpation of the abdomen and back, measuring the circumference of the abdomen, determining the height of the uterine fundus, determining the uterine tone, determining the heartbeat of the fetus), and is also interested in the nature of the vaginal discharge (if they are pathological, a smear should be taken for a degree of purity; if bloody - hospitalization in a hospital).
After specifying the underlying pathology, the gynecologist directs the pregnant woman to additional research methods: laboratory tests of blood and urine, pelvic ultrasound, CTG, Doppler ultrasound. Also, the doctor can send a pregnant woman for a consultation with related specialists - a urologist, gastroenterologist, neuropathologist, orthopedist. After all of the above, it will be possible to put the main diagnosis and prescribe treatment. This should save the patient from back pain during pregnancy.
Back pain during pregnancy - what to do?
If the expectant mother found this unpleasant symptom in herself, she should contact her obstetrician-gynecologist for advice as soon as possible. The fact is that, as we wrote above, the reasons that caused these sensations can be very serious. Do not delay, reassuring yourself that the pain is tolerable, or even disappears when the body position changes. Some women reassure themselves that the baby is growing, the body becomes hard, and after childbirth everything goes away.
All expectant mothers should remember once and for all - back pain during pregnancy is not the norm. Any unpleasant manifestations are a pathology that needs to be treated. This does not mean that the therapy will take place necessarily in a gynecological or obstetric hospital, that it will be long and painful.
Not. A pregnant woman can simply be prescribed a therapeutic massage designed specifically for expectant mothers. Physical therapy and yoga for pregnant women have also been recommended in the treatment and prevention of such disorders.
The most important thing is not to self-medicate. It is always worth remembering that in your hands not only your own health, but also the life of the future baby.
Back pain during pregnancy - how dangerous is it for an unborn baby?
Only the attending physician can assess the level of negative effects on the fetus. It all depends on the underlying pathology. If this is a divergence of the scar on the uterus or detachment of the placenta, an extremely unfavorable prognosis is possible, up to the death of both the fetus and the mother.
If back pain is caused by kidney pathology, there is a high percentage of the probability of a pregnant woman developing preeclampsia and eclampsia, which is also very dangerous for a woman and a future baby. Inflammation of the reproductive organs and increased tone of the uterus can lead to miscarriage and premature birth.
Other pathologies, as a rule, do not threaten the baby's life, but they can negatively affect the standard of living of a pregnant woman. Possible sleep disturbance, limitation of mobility and even the development of depression.
