Pregnancy is a beautiful time in your life, but it can also be painful. You might have heard that the first trimester is when women have the most intense pain and discomfort of their pregnancy, but you don’t need to wait until then to feel uncomfortable.
Pain during pregnancy is common and affects almost all moms-to-be at some point before or during their pregnancy. According to the data from a recent study published on the NCBI website, around 90% of women experience pain during pregnancy. Of these, 70% of pain involves low back pain, pelvic girdle, and abdominal pain.
You may experience pain in one specific spot or all over your body. It varies from woman to woman. The good news is that you can manage your pain in many ways. But there are also some things that you should avoid to get relief from pregnancy pain.
What Causes Pain During Pregnancy?
Most pregnant women experience some form of back pain during their pregnancy. The most common cause is the growing uterus, which puts pressure on your spine. You can also feel pain in your hips and thighs.
If you’re having lower back pain, it’s usually because of this weight gain and how it affects your posture. Your body adapts to carrying the extra weight by leaning forward more than usual and slouching, a habit that strains parts like the lower back muscles, causing them to become tight or sore over time.
The growing size of your uterus puts pressure on surrounding organs such as the bladder, intestines, and rectum. This can result in frequent urination, constipation, abdominal pain, or pain above/below one’s belly button after eating meals high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables.
The pain experienced during pregnancy can also lead to postpartum depression. According to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, mothers exposed to severe and persistent pain during pregnancy are at a higher risk of developing postpartum depression.
What to Do for Pregnancy Pain?
Listed below are a few things you can try to relieve pregnancy-related pain.
You Should Do Exercise for Pregnancy Pain
It’s true. While you might not be in the mood, exercise can help reduce pain and stress and improve sleep.
There are many types of exercise that you can do during pregnancy. If you have been exercising before getting pregnant, it’s a good idea to continue doing so throughout your pregnancy. If not, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to start moving your body while pregnant.
According to studies, exercise has proven beneficial for most women. However, certain changes must be made based on an individual woman’s needs. Moreover, exercise can also benefit your offspring. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology analyzed the benefits of exercise during pregnancy in lab mouse offspring. The results show that it can mitigate the adverse effects of parental obesity.
You Should Take Massage for Pregnancy Pain
Massage is one of the best things you can do to help relieve pain during pregnancy. That’s because it stimulates the muscles and increases circulation, which helps reduce swelling. It also helps with stress and sleep, two other common pregnancy symptoms.
Massage can help with nausea by increasing blood flow to your stomach and improving digestion and nutrient absorption. It also reduces muscle tension often associated with constipation or hemorrhoids, both common complaints during pregnancy.
You Should Consider Taking Chiropractic Care for Pregnancy Pain
Chiropractic care during pregnancy has been shown to help with back pain, headaches, neck pain, and other common pain in the third trimester. Suppose you’re searching for ways to manage pregnancy discomfort but don’t want to take prescription medication or use over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen. In that case, chiropractic care is an option worth considering.
A systematic review of the effectiveness of chiropractic care for pregnancy shows that although unclear, it has favorable evidence of a positive impact. The study review is published on the NCBI website.
What to Avoid for Pregnancy Pain?
Here are some things that you should avoid doing.
You Should Not Take Over-the-Counter NSAIDs for Pregnancy Pain
You’ve probably heard of NSAIDs, a common class of over-the-counter pain remedies. They include ibuprofen, aspirin, and a long list of other names. Generally, it’s unsafe to take any kind of NSAID during pregnancy, including those labeled for use by pregnant women. Hence, the FDA discourages using NSAIDs, especially after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Many studies, such as the study published in the BJOG journal, have proven the link between the use of NSAIDs and preterm birth risks. You can also consider the example of Tylenol. Tylenol is a common over-the-counter medicine for pain. However, the use of Tylenol is linked to a higher risk of the development of autism and ADHD in children.
Hence, mothers who took this drug, leading to prolonged exposure of infants in the womb to Tylenol, are filing lawsuits against the manufacturer Johnson and Johnson. You, too, can file a Tylenol ADHD lawsuit if your child has developed autism or ADHD because you consumed the drug during pregnancy.
To increase your chances of winning, hire a professional lawyer to help you file the lawsuit and collect evidence to prove the claim. Once you win the claim, you can get compensation for medical expenses and other sufferings you have faced due to the problem.
You Should Not Consume Cannabis for Pregnancy Pain
While cannabis is a natural pain reliever, it is still a controlled substance and not regulated for safety during pregnancy. The use of marijuana during pregnancy has been linked to lower birth weight, preterm births, and developmental delays in babies. Experts do not recommend using cannabis during pregnancy because it can cause severe problems with the baby’s growth and development.
The most common side effects associated with cannabis use include the following:
- nausea and vomiting
- impaired coordination and balance
- difficulty concentrating or remembering things
While cannabis can treat postpartum depression, it is best to avoid using it during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. A study published in the Frontiers journal shows that cannabis use can lead to adverse behavioral and neurobiological consequences in children of women who consume cannabis during pregnancy and lactation.
You Should Not Take Hot Tub Baths for Pregnancy Pain
If you are experiencing pregnancy pain, hot tubs are not the best option for relief. You should avoid taking hot tub baths during pregnancy because they have been shown to increase your body’s temperature, leading to miscarriage and congenital disabilities in some cases. Hot tubs also increase your risk of skin burns and eye infections.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand the causes of pregnancy pain and how to treat it. You can follow the tips mentioned in this article. However, getting professional consultation from doctors for everything you should and should not do during pregnancy is advised.
