Treatment For Upper and Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

Back pain is something that the vast majority of pregnant women will have to deal with. Changes occurring in the body can cause some real problems, and sometimes it's hard to know the best way to deal with them. Pregnant women also have the disadvantage that they are unable to take a lot of analgesics or anti-inflammatories that they normally might when they're not pregnant. As a result, they need to look at some natural and less conventional options. Fortunately, many of these options are good ones, and the earlier you start to practice them, the sooner you will be free of back pain.

Treatment for lower back pain during pregnancy hinges on two important factors. The first is posture. When you become pregnant, your body manufactures a hormone called relaxin, which softens a lot of your tendons and ligaments, in preparation for childbirth. This creates instability in the whole back and pelvic area, making it easy to let posture slip. The other thing that happens is that your belly grows larger, and starts to pull your center of gravity forward. Most women arch their backs as a reaction, but this is the wrong thing to do. Arching will just cause more pain. Practice walking with your shoulders back, and make sure to stand as little as possible.

The other great treatment for lower back trouble during pregnancy involves the strengthening of core muscle groups. These are the muscles that support your lower back and abdomen. When weakened, these can cause pain because other parts of the back will try to compensate. Spend a little time every day on strength and flexibility-building exercises.

Treatment for upper back trouble falls much along the same lines. You will find that improving your posture is beneficial to upper back pain as well. Much of the pain in your upper back is derived from expansion of the uterus against the ribs, and upward pressure against the diaphragm. This can lead to bruised ribs and pinched nerves, which can be very painful.

Besides improving posture, treatment for upper back pain is focused on stretches that help to lift the ribs up and away from your torso, creating at least some temporary relief from the pressure.

Treatment for lower back pain during pregnancy and treatment for upper back pain can often be worked on together. If you can, go see a chiropractor, who will be able to make adjustments that will make your whole back feel aligned, relaxed, and much less painful. You might also consider seeing an acupuncturist, since they tend to have good success with treating pain of all kinds.

If you suffer from one or both kinds of pain, don't get too discouraged, since you know the situation is temporary. Keep in mind though, that treatment for lower back discomfort during pregnancy and treatment for upper back pain is usually pretty simple. Remember to use good posture, and spend 10 or 15 minutes daily on exercise that will stretch your muscles and build strength in the right places.