How to Prevent Sciatica Pain during Your Pregnancy
Sciatica pain is very common during pregnancy. It is caused due to the irritation, compression, or inflammation of your sciatica nerve that starts from your lower spine and passes through your buttocks and back of your lower limbs. As your baby grows, your sciatica pain will also increase. It is more common in the third trimester compared to the first two trimesters.
Causes of Sciatica Pain During Pregnancy
The most common causes include:
- The shifting of your center of gravity due to your growing belly can lead to the tightening of muscles in your pelvis and buttock areas. This may pinch the sciatica nerve and cause pain.
- A pregnant woman’s body releases a hormone called relaxin, preparing the body for childbirth. Relaxin loosens your ligaments. Due to relaxed ligaments, joints become unstable, and muscles become tense. This can also put pressure on the sciatica nerve and cause pain.
- The increasing weight of your baby and expanded uterus can put pressure on your sciatica nerve.
- As your baby prepares for birth, its head may turn towards the pelvis in the third trimester, thus pressing the sciatica nerve.
How to Prevent Sciatica Pain
It is difficult to prevent sciatica pain. However, controlling your weight, stretching, and swimming can help to some extent. You may try these tips to get relief from sciatica pain:
- Take a warm shower or bath.
- Use a heating pad.
- Rest when it starts paining.
- Avoid sitting or standing in one position for long.
- Sleep on the opposite side of the pain.
- Use a pregnancy pillow between your legs.
- Kegel exercise can give your relief.
- Prenatal yoga helps a lot in dealing with sciatica pain.
- Swimming is also effective.
- Prenatal massage is effective.
- Ask your doctor for pain medication.
It is difficult to prevent sciatica pain but stretching, swimming, yoga, and proper sleeping position can help you reduce the pain. Maintain healthy body weight. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy can worsen your sciatica pain. Eating healthy and regular exercise can help you prevent sciatica pain to a large extent.