Sciatica in pregnancy: causes, symptoms and how to relieve pain and back pain
Sciatica in pregnancy is quite common: the sciatic nerve tends to become inflamed due to the compression caused by the uterus. back of the leg. In some cases it can also take from the hip to the foot.
Sciatica in pregnancy tends to appear from the fifth or sixth month, and then intensify as the pregnancy progresses, when the belly grows and the woman's body changes accordingly. To suffer the most are women with overweight problems or who already suffered from back pain and related ailments before conception.
Sciatica in pregnancy presents with several symptoms that we will see in detail, after having listed the main causes. We will also show you possible remedies to relieve pain, such as physical activity or compresses, but it is essential that a pregnant woman always contact her doctor so that he can prescribe the most suitable treatment. by Tata Simona on how to cope with body changes when becoming a mother:
What are the causes of sciatica in pregnancy?
Sciatica in pregnancy can be caused by several causes. First of all it can be determined by the compression of the sciatic nerve due to the increase in volume of the uterus. The dilated uterus, in fact, ends up pressing on the sciatic nerve causing inflammation and causing severe pain that goes from the lower back to the back of the leg and, in some cases, to the foot.
Another cause of sciatica in pregnancy may be the weight of the fetus itself which generates a continuous contraction of the muscles of the abdomen, leading to incorrect postures with the back. It is no coincidence, in fact, that pain arises right in the lower part of the spine. Furthermore, the lumbar muscle becomes more sensitive during pregnancy due to the relaxin hormone, produced to prepare its elasticity at the moment of delivery.
The weight of the fetus on the spine is not indifferent to the inflammation of the sciatic nerve: it is natural that during pregnancy the spine tends to become unbalanced due to the greater load to which it is subjected, especially in the last months. it tends to bend naturally to relieve the weight on the pelvic floor, and the woman tends to assume an unbalanced posture, with the pelvis forward and the torso back, which inevitably causes back pain and inflammation of the area.
Other causes of sciatica in pregnancy can be emotional imbalances: stress and tension often tend to affect muscles and nerves and the sciatic nerve - the longest in our body - is certainly not exempt.
What are the symptoms of sciatica in pregnancy?
The symptoms with which sciatica occurs during pregnancy are different, but first of all there is pain localized in the lumbar area and extended to the back of the leg or to the feet. In most cases, only one is affected. leg and not both.
The pain caused by sciatica pain can be very strong, making any movement difficult. Usually, moments of more acute pain alternate with others that are less intense, or you may experience a pain that is not too strong but continuous. The pain can be accompanied by burning.
Other symptoms that may occur along with the pain are a sense of numbness, incontinence problems, tingling, muscle weakness.
All the remedies to relieve the pain of sciatica in pregnancy
If you are suffering from sciatica during pregnancy, contact your doctor immediately and avoid doing it yourself. He will certainly be able to advise you on the most suitable therapy. In fact, physical activity is not always good in these cases, as is believed: your doctor, for example, could advise you to rest! Each individual case is a story unto itself.
In the meantime, to relieve pain and back pain, you can use some precautions such as avoiding making too sudden movements. There are certain exercises that can alleviate suffering, but this kind of physical activity must always be performed under the supervision of a physiotherapist, or in any case after consulting one in order to then perform those same exercises alone in your home.
Physical activity can certainly help prevent sciatica: you just need to walk for half an hour a day, but only if the doctor allows it. Be careful, however, to walk always trying to distribute the weight on the spine and lumbar area evenly Choose comfortable shoes that are wide at the base, no more than 4 centimeters high Yoga can be helpful too!
A nice relaxing hot bath can help you relax your muscles. In bed, avoid sleeping on your back, but stand on your side with your legs bent.
You can indulge in specialist massages or hot or cold packs. Always try to keep your weight under control so as not to overload your back further.
For more scientific information, you can check out this article on INRAN.
