How To Relieve Back Pain During Pregnancy

In my osteopathic clinic I have encountered many pregnant women suffering from back pain and pelvic girdle pain, often at the front in what is called the pubic symphysis.

There is a whole spectrum of problems in this area that go from a mild niggle that, whilst my patient wants it fixed, will not affect their ability to get on with life. All the way through to the most brutal disabling pain that can put people in wheelchairs (albeit temporarily). 

I have even had a patient have to move out of her family home to her mother’s house because she could not walk up the stairs to go to the toilet and her mother had a lavatory downstairs!

Fortunately, there are two aspects to this problem that can bring some relief. The first is that pregnancy is only a temporary condition and so for most women this problem fades away once they have given birth.

The second is that because of the hormones rushing around the mother-to-be’s body in preparation for labour, osteopathic work is often very effective, very fast.

It is an amazing thing that whilst pregnant and, in fact, whilst still breastfeeding a woman’s body remains incredibly responsive to gentle osteopathic adjustments. It is often the perfect time to get treatment to help all manner of chronic problems that may have been lurking pre-pregnancy.

Therefore, if you have suffered from chronic back pain through your life and you are breastfeeding get yourself booked in with your local osteopath.

What Causes Back Pain During Pregnancy?

The most obvious cause for pain during pregnancy is that beautiful yet troublesome ‘baby bump’. The sudden change in the centre of gravity caused by all the extra weight of baby and fluid at the front means structures must adapt to cope.

To understand the stresses occurring we first need an understanding of the structures that keep us upright and functioning when not pregnant. To keep it simple, our spine is made up of vertebrae that have two roles. Each vertebra must be able to bear our weight AND give us the ability to move.

The weight bearing function of the spine is fulfilled by the body of each vertebra which is effectively a large solid building block of bone at the front designed to cope with the invisible forces of gravity.

The movement function is then fulfilled by the back of the vertebra which has the joints (sometimes called facet joints) and attachment points for muscles that create the movement we need.

Whilst I have yet to encounter the ‘perfect’ textbook posture, ideally what should happen is that when we are upright the forces of gravity pass through the vertebral bodies and are dissipated up and down the body by them. This starts to go wrong when our posture changes as these invisible forces begin to hit areas that are not designed for weight-bearing, such as our facet joints.

A classic example of this is if we have to work at a desk. Our spine becomes a C curve instead of the upright S shape that it should be when we stand up. The S shape is a remarkably good shock absorber but a C curve is not.

Unfortunately, in pregnancy, as the weight at the front begins to increase, our centre of gravity starts to change. It has to move backwards otherwise we would fall flat on our face! 

As the centre of gravity moves backwards it means the vertebral bodies are no longer taking the strain. It now begins to pass through the facet joints but their role is to move us not to weight bear. Because they are doing a role they are not designed for we may start to get back pain.

Whilst this is the easiest way to explain what occurs there is also another problem to throw into the mix that can add to the trouble.

To ready the body for giving birth, the body produces hormones to loosen our joints. The key joints to loosen are our sacroiliac joints in our pelvis that must move slightly to widen the birth canal to allow the baby to pass through with as little stress as possible.

However, all this loosening, or laxity, is occurring whilst our centre of gravity is changing putting extra stress on our joints and our pelvis.

Our body has a dilemma: It needs to cope with extra weight at the front whilst also making our whole body slightly more unstable to allow pelvic joints to release ready for labour. It really is a compromise situation and the miracle is that for most women most of the time this compromise occurs with very little problem.

This compromise means it does not take too much additional stress to then begin to cause pain. This can be in the lower back, upper back (from holding all that weight the upper back can begin to lock up), our pelvis and, most painful of all, in our pubic area where there is a fibrous joint that loosens up too.

This pain can be caused by joints being strained beyond their normal limits of movement. We can also get pain because as the body becomes unstable from all the loosening up that is occurring some muscles begin to tighten up in an attempt to maintain stability in our body. This chronic tightening can cause a type of ischaemic pain.

Ischaemic pain is a lack of blood flow to the muscles which effectively means they are not getting the nourishment they need or having the waste products (metabolites or toxins) removed. It can be a nagging pain that is often better for movement and worse when at rest.

How To Relieve Back And Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy

Above all else, I would encourage anyone with this type of problem to see an osteopath. It often only takes one or two treatments to fix because the body is so responsive when all the pregnancy hormones are at work.

The osteopath has to play a delicate balancing act because they need to release tight areas, often in the glutes region, whilst not making them too loose! An experienced osteopath should be able to manage this without a problem.

They can also adjust the pelvic structures to help relieve the strain upon them and this can often help the lower back too.

If your pain is worse when not moving then try to keep as mobile as you can. Of course, it can also be the case that too much movement makes you worse so this is where there is a balancing act to be played. 

Kneeling on all fours, then waggling your hips from side to side in the pain-free range for 10-15 minutes at regular intervals can help the natural hydraulic action of your spine be maintained. It encourages good blood flow and freedom of movement without adding excessive strain.

You can use arnica cream or gel for natural relief. This is gentle acting but can encourage healing without the nasty side effects of many modern pharmaceutical drugs.

If you are in desperate straits you can also get a support belt for the pelvis that adds a little stability and can be quite useful. 

Does CBD have a role to play here? Well, there is precious little evidence to say it is dangerous or safe to use during pregnancy. I suspect it comes with far less potential trouble than something like ibuprofen but I would always encourage someone who is pregnant to be cautious. Perhaps the best thing to do is to do some research and make up your own mind.

It is worth noting that the more active you are during pregnancy the more likely you are to have the baby in the best position for labour and the stronger you will be for the task at hand. Therefore, please keep exercising when pregnant. Whether this is pilates, yoga, regular walks or something more vigorous and aerobic. 

For what it’s worth my wife was going to boot camp several times a week almost until the day she gave birth and I have no doubt this helped the birthing process. As a side note, she also studied hypnobirthing which was an amazing tool she could use during labour. In my opinion, all women should be taught this as a matter of course when they are pregnant.

What About Back Pain Whilst Sleeping During Pregnancy?

It is unfortunate that the longer the pregnancy goes on, the bigger the bump becomes and this can cause trouble at night in bed.

The simple answer to this is to use pillows galore to support the bump. Put them between your knees if lying on your side which can help reduce pelvic strain. There are various pillows you can buy that are wedge-shaped or large U shapes that can be pushed about to provide support where it is needed.

Whilst this may not fix your pain it will probably give you some relief and help you get some restful sleep.

Diet may have a role to play in reducing pain. Avoiding inflammatory foods can help. The simplest way to make changes is to minimise or avoid cereals, grains, pasta and bread. At the same time make sure you are getting high-quality proteins and fats into your body. Avoid soya-based products and other highly processed foods.

Not only may this have an influence on your pain, but it will also give you more vital energy each day.

Using arnica cream or gel is safe and can give relief too, arnica is excellent for encouraging healing to take place.

It is worth bearing in mind that the more you maintain or improve your physical health throughout your pregnancy the less likely you are to suffer these problems. Our body is a moving machine and prolonged sitting and inactivity will exacerbate your pain.

The Bottom Line

Whilst this can be a painful problem it is going to get better after pregnancy.

Do not despair if you get pelvic or lower back pain, it does not mean it will continue throughout your pregnancy. 

Whilst your midwife may suggest a support belt or crutch the most effective treatment I have seen is gentle, carefully applied osteopathic work. Call your local osteopath and discuss the problem with them.

Pregnancy is not an excuse for giving up on all the aspects of a healthy lifestyle, maintain sensible exercise that you are used to doing, eat well and enjoy the miracle of creating life!