One of the most common discomforts that can affect pregnant women is pain in the lower back that extends to the hip and legs, preventing the woman from moving comfortably: Sciatica in pregnancy. Why does it occur? Is it possible to relieve it? We tell you everything below.
The uterus is the part of the body that undergoes the most significant changes during pregnancy, increasing its size about 20 times as the baby grows. This increase in size causes the increasingly bulky uterus to exert more pressure around it. When it reaches the sciatic nerve, pain occurs in the lower back, buttocks, hips and legs.
The sciatic nerve (also called the ischial nerve) It is the thickest nerve in the body, termination of the sacral plexus, which is distributed in the posterior muscles of the thigh, in the leg and in the skin of this and the foot. The term "sciatica" refers to pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the leg, a symptom of a health problem that in the case of pregnant women is, as we have seen, pressure on the sciatic nerve (it can also be fruit of an injury).
According to research in this regard, sciatica appears in almost 50% of pregnant women and occurs more frequently in younger women, those who have suffered or suffer lower back pain, those who sleep a few hours and those who suffer depression during this stage .
Symptoms of sciatica
Sciatic pain can vary widely As we just mentioned. You may feel something like a slight tingling, a twinge, a dull ache, or a burning sensation. In some cases, the pain is so intense that it prevents the movement of the person. It usually occurs more frequently on one side (it happened to me on the right side).
Some women have acute pain in one part of the leg or hip and in other parts there is numbness. Both pain and numbness could also spread to the back of the calf or the sole of the foot. The pain in the lower back is not as severe as when the pain spreads to the leg and makes walking difficult.
When sciatica affects the leg, it can feel weak and sometimes even the foot is immobilized when walking if the pain is intense and prevents the woman from moving normally, in the most severe cases and difficult to cope with.
The evolution of pain is also variableIt can start being mild and get worse due to several reasons: after standing or sitting, at night, when making some sudden movement such as coughing, laughing, bending the body backwards or having a bad posture, if you walk a lot ...
If the symptoms of sciatica continue to get worse instead of better, they get worse suddenly or they are associated with severe headaches, fever, weakness, pain in both legs ... you should consult a doctor immediately.
How to relieve sciatica in pregnancy?
Rest and apply heat over the back area It can relieve the pain of sciatica, as well as gentle pelvic balancing exercises that are performed standing upright (for the second half of pregnancy). Exercises that improve the flexibility of the spine are also recommended.
The practice of other exercises such as swimming, yoga or pilates can also relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve. Many times Performing these tips will calm the pain caused by sciatica in pregnancy, other times it will be the simple change of posture of the baby in the womb that gives us well-being.
However, after an attack of sciatica it is better to suspend the exercise momentarily until slowly starting moderate physical activities. Bed rest, in principle, is not recommended and you should avoid heavy lifting and twisting your back for a few weeks after the pain has started.
Sometimes, if the symptoms are very serious, the doctor recommends resting the future mother for a few days, together with the performance of specific exercises and perhaps some suitable analgesic. There are complementary treatments (chiropractic, therapeutic massage ...) that can also be beneficial if they are performed professionally.
In the hot seasons the pain usually decreases, in my case the arrival of good weather was a blessing and Sciatica pain in pregnancy (which luckily was quite mild) disappeared.
To prevent sciatica in pregnancy remember the recommendations of postural hygiene, trying to load the spine with the lowest possible weight, keeping your back straight regularly, sleeping on your side, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and excessive weight gain ...
Like most discomforts derived from pregnancy, if it has not been possible to fight before (it can be suffered by one in two pregnant women) sciatica disappears after childbirth. Meanwhile, if you are making your normal life impossible, go to the doctor to advise you on the best way to overcome this uncomfortable pain.
