Back Pain During Pregnancy in Vacaville

Being pregnant can give your back a tough time, but the good news in all this is that you know the baby is growing.

Back pain is a common suffering among pregnant women especially during the 2nd half of their pregnancy period.

Despite all this, you should know that there home and professional treatments from Vacaville chiropractors that can help ease your pain. These methods are there to relieve you of your back pain and ensure that you won't be suffering that much until the baby comes out.

Causes of back pain in Vacaville

Back pain during pregnancy is caused by the pelvis meets your spine, particularly at the sacroiliac joint. There are many reasons why it happens and here are some of the likely causes:

• Weight gain - Women typically gain somewhere between 25 to 35 pounds during a healthy pregnancy. With that, the spine must support all that weight, which is why lower back pain is inevitable. The uterus and weight of the baby can also put pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in the back and pelvis, thus causing more pain in the process.
• Hormone changes - A hormone called relaxin is produced by the body during pregnancy, which allows the joints to become looser and the pelvic area to relax in preparation for the birth process. The same hormone also causes the ligaments supporting the spine to loosen, leading to pain and instability.
• Muscle separation - The expansion of the uterus may separate along the center seam. This separation will cause more pain on your back.
• Posture changes - Your center of gravity shifts when you are pregnant. This will result in a gradual adjustment of your posture without you noticing. It can even affect the way you move and could result in back pain or strain.
• Stress - Emotional stress can make your back experience muscle tension, which can be felt as either back pain or back spasms. During the stressful periods of your pregnancy, your back pain will continue to increase in intensity.

Treatments for back pain during pregnancy

If you are not suffering from any chronic backaches before you got pregnant, there is a good chance that the pain will go away before you give birth. There are also things that you can do to treat your back pain or perhaps make it rarer and milder:

• Exercise - Doing regular exercises can help boost flexibility and strengthen your muscles. This will take off any stress on your spine. The safe exercises for pregnant women include swimming, walking, and stationary cycling. You can also ask your doctor for any exercises that can help strengthen your abdomen and back.
• Heat and cold therapy - You can try applying a hot or cold compress on your back to help ease the pain. If your doctor agrees, start putting a cold compress on the painful area for up to 20 minutes and do it for several times a day. After 2 or 3 days, switch to a heat compress. Just remember to never put a heat compress to your abdomen during pregnancy.
• Improve your posture - If you slouch too much, it can cause a strain to your spine. Make sure to always use proper posture when you are sitting, working, or sleeping. If you want, you can also wear a support belt to further help with your posture.
• Chiropractic - Chiropractic manipulation can also help during your pregnancy. This therapy is safe for pregnant women and it can benefit your spine a lot especially in correcting your posture. Dr. Alex Tam of Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine is a licensed chiropractor for this kind of job so you can get in touch with his office if you want to give it a try.