Hello, Mom-to-be. Pregnancy brings lot of changes with it and you might have known it till now. You will experience first of many things while you are pregnant. You will understand what it’s like to be full, bloating, first baby movement and one more is the sciatic nerve pain. Yes, if you get to feel some amazing happiness, you also get some excruciating pain with it. Sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy is one such problem which most of the pregnant women have to deal with.
Sciatic is one type of back pain during pregnancy, which goes till thighs via buttocks. Well, you can be relieved from it by some simple home remedies. But before that, let’s understand what is sciatic, what are its causes and also the symptoms of sciatic nerve pain.
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What is Sciatic?
Sciatic, also known as lumbosacral radicular syndrome happens due to the irritation of the sciatic nerve which starts from the lower spine and ends in the thigh. Sometimes it also affects the buttocks and hips. Sciatic pain can range from mild to severe.
It happens when the sciatic nerve gets compressed. Sciatic nerve runs below the uterus.
What causes Sciatic nerve pain during Pregnancy
You can blame the Sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy on the following things-
- Weight gain- As your baby grows; it puts pressure on your uterus. And the weight gains during pregnancy put pressure on the Sciatic nerve and compress it.
- Expanding uterus- Your expanding uterus due to an increase in pregnancy presses down on the Sciatic nerve in the lower part of the spine.
- Growing belly and breasts- When your belly and breasts grow, it stretches your lordotic curve. This causes the muscles in the pelvis and buttocks area to tighten up and cause sciatic pain.
- Baby’s head can rest directly on a nerve- When in the third trimester, your baby finally starts to position itself in the birthing position, it can settle into the area of the sciatic nerve causing the pain.
- Slipped disc- A herniated or slipped disc causes extra pressure on the growing uterus, causing the pain in Sciatic nerve.
Symptoms of sciatic pain during Pregnancy
Before we switch to the topic of how to get relieved from the Sciatic nerve pain. Let us understand what is the symptom of Sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy.
- Occasional or constant pain in one side of leg or buttocks.
- Sharp, burning pain.
- Difficulty in standing, walking, and sitting.
- Numbness or weakness in affected leg or foot.
Things to do to get relieved Sciatic nerve pain in Pregnancy
- Use warm compress- You can use a hot water bag or a warm compressor on the point where you feel pain.
- Sleep on the side of the body that does not pain- Having said that, if you feel pain on your left side, it is preferable to sleep on your right side. Although the ‘best’ sleeping position for pregnant ladies is the left side.
- Avoid sitting for long- If you have a job which requires a lot of sitting, it is advisable to take frequent walking break, so that it does not exert your body.
- Try Swimming- Swimming is the best exercise when it comes to pregnancy. It relieves your muscles, relaxes you and also takes off some pressure from your body.
- Do not let your leg hang for long- Keeping your leg hanged for long, can make you feel tired and is also a cause of sciatic nerve. So, whenever you can take break let your leg relax, it will ease some leg and lower back pain.
- Prenatal massage- One of the best way to relax yourself and your muscles is getting a prenatal massage. Massaging your body gets you to a whole new level, it is relaxing and also therapeutic.
- Accupuncture- We have always seen and heard that acupuncture works best for relaxing the body. It is one of the traditional pain relief method started in China. By targeting the exact point of the body, you feel relaxed and it also rebalances the flow of energy.
- Prenatal Yoga- Yoga is very beneficial as it relaxes both body and mind. You should not be surprised to understand that Prenatal yoga can relieve the sciatic nerve pain. Yoga realign the body and the nerve compression.
- Kneeling lunges- Kneeling lunges helps to loosen the muscles in the hips, which eases the pressure on muscles and nerve around hips, back and legs.
How to perform:
- Kneel on all four on the soft yoga mat
- Step your leg foot in front of your right leg
- Your left leg thigh should be parallel to the ground
- Exhale, and shift your body weight forward to feel stretch on your legs and hips
- Hold the position for 30 seconds
- Now, repeat the same process with the right foot.
- Child’s pose- This is one of the best exercise and yoga pose for pregnant women. It helps to stretch the muscles in the lower part and also relaxes the body. The child’s pose helps ease pain in the hip and leg.
How to perform:
- Sit on your legs fold
- Let the toes of your both legs get together
- Sit with your back straight
- Now inhale, and get down with your hands in front
- Stay in this pose for few seconds
- Exhale and sit straight again.
So, these are some of the ways in which you can get relief from the Sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy. If the pain you experience is very high and excruciating, it is best to see the doctor.
Just relax yourself and enjoy the pregnancy phase.
