I am 23 weeks pregnat and have a 2 1/2 year old little boy. I developed a sharp pain on the right side of my body (hip/buttox area). At first I thought maybe I pulled a muscle, but my sister said it sounds like sciatica. I go to the OB this week, but was wondering if anyone had advice on how to handle the pain. It seems to be much worse in the evening, or when bending up and down. Thanks.
The "pigeon" yoga pose specifically addresses the sciatic nerve and opening the hip. I did it all the time when I was pregnant; my sciatic nerve gave me lots of trouble and doing that was the only thing that helped.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVlX5HNKamw
Dr. Nick Milnor is a fantastic doc that does great soft tissue work. He is a chiropractor but does so much more than chiropractic. He genuinely cares about his patients and spends a great deal of time with you at each and every visit. His number is ###-###-#### and you can speak directly with him about your case before you even get to the office. He has worked with pregnant patients all the way thru' their ninth month. Highly recommended.
Definitely talk to your doctor. I had horrible lower back pain when I was pregnant. It would twinge even just when I made a left turn in the car. My OB prescribed physical therapy (which I didn't end up doing), but also advised walking every day. She said that I needed the endorphins from the exercise to deal with the pain. Well, it so worked! Even if I just waddled slowly for about 1/2 hour each day, it made all the difference. I also did prenatal yoga and wore the maternity belt. These helped, too, but the most helpful thing was the walking.
My mother got relief from her sciatica pressure by going to a chiropractor. They have ones that specialize in Pre-natal. Maybe this will help you.
Man I know how bad that hurts the first time if brought me to my knees! Pretty much the only thing that helped my was to get on my hands and knees and rock back and forth a warm shower helped also.
Ask your Ob for some stretches you can do to ease the sciatica. Pre-natal yoga works very well! Maybe find a class or a yoga instructor who can teach you a few yoga postures. It really, really helps. I know of some great instructors here in SA, so there has to be some in Houston.
Also go to: yogajournal.com and in the search field, look for yoga for pregnancy. Diagrams help.
You do not need PT for sciatica unless in continues after the baby is born. In 90 % of the cases, mine for one, the sciatica goes away right after the baby weight comes off your pelvic floor and that nerve.
I suffered with sciatica during my last pregnancy as well. The only thing that helped me were weekly chiropractic adjustments. He was very gentle and it's safe.
I work for a chiropractor and we treat alot of pregnant women. I also would suggest using ice but make sure not to use heat because it may feel good at the time but it can actually make the pain worse. Hope you find some relief.
A chiropractic adjustment can help. You'll need your body to be well aligned for birth, so this will be a bonus. Pain relievers just mask the pain, not take away the problem.
Good luck!
I got relief from sciatica by visiting a chiropractor (something suggested by my ob). It took a few visits (3 or 4), but it pretty much went away. I understand your pain. When mine came on, it felt like I was sitting on a broken bone. Not fun at all. Talk about a pain in the A**!
Good luck!
it would be great if you can find someone that specializes in pregnancy massage. When I was having problems with sciatica, stretching out my hamstrings really gave me relief and I learned this from a massage therapist. Also, if you are able to do any type of exercise, trying to strenghthen your core muscles will help also.
Hi there
I had sciatica with both pregnancies. OUCH. I ended up needing physical therapy, which my OB recommended. My insurance did cover 80% of it since the doctor prescribed the therapy. It made a HUGE difference. I was then able to do some of the stretches at home to relieve the pain. I also went to a Chiro for relief. Dr Galloway on 1960, close to Willowbrook Mall. He was awesome in giving me relief as well. My insurance covered that completely. Good Luck.
My advice would be, if your pain continues after you have your baby, that you consider acupuncture and pilates, if you can find time. Through the help of both I was able to overcome a pretty serious case of sciatica. Hope you feel better soon.
Chiropractic for sure, and pregnancy massage too! I too work for a chiropractor and was adjusted through and after both pregnancies, helped tremendously!
Oh I remember that pain... it is rough for sure! It may be sciatica, or it may be SI joint pain. Chiropractic helped me tremendously - I hightly recommend it for either condition. If you have access to a pool, the weightlessness of water helped offer some relief as well. But the good news is that it will pass eventually.
Good luck!
I had the same issue on my right side. What helped me was walking and yoga stretches, holding them for a few minutes at a time. Pigeon is excellent pose to do for sciatic, place a bolster/folded blanket to support the area also while in the pose to go into easily and relax. Also bound angle pose and lunges. Look for a teacher in your area that is prenatal yoga certified, as I am.
Hope you get some relief!
Sounds like your sister is really smart! I bet it is definitely sciatica. I've had it too and the best thing is to stay off your feet. Teach your little one to get used to not being carried, etc. Also, lay on your opposite side to relieve the pressure! Good luck.
I would see a chiropractor.... might save a lot of pain... could just be that your alignment is off...
This sounds wierd, but really helped me when I was chasing a toddler while pregnant: Get on hands and knees, then lower down to your elbows and put your head towards the floor. This suspends the baby in the air, and takes all the pressure off your back & nerve. I did this repetedly during the day, and to keep my child from jumping on me, I would just have her do it along side me.
maternity belt! I bought one after my OB recommended it and it was a miracle. it was velcro and elastic and looked like it would not help, but it was great. And no one could see it under my clothes. I bought mine at motherhood maternity, but I think i've seen them at babies r us also.
I did a pregnancy yoga stretch for mine. You get down on hand and knees and arch your back upwards, tucking your butt in and head down, and hold. Then release, letting your abdomen fall downwards and lifting your head up. This is to help shift the baby forward off the nerve. I had to do it nightly. But definitely ask your OB, mine offered to send me to a physical therapist to work on it.
to help stretch the area- If possible while standing, squat just a little and bend the leg on the side that is hurting and put it so your heel of that foot is on your other leg around your knee. You end up kind of looking like you are sitting in a chair with one leg crossed. You can probably do something similar while sitting. Here are a couple of websites with some other exericses that might help. The last one shows something similar to what I am talking about on the left done while sitting in a chair
http://quickcare.org/musc/sciatica-exercises.html
http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/exercise-sc...
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/exercises-to-release-sciat...
I have sciatica pretty bad from time to time. The best thing to do is move. The more you lay in place the worse it gets. It is a nerve thing and not a muscle thing so stretching doesn't really help.
Also, ask your OB what analgesics you can take. Usually they will let you take tylenol. That may take the edge off.
Make sure you are wearing the correct shoes with arch support and some cushioning. I had horrible pain for the first few months of pregnancy until I stopped wearing flip-flops and put on some better shoes. It helped so much.
MASSAGE! find someone who specializes in pregnancy massage and enjoy! :)
FYI: The Sciatic Nerve attaches runs down spine (L4 - S3) and splits at the hip to run down both legs. Sciatica is a condition where the Glutius and the piriformis muscles in the butt become inflamed and pinch on the never causing pain and tingling in various areas like the low back, hips, and legs. Worsening conditions can cause the body to try and adjust causing further pain in the mid and upper back and neck.
Another possible cause of your low back pain could be from muscle tightness or injury to the QL, psoas and iliacus muscles. During a pregnancy, the baby could be causing abnormal posture and the overuse or pressure on these muscles. The QL connects from the back of the T12 vertebrae to the iliac crest (hip bone). The iliopsoas muscles start in the front of the T12 and connect throughout the pelvic and groin area. The muscles also play a part in low back pain
“Psoas muscle pain may show up as groin pain (psoas tendinitis or psoas bursitis), deep pelvic pain (lumbopelvic pain), pain deep in the belly, or lower back pain. Iliopsoas syndrome is a collection of symptoms, such as those listed above, caused by tight iliopsoas muscles.”
http://www.somatics.com/psoas.htm
Seriously,
call a chiropractor! They are fantastic and many of them work with pregnant patients. They can help you get some relief from that back pain WITHOUT turning you into a pretzel. The last thing you need is debilitating back and leg pain while preggo. And, it's only going to get worse if you don't fix it!
I am a very LONG time back pain sufferer and it soooooo works!
I know a 2 great chiropractors in Houston.
Dr. Richard Guidry, 2825 Wilcrest Dr, Houston, TX 77042 , ###-###-#### and
Dr. Tracey McIntyre - ChiroHealth Chiropractic Wellness Center
1816 Broadway, Suite 102
Pearland, TX 77581
Phone: ###-###-####
Fax: ###-###-####
Email: http://chirohealthsolutions.net/index.php
I have bad hips from an injury and I never would have made it through my pregnancy pain free without chiropractic care. I am a dancer and though I live in Austin, I know these chiropractors personally and have been worked on by both of them. They are excellent! Tracey has 3 children herself. Tracy was an international dance champion, Richard dances pro/am on the country western circuit. Best of luck to you!
If you stretch before you get out of bed everymorning it will help. Stretch your legs by pointing your toes toward the ceiling and then point them straight out like you are on your tip toes if you were standing. this will help the muscles in your back and will help with the sciatica nerve. I had this problem and it really helps just to stretch your legs before you get out of bed.
