Back Spasms During Pregnancy

It is not uncommon for pregnant women to experience back muscle spasms during this period. In fact, back spasms can be a common discomfort for many women during pregnancy. Like other pregnancy related common complaints, spasm of the back muscles during pregnancy can also be associated with all the physical and hormonal changes that a pregnant woman has to go through. Let's take a brief look at what causes back spasms during pregnancy, as well as how to deal with this problem.

What causes Pregnancy Back Spasms?

Hormonal changes taking place within the body during pregnancy, and the growing fetus can be considered as the main reasons behind frequent back spasms during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles relax, so as to allow the uterus to grow. But if the abdominal muscles are weak, such relaxation can occur much early, which can put more pressure on the back muscles, leading to muscle spasms. Moreover, as the pregnant woman starts gaining weight, more pressure is placed on the back muscles. This too can cause an increase in the frequency of pregnancy back spasms.

Pregnancy also changes the center of gravity and posture of the expecting mothers. The growing uterus shifts the center of gravity of the body forward, which puts more strain on the back muscle, especially the muscles of the lower back region. This in turn, can manifest in lower back spasms during pregnancy. One can also blame the rising levels of pregnancy hormones, such as progesterone and relaxin for causing spasm in the back muscles. These hormones relax or soften the pelvic ligaments, as well as the joint, which support the back and the upper part of the body. This can eventually cause spasms and cramping pain in the lower back region. However, all these changes are necessary to prepare the body for childbirth. Apart from these, the growing uterus can compress the sciatic nerve, which can lead to sciatica. The back pain caused by sciatica can radiate down the leg.

How to Cope with Back Spasms while Pregnant?

It is possible to minimize the severity of back spasms and reduce their frequency with some preventive measures. It is considered by many that one of the best ways to strengthen the back muscles is to exercise on a regular basis. Regular exercising can help to a great extent to manage lower back pain and spasms, especially back spasms in early pregnancy. However, women should talk to their physician to find out the appropriate pregnancy exercises for themselves. While exercising, care must be taken to avoid over stretching. Pregnant women should also avoid high impact exercises. Mild exercises like, walking are ideal for pregnant women.

Along with exercising, women should try to maintain a correct posture in order to avoid straining the back muscle unnecessarily. Relaxation techniques can also be very effective in managing back spasms and other common discomforts during pregnancy. To prevent frequent back spasms during pregnancy, pregnant women should maintain a correct posture while sitting or standing. In general, women during pregnancy should avoid sitting or standing for a prolonged time period, which can aggravate the pain. While sleeping, pregnant women should better sleep on the sides with the knees slightly bent, as sleeping on the back can further aggravate the back pain. For temporary back spasms relief, pregnant women can consider the application of heat or ice pack, if their physicians permit.

Usually, the above mentioned techniques would help the pregnant women to manage back spasms. But, if the back spasm or pain is too severe and acute to be alleviated with these measures, then it is advisable to seek medical attention. In such a situation, medications can be required for back spasms treatment during pregnancy. However, pregnant women should never take any kind of medications including, pain relievers without consulting their physicians. So, if the frequency and severity of back spasms during pregnancy increases, then it is better to get the condition medically evaluated with the help of your physician and then take the appropriate measures to alleviate it.