5 Annoying Pregnancy Pains and How to Relieve Them

Pains and pregnancy often go hand-in-hand. The changes you’re experiencing in your body are unpredictable, and oftentimes, annoying. Rather than get frustrated by how you feel, try to be proactive. Taking charge of your pain is the fastest way of not letting it control you.

This guide aims to explain the five most common pregnancy pains you’ll experience as well as provide pain-relieving solutions for you to try to make your symptoms subsist.

Pain in the Lower Back

Pregnancy can cause frequent distress in the body. Most women feel discomfort in the upper or lower back. You’ll notice that in the last few months of carrying a child, the pain increases.

Causes

According to Parents magazine, the uterus has the capability of expanding 1,000 times its original size to make way for baby. Add that to the extra weight you’ve packed on and you’ve got a literal pain in the butt. Lower back pain can also be due in part to pregnancy hormones and the way they cause the ligaments in the body to become lax.

Ways to Get Relief

Heat helps. Soak in the tub or use a heating pad or water bottle in the areas of the back that hurt the most. Heat is a natural muscle relaxer.

Swelling

Water retention or edema is noticeable in the hands, ankles, and feet of pregnant women. The symptom appears around the third trimester of pregnancy for many moms-to-be. Afternoon and evening tend to be the worst for swelling.

Causes

Fluid build-up causes edema. Up to 75 percent of women experience some form of swelling while pregnant. If your symptoms worsen, it’s time to contact the doctor for further testing to rule out preeclampsia.

Ways to Get Relief

You can use compression socks, gloves, and even girdles to help reduce swelling. You’ll also want to be mindful of the amount of time you spend outdoors in the warmest months of the year. Elevate your legs often for instant relief.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Tingling or a burning sensation in your fingers, palm, wrist or arm can be due in part to carpal tunnel. Your hand may feel like it is falling asleep a lot. It’s best to give your hands and arms a break from repetitive motions which cause CTS to worsen.

Causes

Keep your weight gain minimal to prevent damage to the ligament in your forearm to your hand. Talk to your physician about ways to reduce swelling. A diuretic may be prescribed if the fluid retention you have is severe.

Ways to Get Relief

Get and wear a wrist brace. Do hand strengthening exercises. Take a break from the computer, tablet or phone regularly.

Sciatica

A literal pain in your butt that traveled from your lower back to your hips and leg, this condition causes great discomfort and numbness. Many women experience it in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. It can affect any of the areas it travels to.

Causes

Pressure on the sciatic nerve is the factor. You may be sitting and standing differently due to the weight you’ve gained. As your uterus grows, it can cause back, pelvic, hip, and leg pain.

Ways to Get Relief

Do prenatal yoga. You can also do exercises against a wall for added support. This helps with sciatica.

Leg Cramps

Muscle contractions typically only last a few minutes when they occur in your legs. They are very painful but can be relieved rather easily. Pregnant women often experience the severity of them at night while they are laying down to sleep.

Causes

Extra blood and water sit in the veins. The effect hormones have on the vascular system causes this issue. That’s why you’re experiencing cramps.

Ways to Get Relief

Walking and stretching help tremendously. Like other types of muscle cramping, heat helps, too. Invest in a good heating pad or hot water bottle at the start of your pregnancy to get you through the worst times.

Take Action to Relieve Pregnancy Pain Right Away

Now that you know which pains are predominantly related to pregnancy, you can do your part to relive them. You’ll feel a lot better because you’ve taken action and decided not to let your pregnancy-related pains get the best of you. Carrying some pain-relieving treatment options with you wherever you go is key as it helps you recover from your symptoms quickly.