PhysioActive.SG - Physio During Pregnancy

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Sciatica Pain During Pregnancy Natural Ways to
Get Over It
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When you are expecting a baby, there are tonnes
of ailments that can make it hard to go about
your day. Your body is changing rapidly making
it impossible to adapt to the new situation
without getting heartburn, swollen ankles, and
insomnia every once in a while. It's as if this
isn't bad enough per se, some women experience
sciatica pain, which can make even walking a
challenge. What are some medicine-free ways to
control this and make pregnancy more bearable?
Let's dig into the matter.
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What Is Sciatica and Who Does It A?ect?
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This is a type of burning pain that occurs in
the back and can travel from the hips to the
feet. It usually a?ects one side of the body.
The main culprit is the sciatic nerve. Being
the longest and largest one in the human
physical structure, it runs from the sacral and
lumbar plexuses to the thighs, through the
buttocks, connecting them to the spinal cord.
Its main function is to send signals to and from
the feet, lower legs, and thighs, using the
skin and muscles. This explains why the sciatic
pain can span across multiple parts of the body.
The problem a?ects people of all ages, but of
course, some are more impacted than others. That
being said, the older you get, the greater the
likelihood of getting the symptoms. In general,
the intervertebral disc begins to degenerate
and lose resilience around the age of 30, which
means if you are older than that, you are
already running some risk. It is important to
acknowledge that sports activities and work
increase the chances of injury. Hence, the
people that are most vulnerable to this kind of
pain are those between 30 and 50.
Having a sedentary lifestyle might add to the
problem too. Lack of physical activity, a
couch-potato behaviour, lots of driving, or
working at a computer - all these can lead to a
compressed or pinched nerve in the body.
Now is the best time to point out that sciatica
is not a disease or diagnosis. I t describes a
combination of symptoms that arise as a result
of nerve damage.
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How to Recognise the Signs?
The symptoms of sciatica, or rather the way it
manifests itself, are
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Tingling or burning down one leg
Lower back pain
Constant pain on one side of the body
Pins and needles
Numbness or weakness in one foot or leg
Di?culty moving one foot or leg
Shooting pain in any of the abovementioned parts
of the body, which usually makes standing up a
real challenge
Hip pain
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What Causes Sciatica Pain and How Is It
Diagnosed?
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Common causes of sciatica include
To ?nd out what is causing the symptoms,
you need to get an actual physical exam. Your
doctor will assign a series of tests such as an
X-ray, MRI or CT. But then again, if you are
pregnant, none of this will be a good idea. Talk
to your healthcare provider about it.
Piriformis syndrome. It is characterised by
pain in the buttocks and hips that arises due to
an irritated piriformis muscle. Spinal disc
herniation. This one happens when the ring of an
intervertebral disc tears down causing the soft
gel-like substance inside to protrude out of it.
In most cases, it irritates the L5-S1 nerve
roots. Spondylolisthesis. This condition
occurs when one of the spinal bones moves out of
alignment. It does not always cause any symptoms
but when it does, it can manifest itself as mild
to severe leg pain. Spinal stenosis. This is
when the spaces within the spine get narrower,
leaving insu?cient room for the nerves. It is
most common in the neck and lower back.
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Why Does It Happen to Pregnant Women?
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As we already said, this nerve is the largest one
in the body. Since it sits below the uterus, it
can get irritated or compressed by the baby
itself. The fact that your posture will change
throughout the months, forced by the growing
bump, also plays a part.
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How to Treat Sciatica Pain During Pregnancy
Without Medication
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Expecting mothers can go for a number of methods
for sciatic nerve pain relief that do not
involve the use of anti-in?ammatory drugs.
Physical therapy (by PhysioActive Singapore).
This is a term that covers a range of treatments
to use for di?erent ailments and medical
conditions. It can include anything from
core-strengthening exercises to osteopathy. The
way it helps people with sciatica symptoms is by
realigning the muscles and joints, improving
blood ?ow, and reducing in?ammation. A physical
therapist can suggest the right type of physical
activity for you and walk you through the
process. In addition, they can work with you
individually to make sure you are doing the
movements in a safe fashion.
Prenatal yoga. Yoga is a well-known practice
that can reduce weight, enhance energy and
respiration, maintain a good metabolism,
increase ?exibility, and protect from injury.
Furthermore, it is linked to improved athletic
performance and cardio health. Implementing the
right poses into your regimen can be of great
help when it comes to alleviating sciatica pain.
Needless to say, you should do this under the
guidance of a professional. During pregnancy,
your ligaments loosen and it can be dangerous to
perform some postures.
Acupuncture. A dominant factor in Chinese
medicine, acupuncture is not based on science.
It soothes pain by producing endorphins and is
actually safe to use during pregnancy. Many
moms-to-be are reluctant to take medicine for
minor ailments and instead seek more
baby-friendly methods. Contrary to what most
people think, the treatment is not painful. At
the very least you may experience a dull ache at
the site of the inserted needle. Tingling is
also possible. Things can get a little bit more
intense at the ?ngers and toes but the
unpleasant sensation is likely to be short-lived.
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What are Some Good Stretching Exercises That
Can Help?
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Lunge. Kneel on the ?oor. Move one foot forward
trying to create a 90-degree angle. Now, lean
forward and make sure you shift the weight from
your torso to your front leg. When you feel a
stretch in your thigh and hip, hold the position
for a few seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Bridge. Lie on your back and bend your knees.
Keep your arms straight. Your feet should be
positioned hip- width apart and ?at on the
ground. As you breathe in, begin to move your
lower back o? the ?oor. Then move on to your
hips and back until you've lifted o? your entire
back from the yoga mat. Make sure you keep a
neutral spine. Hold for a while. As you breathe
out, gradually move into the starting position.
Repeat a few times.
Before you begin any of these stretches, ensure
that you get a yoga mat or something of the same
calibre. It will keep your body (feet and hands)
from slipping. The last thing you want is to get
hurt while trying to make yourself feel better.
Child's pose. Get on all fours. Your knees should
be under your hips. Ensure that your toes are
touching one another. As you breathe in, slide
your belly between your knees. With arms
outstretched, your butt should come closer to
your heels and your forehead should be on the
ground. If you can't get your head to touch the
ground, put a pillow below it. Don't carry it
too far, you don't want to hurt yourself or your
baby. Hold the position for a couple of breaths.
Cat-cow. Get on all fours, making sure your hips
are over the knees and your shoulders over the
wrists. Arch your back and drop your belly. Your
shoulders should be rolled back. Then as you
exhale, hunch over your back like a cat. Repeat
a few times.
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What Is the Best Sleeping Position for Sciatica?
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If you can make a few adjustments, almost all
sleep strategies will work for you. For instance,
slumbering on your back is a great choice but it
is important to put a pillow beneath your knees.
That way you will keep the spine's natural curve
in place. Without additional support, your back
might be exposed to more pain than usual. Keep in
mind that this position is not the best for
people with sleep apnoea. Now, what about those
side sleepers? They could try tucking a pillow
between the legs. This will help keep the entire
spine in a neutral position. By adding support,
the body is not likely to twist as much as it
does when rolling the leg forward to sit on the
bed. Without a doubt, the worst position is
sleeping on your stomach but considering you're
growing a baby inside of you, that's not even an
option right now. Yet, in case you are wondering
why this isn't a good idea in general, let us
clarify. It just works against gravity, causing
your back to stay extended and arch in an unusual
way. This can worsen the pain signi?cantly.
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Pregnancy and sciatica should not go together
but, alas, we don't have control over these
things, do we? What matters is that there are
certain steps to take to make the process a
little bit less daunting for you. It is best to
consult a specialist about it but it doesn't
hurt to try a few tricks at home. Now, if the
pain is severe and those tips are of no use,
there is still the hope that once you deliver,
things will go back to normal, Pregnancy might
last a long period but it's going to be over one
day. And when the baby is born, the pressure on
the nerves will eventually be relieved.
Final Thoughts
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Orchard Branch at Camden Medical Centre 11-05
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