Pregnancy, postpartum back pain: Doctor reveals causes, relief tips, treatment

If the low back ache during pregnancy and after delivery (postpartum) are ignored, it could lead to a weak spine in the later years of life. Know all about its causes, tips to get relief and treatment as suggested by a doctor.

  

Hormonal and biological changes during pregnancy and childbirth can take a toll on a woman’s body and they can take a few months to fully recover from them but if the low back ache during pregnancy and after delivery (postpartum) are ignored, it could lead to a weak spine in the later years of life. More than 60 percent of women reportedly have lower back pain during pregnancy due to the lordotic compensatory posture that one develops due to the growing weight in the belly area and/or the hormonal changes.

Causes of postpartum back pain:

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Shubhang Aggarwal, Director and Orthopaedic and Robotic Joint Replacement Surgeon at Jalandhar's NHS Hospital revealed, “The condition occurs as during pregnancy, your uterus expands and weakens the abdominal muscles. Also with increased weight in the belly area as the child grows in the womb, causes a compensatory exaggerates backward curvature called lordosis. This bending of the lower spine backward, puts strain on your back.”

Suggesting that the hormonal changes could also cause back pain, Dr Shubhang Aggarwal explained, “The body releases progesterone and relaxing hormones during pregnancy which help to prepare the pelvic cavity of the body for delivery by loosening the ligaments and stretching of joints. Since these hormones stay for a few months after delivery, it leads to post-delivery or postpartum back pain. The natural ‘S’ curve of the spine is affected by pregnancy, and this also shifts the center of gravity.”

He added, “The weight of a growing baby in the uterus can sometimes compresses the nerves exiting the spine, and this also changes the overall posture of mother. While mothers recover from this condition after a few months, the problem doesn’t correct itself after childbirth. Obesity or being overweight can put extra pressure on your back muscles, leading to chronic pain.”

Relief tips:

Dr Shubhang Aggarwal listed ways to relieve lower back pain. These include:

1. Correct posture - Pregnant women tend to slump their shoulders and arch their back as their belly grows, which puts more strain on the spine. If you sit most of the day, which is most common in case of women working from home nowadays, be sure to take regular small walks and stand up straight.

2. Exercise regularly - You may feel like lying in the bed when your back hurts, but that could further aggravate the condition. A little bit of exercise may be just what you need. However, you need to be careful while exercising as in some conditions, you may have to limit your activity or skip exercise altogether.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Do not lift heavy weights after delivery as this can put severe pressure on your back muscles and joints. Apart from that, wear comfortable shoes and make sure they have good arch support.

3. Maintain a normal body weight - Pregnancy often leads to weight gain, so try to get back to normal weight after two to three months of delivery. For achieving a normal or healthy body weight, a correct diet is very important after pregnancy. Include fresh vegetable, fruits, and protein in your diet along with right nutrition and regular exercise and Yoga.

Treatment:

Stressing that mothers must not ignore any excessive back pain or neck pain and must consult an orthopedic specialist, Dr Shubhang Aggarwal shared, “Treatment includes spine rehabilitation which is a proven way to treat postpartum sciatica and lower back pain. Postpartum back pain usually lasts for 6 months but may continue much longer. It occurs mostly while performing activities that involve body movements like walking, lifting, bending, and/or carrying the new baby. Failure to adequately treat the symptoms may lead to chronic pain and affect the overall quality of life.”

A pain-free back after labour and delivery may help new mothers to enjoy their motherhood and take care of their baby.

 

 

What To Do About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you ever experienced numbness in your hands and fingers as you fell asleep it might be an early sign of carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects an estimated 4-10 million Americans. If ignored it can cause long-term damage, so it's really important to take preventive measures against it. Here are six effective ways to treat numbness in hands, which we recommend you give a try as soon as you experience the early signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. But first, let's take a look at what carpal tunnel syndrome is.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is also known as a median nerve compression. The first symptoms that occur are numbness and tingling in the hands and wrists at night. As the condition progresses, the symptoms may worsen during the day. Furthermore, carpal tunnel syndrome is more common among women than men and is more likely to affect middle-aged people. Here's what you can do about it:

 

 

1. Take frequent breaks
Carpal tunnel symptoms are especially evident among people whose jobs require a lot of repetitive motion in their hands and wrists. Your hands need regular breaks between working sessions, so be sure to set a reminder every two to three hours and do a little exercise. 

2. Keep wrists straight while working

There is a positive association between wrist posture and carpal tunnel syndrome, studies show. Adjust your chair so that your forearms are level with your keyboard and try to keep your wrists in a neutral position without bending them.  

3. Consider wearing a wrist splint
Wearing a splint will hold your wrist in a neutral position. It is especially important to wear one if you do a lot of typing or while sleeping at night, so wearing a wrist splint can make a significant difference. 
4. Do wrist exercises
Focus on exercises that will stretch the muscles surrounding the wrists to help ensure that the tendons that pass through the carpal tunnel stay in good shape. Include a variety of stretches, bending, and flexing your wrists when doing these exercises. 

5. Use correct posture
Using correct posture while working is important for more than just your back. If you succumb to poor posture on a regular basis, your shoulder nerves tend to be compressed, which ultimately affects your wrists and hands. Make sure that you sit with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. 
6. Ice your wrists
Ice will help relieve the pain in your wrists and hands. So ice your wrist or soak it in an ice bath for 5 to 10 minutes. While it won't prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, it will alleviate the pain that it causes.
 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                         FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           

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What To Do About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you ever experienced numbness in your hands and fingers as you fell asleep it might be an early sign of carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects a lot of people around the world. If ignored it can cause long-term damage, so it's really important to take preventive measures against it. Here are six effective ways to treat numbness in hands, which we recommend you give a try as soon as you experience the early signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. But first, let's take a look at what carpal tunnel syndrome is. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also known as a median nerve compression. The first symptoms that occur are numbness and tingling in the hands and wrists at night. As the condition progresses, the symptoms may worsen during the day. Furthermore, carpal tunnel syndrome is more common among women than men and is more likely to affect middle-aged people. Here's what you can do about it:
1. Take frequent breaks
Carpal tunnel symptoms are especially evident among people whose jobs require a lot of repetitive motion in their hands and wrists. Your hands need regular breaks between working sessions, so be sure to set a reminder every two to three hours and do a little exercise. 

2. Keep wrists straight while working

There is a positive association between wrist posture and carpal tunnel syndrome, studies show. Adjust your chair so that your forearms are level with your keyboard and try to keep your wrists in a neutral position without bending them.  

3. Consider wearing a wrist splint
Wearing a splint will hold your wrist in a neutral position. It is especially important to wear one if you do a lot of typing or while sleeping at night, so wearing a wrist splint can make a significant difference. 
4. Do wrist exercises
Focus on exercises that will stretch the muscles surrounding the wrists to help ensure that the tendons that pass through the carpal tunnel stay in good shape. Include a variety of stretches, bending, and flexing your wrists when doing these exercises. 

5. Use correct posture
Using correct posture while working is important for more than just your back. If you succumb to poor posture on a regular basis, your shoulder nerves tend to be compressed, which ultimately affects your wrists and hands. Make sure that you sit with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. 
6. Ice your wrists
Ice will help relieve the pain in your wrists and hands. So ice your wrist or soak it in an ice bath for 5 to 10 minutes. While it won't prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, it will alleviate the pain that it causes. 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
                                                                                                                                                                      FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           
                                                                           FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com