Causes of Lower Back Pain in Late Pregnancy!

If you are in your 8th month of 9th month, there is a good chance you will start feeling lower back pain in late pregnancy. It is not uncommon, but to fix the problem you need to know what is causing it. 

The most probable cause will be the wrong kind of activity during your pregnancy. It can be the bad posture, or something you tried to lift. Or even something so simple as sleeping uncomfortably. 

Some other more serious causes can be that you have a bladder infection, the possibility of pre-term labor or the real labor. If any of these are your concerns, get in touch with your Doctor even if it is false alarm. Better safe than sorry!

Or it can be something as simple as the bad posture. If you sit too long, or stand too long, it really will affect the back pain, and especially if you are standing and having uncomfortable shoes. Those are a big NO NO!

But most probable cause of lower back pain in late pregnancy is the extra weight your belly is putting on your back. The pain can be like it is shooting down your leg, or so unbearable that you cannot move. 

Now if it gets to be unbearable, talk to your DR. and most likely you will have to do some bed rest, but if it is just starting there are many natural methods to help you out with reducing the back pain in late pregnancy, that are completely pregnancy safe. Just don't let the problem get out of hand.   

If you have the time, I suggest you read the free guide written by the Jennifer Lows, on ways to stop and prevent the pregnancy back pain.

Blame Your Lower Back Pain on the Right Side on Years of Poor Sitting Posture

How does our sitting posture affect our lower back pain, right side? Long periods of sitting is a new "activity" for humans. Never before in history have we spent so much time on our "derrière." Our ancestors have spent most of their lives hunting and gathering. Later in history they became farmers or factory workers. Our bodies are not accustomed to so much time on the "toosh" and our backs suffer as a result. That is why so many other countries around the world suffer from fewer lower back problems than those in the US. They are still up and moving.

Our sitting habits that impact our lower back pain, right side, can be attributed to the left side as well, but because the amount of inquiries to the right side are so many, this article will deal primarily with lower back pain, right side. Just know that if you suffer from left side pain, the same applies.

If you work on a lap top computer, you have an advantage because you can easily move your working station to other positions to avoid lower back pain, right side. Try standing as you work and stretch your legs as you type.

If you must sit, make sure your chair has a stiff back and that you do not slouch. Slouching happens to most of us unconsciously so try to be aware of your posture. Straighten up whenever you feel yourself starting to hunch and soon your better posture will become a habit, reducing the chance of lower back pain, right side.

Sure, it is difficult to always keep your feet flat on the floor, but when you sit in awkward positions, you will typically favor the right side--if you are right handed it is your strongest side--and increase your chances of lower back pain, right side. It is alright to shift to different positions from time to time, but try to keep your feet flat on the floor as often as possible with your knees level with your hips. If this makes your buttocks sore, get up and move around every half hour or perform stretching exercises, paying particular attention to the discomfort area in your lumbar region. Do not exercise one side more than the other, however. It is important to develop your muscles evenly. One of the main causes for back discomfort and pain is muscle imbalance from years of poor posture, both standing and sitting.

You can stretch your back and move around while you sit to avoid getting stiff. Turn your head from side to side, pull your shoulder blades back or perform a seated pelvic tilt as you work. Movement can go a long way toward reducing the stiffness in your back and keep you limber and young for years to come.

Driving And Back Pain - Is Your Car Seat Causing Lower Back Pain?

A lot of us experience lower back pain whilst driving. A number of researches have investigated the relationship between driving and Back Pain, which uncovered uncovered some interesting results. One finding is a comparison of drivers in the USA and in Sweden found that 50% of people questioned in both countries reported low back pain.

So what is the connection of driving and back pain?

So far research has found three factors for low back pain whilst driving. The first one is the vibration from the engine (something that you can not change), the sitting position is the second factor and the third one is the length of time that we drive.

Scientists at laboratories have researched the effects of vibration of our body whilst driving. The Lumbar Spine(lower back) naturally resonates at a frequency of 4-5 Hertz and from research they found that this natural frequency can be distorted. This distortion can result into higher spinal loadings (compression) in the lower back, therefore causing an increased chance of low back pain. As mentioned before you can not change the vibration of the engine, but what you can do to reduce the effects of this on your lower back is to drive shorter periods at a time.

It is a lot easier to get comfortable in your seat when the car is stationary, a bit like sitting in a normal chair. But once you start driving the body will be subject to various forces like accelerations and decelerations, lateral movements from side to side and whole body vibrations.When we sit on a chair our feet, when on the floor, are used to support and stabilise the lower body. Whilst driving our abdominal muscles can not provide enough stability to our upper body and arms when turning the wheel. This will result in a significant increase of torsional stresses in the lower back, which in return will significantly increase the risk of low back pain.

To start with we should address one more important issue first - we all are guilty when it comes to adjusting our car seats correctly! In 2004 one of the largest car insurance companies (I won't mention a name, after all you may think I am paid to write about this), released the findings of a research into how we sit in our car. (about 2.000 people were involved in this).

The research resulted in the following -

• The headrest was found to be in an incorrect angle when driving of 61% of people involved in the study. This will increase the chance of ruptures of the spinal ligaments or worse when involved in an accident.

• 50% showed a slouched or hunched position over the steering wheel.

• About a third of the drivers had back pain whilst driving.

• 25% tilted their heads or shifted in their seats each time they had to look into the 'rear view mirror'.

• Wearing unsuitable footwear or clothing happened to 34% of the drivers.
  
  

Please find below a list of 10 ways that can help to improve your seating position, make your driving experience more comfortable.

The Seat

Make sure that your bottom sits all the way in the back of the seat - where the base and the back of the seat meet. This will help to make you sit more upright and maintain the natural curvature of the spine, minimizing the stress on the spinal ligaments. If your seat has a lumbar roll built in have this all the way out - most cars with lumbar support that i tried do not allow enough support fom this lumbar roll, therefore it would be best to have it all the way out.

The Base length and Height of the Seat

The base of the seat should never touch the back of your knees and the front of the base should be slightly higher then the back, helping to provide more support and allowing you press the pedals without changing your spinal posture.

The Backrest

First relax back into your seat, place the seat at about a 10-15 degrees incline from the vertical position. If this feels unnatural to you then it probably means that the backrest is not upright enough for you. This can result into neck strain and / or coccyx (sitting bone) pain. Move the backrest more upright or if that doesn't help you can place a small towel (folded in three) against the midspine, between the shoulder blades.

The Headrest

Have you ever noticed when watching an American movie that the headrests are often missing from the seats - it makes me crinch each time i see this (ooch). So much for giving a good example to our children. The position of your headrest will not only help to minimise the injuries of an accident but also to help to allow a better posture. The bony bit at the back of your head (known as the 'inion') is a good guiding point, the headrest should be level with this. There should be about 2.3 cm's (1 inch for the non -metrics) between the back of your head and the headrest, when you are in the sitting position as described earlier. This to absorb shock as much as possible. This allows for the ligaments and the muscles of your neck to control the posture of your head better and giving better support in case of an accident.

Seat - Pedal distance

Make sure you have the distance between seat and the pedals so that when operating the pedals this does not cause you to over strech your legs or twist your body in any way. Thus your legs should not be straight when pushing the throttle or clutch all the way down. Obviously your knees should not be bend to the point you cannot easily move from one pedal to another. It is normally advised to have your knees bend about 45 degrees.

The Arm position

Your arms should be as relaxed as possible, elbows bend around 20-30 degrees. If your steering wheel is adjustable have it in the mid to lower position (make sure the wheel does not partially obstruct the instrument panel), this will help to reduce the stress on your shoulders. Your hands should be positioned at '10 past10' and not as is suggested left hand at 9 o'clock and right hand at 3 o'clock.

The Armrests

If your seat has armrests then it is advised to use these. As a guidance you should position the armrests so that they gently support the elbows, any more will cause the shoulders to rise and increase the change of straining your neck.

The Mirrors

These should only be adjusted once you have positioned your seat as described above. If not sure then please revisit the information again how to adjust your seat. The mirrors should be adjusted to allow you to freely look into them without the need of having to move your head much. you either have adjusted the mirrors incorrectly or you are to close to the steering wheel.

Adjusting Seat at intervals

This sound great in theory but for most of us this may be akward whilst driving. For those who have electric seats it is easier (although it always advicable to stop first), just reach for the buttons to adjust the seat without the need to take our attention of the road. It is said that you should be doing this every 30 mins. to reduce the incidents of back pain. This allows to change the pressure that is placed on the spine is varied regularly. Once arrived at your destination it would be good to strech! (don't worry if it looks funny, soon everybody in the carpark will join in - you can be proud having started a new 'healthy' trend)

Have breaks

We all have seen the 'take a break' sign along the roads, helping you to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel. Taking a break helps your back as well, so when you need to take a rest you can have a strech at the same time to help your back. An hour maximum is the current thinking, although these tips should be taken as a general rule. This is a good time to adjust your seating position!

Intense Lower Back Pain - What You Need to Know

Intense lower back pain causes millions of people to be in discomfort each and every day. Knowing a few techniques to apply when you feel discomfort is always essential and can ease the ailment. With millions of people suffering, fixing the cause can be serious and sometimes requires invasive surgery. Before surgery, most patients are urged to attend therapy is the first step in finding relief. Intense lower back pain can be solved with different methods.

Methods for dealing with the pain

It is always necessary to know the source of the injury. Any treatment that does not deal with the source will only offer temporary relief. Muscles spasms can be treated with a hot towel while inflammation requires cold icy towel. It is best to alternate 3 to 4 times with this treatment by placing the pack on the exact spot with the inflammation. There are also other methods to deal with the intense pain. Medications can be taken to ease the pain but could become addictive over time and have a lesser effect. Exercise and therapy such as acupuncture or yoga are sometimes recommended. When the symptoms persist, a doctor may need to diagnose the source and provide treatment under supervision. Some intense lower back pain can be the underlying effect of a much more serious problem such as arthritis and other degenerative muscle disease.

Cause of lower back pain

There are many reasons why you may feel uncomfortable. Lifting heavy objects improperly, sleeping or sitting and placing too much stress on the back muscles, anxiety, and depression are just a few causes that may result. You can also have broken bones after an accident. Some causes may be due to displacement of the spine and related bones. When pain is acute or chronic, seeking medical attention is the best solution to prevent complications that could be the result of a more serious problem in the future.

Preventions better than cures

It's always best to take preventive measures than have to face the possibility of undergoing surgery. Intense lower back pain can be prevented by taking precautions when lifting heavy material or by not putting the back muscle under too much stress. Exercising can also help strengthen the back muscles. Often, walking and swimming are good exercises for the back to strengthen the core muscle groups and make them stronger for more physical activities.

Note that while this is sound advice, it is just informational and any type of treatment should only come from a board certified doctor.

Back Pain Products: Ergonomic Chair Accessories

For those who cannot obtain an ergonomic chair and those whose ergonomic chairs aren't enough to alleviate back pain, there are numerous orthopedic chair accessories on the market. These back pain products assist in alleviating pressure on the spine and easing tension on lower back muscles.

Much of the lower back pain experienced today is the result of poor posture, particularly for those whose jobs require long-distance driving or sitting in an office chair all day. The following back pain products are designed to counter the harmful effects of sitting.

Lumbar Cushions

When sitting for long periods of time, most people have a difficult time maintaining their natural lumbar arch. This is because the weight of the upper body bears on the muscles of the core, which give out eventually if they are not conditioned. This allows the shoulders to stoop and the lower spine to flatten. In this position, the spine is strained and the lower back muscles are forced to support the upper body without the abdominal muscles engaged to assist. Lumbar cushions are designed to maintain the natural arch of the lumbar spine, providing support to the lower back muscles and encouraging proper posture.

Lumbar supports are very helpful for many types of back pain, but not every type. Those with spinal arthritis, for example, should be cautious of these cushions, since enhancing the arch of the lumbar spine could cause painful compression of the joints.

Amazon customers report widespread satisfaction with various cushions. According to their reviews, the two main complaints with lumbar cushions are design and density. Many of these cushions have winged sides; they may not mold properly with a seat that also has winged sides. Some also feel that certain brands are too soft and provide inadequate support. Make sure the chair or seat you're adding a cushion to will actually fit it, and test density if possible before making a purchase.

Wedge Cushions

These foam seat cushions have a wedge design that tilts your pelvis forward, alleviating pressure off the tailbone. Many of these cushions have a built-in gap where your coccyx would rest to facilitate further decompression. Tilting the pelvis forward encourages the spine to maintain its natural S-shape curve.

Amazon reviewers are largely happy with their wedge cushions, but the common complaint pertains to density. Some are very firm, while others are very soft. If you are a petite person, a softer cushion may be capable of providing adequate support, whereas a firm one may cause painful compression in the buttocks. For a larger person, a soft cushion may simply flatten out and fail to tilt the pelvis. Take firmness into consideration when choosing what to purchase.

Comfort Seats

Composed of either thin plastic or foam, the comfort seat is designed to cup the buttocks and provide support to the pelvic bones, which serve as a foundation for the spine. On top of encouraging proper posture, this product is designed to support the tailbone. Some comfort seats also tilt the pelvis forward as wedge cushions do, but by different design.

Based on product reviews from Amazon and QVC customers, the main complaint with seats like the Relaxo-Bak is that they can be too big for some users. The plastic can dig into the backs of your legs and fail to match up with your pelvic bones. Some users prefer the more expensive foam seats by Backjoy to the plastic for both comfort and support.

It is important to remember that these back pain products are designed to assist your body temporarily, not replace core strength. These accessories will only help to alleviate some of your back pain; true relief comes from solving the problem that caused it. If core weakness is plaguing your back, it will affect your posture when standing and moving. Consider these products aides to recovery, not cures.

To help you decide if these products are right for you, refer to http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.qvc.com/ and search for the product you're interested in. These sites allow you to compare prices and read customer reviews. Most of these accessories are relatively inexpensive, and are worth a try if your chair or car seat is uncomfortable. Chair accessories could be a useful supplement to your back pain relief plan.

Pregnancy and Lower Back Pain, What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know

Back pain and pregnancy, tips on what you can do to make your pregnancy and lower back pain a little easier to deal with.

Normal weight gain in pregnancy is about 35 pounds, but lots of women I have met over my twenty-year midwifery career gained 35 pounds to 70 pounds during pregnancy. The stress of sudden weight gain during the short cycle of pregnancy can cause back pain and pregnancy misery.

Pregnancy posture change:

Pregnancy and lower back pain happens because of pregnancy weight gain and the automatic adjustments your body makes in posture to accommodate the growing womb. This change in posture is called pregnancy lordosis. Upper and lower back pain and pregnancy lordosis go hand in hand because your spine becomes super curved, elongated, and your breast and buttocks stick out pulling and stretching your back muscles.

Pregnancy hormones:

On top of this, back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand because of the higher levels of pregnancy hormones you produce. Pregnancy hormones have a relaxing effect on many of the muscles in your body to accommodate the muscle stretching that is required during pregnancy. Relaxed muscles are not as supportive to the spine and abdominal muscles, therefore many women complain of back pain and pregnancy shoulder stress.

Pregnancy pelvic changes:

The female pelvis is made up of many different bones. When you get towards the end of your pregnancy, a baby cannot fit to a normal-sized woman's pelvis without the pelvis opening and expanding. The pelvis has two major joints; one towards the right and one towards the left of your lower back along with a hinge joint at the very tail end of your spine.

Back pain and pregnancy ligament pulling and stretching is a direct result of your pelvis opening, which will allow your baby's head to engage or enter into the cavity of your pelvis. Pregnancy and lower back pain is also caused by the excess pressure felt deep within your pelvis as your baby sits and waits for labor to commence.

All of these factors taken together, it is not unusual for pregnant women to get backache. So if you get a backache straight away start doing things to prevent your backache from getting worse or getting out of control.

How to help minimize symptoms associated with pregnancy and lower back pain:

I definitely recommend having nice warm bath soaks, putting nice warm compresses on your back, or even better still having back massages to help with your pregnancy and lower back pain.

I would absolutely recommend that every pregnant woman go to see a chiropractor during pregnancy. A lot of traditional obstetrician, gynecologist and midwives are a little afraid of sending the women to a chiropractor because they are just not informed as to what chiropractors actually do. A chiropractor can help your spine accommodate easier to all the posture changes that happens during your pregnancy and relieve pain associated to pulled and stressed muscles associated to pregnancy and lower back pain

Apart from that, let us look at what things can you do to your own body to help minimize back pain and pregnancy. Wearing a good supporting bra during your pregnancy will support the increased breast weight and uplift your breasts so they do not feel so heavy. This will alleviate a lot of the upper back stress associated with pregnancy and lower back pain.

There are also a lot of pregnancy stomach binders that have been created to help support the weight of your growing womb which can help relieve back pain and pregnancy ligament discomfort.

Many women are focused on fashionable shoes and wear ridiculous footwear during pregnancies that do not support their posture and feet. I cannot believe how many pregnant women out there are wearing ridiculously high shoes or low shoes. Remember, as you become more and more pregnant all the bones and muscles within your feet are stressed.

Take a good look at the shoes you are wearing during your pregnancy and ask yourself these questions to evaluate the importance of your feet:

Do your shoes have a good supportive arch in them?

Are your shoes nice and wide to accommodate the increasing growth and widening of my foot associated to extra blood volume and swelling that occurs during pregnancy?

Can your foot easily slip out of your shoe? If so you could trip and fall and injure yourself or your baby.

The more informed you are about pregnancy the better choices you will make. Better choices mean a happier healthier mom and baby. Pregnancy can be an extraordinary experience for a woman. It is far more than growing a baby and understanding pregnancy and lower back pain.

Pregnancy has a huge emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic side to it. The more you understand these aspects, the easier and less symptomatic your pregnancy will be. Learning how to connect with the emotions of your unborn child will allow you to enhance your pregnancy experience and surrender to its normal physiological process of pregnancy and lower back pain.

Sore Lower Back - What Are the Treatment Options?

A common complaint that arises is a sore or injured lower back. And, what you will discover when you have suffered from a sore lower back is that there are an overwhelming array of options available to repair the damage and alleviate the pain. Every person you meet will have a different opinion on what you should do about your back pain. So, I am going to try and explain what some of the alternative treatments mean to help you better understand your options.

Physiotherapy

The first time you injure your back, you are most likely to end up at the physiotherapist. Their technique will typically revolve around muscle manipulation to correct the issue. They will use a range of massage and stretching techniques around the affected area and into your legs as well. You will typically be given a range of exercises that you then complete on a regular basis to try and maintain ongoing muscle movement.

Osteopath

An osteopath will work on a combination of your muscles and bones to fix the problem and relieve your symptoms. You will find an osteopath will be very interested in your personal history to understand where the problem started, even going back to childhood. They will also look at your stance and posture, particularly the positioning of your hips relative to your spine and legs. Most treatments typically involve a combination of massage and spinal adjustment. Similarly to a Physiotherapist, you will be given some exercises to stretch and strengthen the area between appointments.

Chiropractor

A Chiropractor is interested in your spine. After an assessment of your problem, a Chiropractor will manipulate your spine to attempt to correct the problem over time. There are two techniques for manipulation that I have seen, although there may be more. Any Chiropractors that are out there feel free to chime in! The first technique I have seen is physical manipulation where they use their body to adjust your spine. The second is the use of a small device that pushes into the area they wish to treat. It has a flat, round end that applies a small amount of pressure to a targeted area so it doesn't hurt.

Massage

Remedial massage or myotherapy is also commonly used to treat back pain. Essentially, the massage therapist will attempt to reduce tension around the affected area and release toxins that have built up in the muscles over time. This typically treats the symptoms rather than the cause itself. Having said that, massage is an effective way to regain movement and reduce pain. Many people also use it as part of a maintenance strategy to prevent further injury in the future. It is probably worth mentioning at this point, that once you injure your back, it is very rare not to experience problems again.

Pilates

Pilates is a good preventative and long term repair strategy for people with lower back pain. It is focused on building the muscles that support your spine, commonly referred to as core strength. In doing so, you are managing the risk of further injury as your body starts to gain strength in the right areas. There are two types of Pilates to choose from called clinical or classic.

Yoga

Similarly to Pilates, yoga is another preventative strategy. Many people actually start yoga to help alleviate or manage lower back pain. Yoga provides a structured approach to stretching of the muscles and helps build strength over time.

These are just a few of the treatments and management strategies that you will hear about. Others will include Acupuncture, Bowen Therapy and lots, lots more. It goes without saying that your choice of treatments will need to be one that is right for you but I hope that this has given you a better understanding of the spectrum of alternatives. It is also worth mentioning that many people end up using a couple in parallel and if that is the case just make sure you tell whoever is treating you, so they have the full picture. Best of luck with finding a treatment that is right for you!