Sciatic Pregnancy - Is There Something You Can Do?
Article Source: HealthSnare.com
What options do you have when your sciatic nerve is giving you a hard time during what is supposed to be a very exciting and joyful time of your life? Pregnancy sciatica is a series of symptoms caused by the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower spine, through your buttocks, down the back of your thighs into your feet. When the nerve gets inflamed due to pressure by either a herniated disk, or a clenched muscle (as in piriformis syndrome) or a list of other conditions, shooting pains, a burning sensation, tingling or numbness in lower back, buttocks and even thighs may be the result.
During their pregnancy women are more prone to experiencing injury to their disks. Since the location and position of the baby during the second and third trimesters puts it quite close to the area the sciatic nerve runs through. Pressure on the nerve usually heightens during that time and it's no surprise when an previously existing sciatica problem takes a turn for the worse; or that the added weight around the waist combined with the loosening up of ligaments and tendons in preparation for birth heighten the probability for a disk injury, which in turn puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
In most of the cases sciatic pregnancy pain will disappear by itself, but it is possible for the process to take up to six weeks and over. Some patients have found it helpful to schedule regular visits with their physical therapist, to get some relief from their sciatica symptoms. Often manual therapy helps relieve discomfort and pressure from back pain during pregnancy.
A therapist would also be the person to speak to about some sciatic pregnancy exercises you can do that would be beneficial not only to your comfort but would also help strengthening the abdominal and back muscles and also the pelvic floor muscles. With these muscle groups in better condition you may experience less difficulty during labor and delivery and even the recuperation process afterwards.
To relieve their sciatic pregnancy pain, some women also use chiropractic treatment. Only make use, when seeing a manual therapist or chiropractor that they have experience working with prenatal patients.
Massage therapy has been found helpful by many women to reduce inflammation and related symptoms caused by sciatica. Muscle tension and tightness can be greatly relieved through massages. When certain muscle groups tense up too much (like for example the piriformis muscle in your buttocks) they will probably add to your sciatica pain. Massage therapy increases the blood flow in the tissue and such speeds the healing process by reducing inflammation and tension.
If you start feeling the symptoms of pregnancy sciatica be sure consult your physician or back specialist about the kinds of treatments that are available to you in your special condition, because not every sciatica treatment is for every sciatica cause and especially during pregnancy you need to make a careful and educated choice of treatment with the help of professional therapists.
Bed rest may be beneficial for one or two days and so may be the some Cold/Hot therapy applied to your lower back, until the worst of the pain simmers down. Pay very close attention to your posture and make sure to use correct posture at all times, since poor posture is the main underlying cause for sciatica pain. Correct posture with help you greatly, relieving pain and pressure on your disks.
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Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 Time: 7:47 PM
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