Question

Pregnancy sciatica

Dr.Renu Misra · Accepted Answer

We all are aware of pregnancy and gestation period but about sciatica we are not.

In our body the nerve, which runs from the lumber or lower spine to the end of each thigh through areas of the buttock, is called the sciatic nerve.

When the sciatic nerve becomes pinched or gets pressure from the surrounding area there is pain that travels through the back, hips, or thigh. This condition is called sciatica.

Sciatic nerve is pressured by a bulging or herniated spine or overgrowth of the spine, sometimes called bone spurs.

This bulging of bone is due to many factors-

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Age: aging causes our bone to deform its authentic structures into herniated spine.

Obesity: overweight puts a lot of pressure on the spine. Prolonged exposure causes the deshaping of bone to produce a herniated spine.

Occupation and prolonged sitting: job like laboring and lifting heavy weight or sitting for a long time in a chair at the office or while driving a car causes stress on the bone which may cause sciatica.

Diabetes: blood sugar causes irregularity in mechanisms of may process in the body and this also interferes in normal electric transfer in the nerve.

Pregnancy: during pregnancy there is enlargement of pelvic bone area due to weight and space occupied by the baby which causes the deshaping of spine that causes pain called sciatica.

Sciatic pain symptoms during pregnancy are:

There is occasional or constant pain around the hip.

Sharp, shooting, or burning pain travels in the leg while sleeping or sitting.

Leg gets numb, pins and needles, or weak difficulty walking, standing, or sitting.

The five ways to get relief from pregnancy sciatica:

Seated piriformis stretch

Deep in the buttocks there is a muscle called piriformis muscle which when gets tight it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic pain decreases by this stretch which relieves tightness in the muscle. Equipment needed: none

Target muscle: piriformis

Keep your feet flat to the ground and sit straight on a chair. Sit on ;

Put your left leg on your right leg knee, if your left side of pelvic area is affected.

Put your right leg on your left leg knee, if your right side of pelvic area is affected.

While keeping a straight back, move your upper body forward until you feel a stretch on the buttocks muscles.

Do it for 10 times with a period of 30 sec.

2) table stretch

The muscles supporting the spine, buttocks muscles, and the back of the legs get stretched in this exercise.

Equipment needed: table

Target muscles: low back, spinal stabilizers, hamstrings

Stand facing a table at a stand-at-ease position.

Lean forward to hold the table edge with your hand and try to keep your arms straight and back flat.

Now move your butt away from the table and slowly stretch your lower back and back of the thigh.

Then move your hip side to side to get more stretch of muscle.

Do this in morning and evening for a 10 times period of 30 sec.

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3) pigeon pose

This is a yoga pose, it helps to relieve sciatica pain during pregnancy. And it can be easily performed with a few careful steps.

Equipment required: rolled-up towel or yoga block

Main muscles: butt rotators and flexors

Go down and keep your hands and knees flat on the floor.

Now slide your right knee forward in between your hands.

And slide your left leg back straight to the floor.

Take a rolled towel or a yoga block to keep under your right hip. This will support your belly.

Slowly lean forward towards the right leg to stretch.

Hold for a period of 30 sec. And repeat it for the left leg in the same above way.

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4) hip flexor exercise

The muscles along the front of the hip that help us to locomate are called hip flexors. During pregnancy these muscles get tightened and cause sciatica pain.

Equipment required: none

Aimed muscles: hip flexors

Kneel on the floor on knees and keep the hand affront on the floor position like a dog.

Make a step one foot forward so that your hip and knee gets aligned at 90-degree angle.

Now move your hip region forward to stretch your back hip and leg.

Hold for a period of 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

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5) glute and hamstring foam rolling

Massager or foam roller or electric roller are used to soothe the tightened muscles. All muscles and connective tissue gets relaxed and avoid pressuring the socratic nerve, thus relieving pain.

Equipment required: foam roller

Aimed muscles: hamstrings, calf muscles, glutes, piriformis

Keep a foam roller on the yoga mat on the ground.

Now place your buttocks on the foam roller and put your hand behind you back of your butt for supporting yourself.

Place the left ankle on the right knee or right ankle on the left knee.

Roll yourself on roller back and forth till you find a tender spot of your pain.

Repeat this movement over the pain area for 30 to 60 seconds.

There are pain areas on the left side and right side. Move your roller on that side as well as crossing the ankle over the knee.

Repeat for 5 times twice a day.

Conclusion: during pregnancy there are many aches to the body, especially sciatic pain. We should do these exercises regularly to avoid pain naturally because drugs may affect babies during pregnancy. Please visit the doctor for more information and get checked up regularly.

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