How to Survive Back Pain with a Twin Pregnancy

Pregnancy comes with many aches and pains, especially in your back. The heavy weight you must carry around can take a toll on your spine causing it to slide out of place or become tense. This is especially so if you’re having twins. Below you’ll discover more behind the causes of pregnancy back pain and a few ways you can relieve it.

What Causes Pregnancy Back Pain?

Back pain during pregnancy can be caused by many different things. One of the most common reasons is because your uterus slightly shifts causing it to press on your spine. This won’t only irritate your back but can weaken your abdominal muscles. Because of this, you’ll find that it will be harder to keep proper posture, something which can increase your back pain.

Other common sources of pregnancy back pain are weight gain and hormone fluctuations. Both of these can put strain on surrounding muscles and ligaments.

Twin Pregnancy Complications

Back pain is common when you’re pregnant, but carrying twins can heighten their symptoms. In fact, the weight of the twin babies will put excessive weight on your spine which can pull it forward. This can alter your spine’s natural position and result in the nearby nerves getting torn out of place. This could end up causing you to develop sciatica, a condition that sends tingling sensations up and down your legs.

4 Ways to Get Through Back Pain with a Twin Pregnancy

There are plenty of ways you can survive back pain with a twin pregnancy. Below are a few to consider.

Wear Supportive Shoes

When you’re pregnant, you tend to put a lot of pressure on your feet. If you’re not wearing supportive shoes, this pressure can put strain on the nerves in your feet, most of which connect to your spine. This could cause painful sensations around your lower back.

You’ll want to make sure that your shoes are supportive. Some ways you can tell if the shoes are included making sure they are flexible, have insoles, and contain arch support.

Exercise

It might seem like exercising with back pain would be brutal, but it can provide incredible relief and ensure your spine stays aligned.

There are plenty of simple exercises you can do to help with this. Two you might try are the cat-cow pose and the chest stretch.

Cat-Cow Pose

The cat-cow pose stretches the muscles throughout your back and neck. This can release muscle knots and improve your flexibility.

To start, get down on the floor on all fours. Make sure your palms and the top of your feet are firm on the ground. Once they are, use your arms to gently lift your upper back up to make an arch. Keep this position for a few seconds and then lower it back down. Then, curve your spine toward the ground. Hold for a few seconds and then return to the original position. Repeat this process about five times.

Chest Stretch

If you have back pain, it could cause you to tense your chest muscle. This can make it hard to move and sometimes even breathe. The chest stretch works to release tension and open up your airways.

The first step is to stand in a doorway. Move your body into a lunge position while extending your arms so they grasp the sides of the doorway. Take a deep breath and gently extend your chest up. Hold for a few seconds and then release. Continue this stretch a few more times.

If you prefer not to do these stretches, you can instead go out for a walk. Walking will boost your blood circulation and calm tense muscles.

Visit a Chiropractor

Chiropractic care could also be an answer to healing your back pain. Going to a chiropractor while pregnant will ensure that your spine is aligned and will work to release tight muscles. This won’t only reduce pain but will encourage you to use proper posture during your pregnancy. In addition to this, chiropractic care will improve pelvic balance which can help make labor go by faster.

Eat Anti-Inflammatory Food

Back pain can result in inflammation. The worse your back pain gets, the more likely the inflammation will spread. This isn’t only uncomfortable but could hurt your children’s development.

While you can take medications, such as NSAIDs, they could result in some serious side effects. Because of this, you might instead want to eat natural anti-inflammatory food.

Some options you can add to your diet include:

• Olive oil
• Tomatoes
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Spinach
• Kale
• Salmon
• Almonds

A twin pregnancy can increase your back pain making it almost unbearable. By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be able to strengthen your spine to prevent pain. You’ll also find that these tips can help you have a safer and healthier pregnancy.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684210/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3994225/

https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2020/01170/effects_of_exercise_therapy_for_pregnancy_related.2.aspx

About Dr. Wells 

Dr. Brent Wells, D.C. founded Better Health Chiropractic Anchorage and has been a chiropractor for over 20 years. He is currently leading 10,000 Alaskans to more active and pain-free lifestyles with a progressive and highly innovative approach to chiropractic care, massage therapy, and physical rehab therapy.