Thursday, 08 January 2009
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Sciatic Nerve Problems ... Please Help!!
by Mama Monkey 
I'm currently 19 weeks pregnant and things have been going pretty well so far. Though I did find out on our Christmas vacation that being pregnant must make me more prone to motion sickness - something I have never had a problem with before yet I ended up sick both on the plane and during our deep sea fishing adventure. I have always considered myself very fortunate as all of my pregnancies so far have been very smooth and uneventful. With the last pregnancy, I started getting some sciatic nerve pain towards the end. There were times that is was pretty bad, but I don't think it started until around 34 weeks, so I didn't have to endure it for that long.
With this one, however, the pain started pretty near immediately and has come to the point where it is nearly unbearable at least a couple days a week. The pain starts in my hip area and runs down just past my knees. And I still have 21 weeks to go. So I am looking for some advice. I plan on talking to my midwife at my next appointment, but sometimes advice from someone who has been through it can be more helpful.
Did you have sciatic nerve problems with pregnancy? What did/didn't work to alleviate the pain for you? Any help I can get would be most appreciated. Thanks
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About the Author
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- From: mamamonkey
- About Me: Hi! I am Mama Monkey - a SAHM of 3 wonderful, energetic boys ages 8, 5, and 22 months. They definitely keep me busy, but I love (almost) every minute of it. I have been married to Papa Monkey (25 year old computer programmer) for 8 years and we have known each other for 10. We started our family life a bit early, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I am a bit of a cleaning and organizing freak and am always looking for new ideas on how to keep things around here organized and unchaotic - as you can imagine, that is not the easiest with 3 rowdy boys. I love to write as it has always been one of the best ways for me to get the myriad of thoughts racing through my head out. I hope you enjoy my little writings, are able to identify and even, at times, maybe get a bit of wisdom from them. I am so excited to have my writings shared with you all.
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Comments (15)
I had siatic nerve pain in my first pregnancy with my son and in this pregnancy already (23 weeks currently). The only thing I've ever done that helped any was sit upright and rest/relax in a very supportive chair. And I had to do so for a good chunk of the day in order to feel back to normal for the next day. That probably won't work for everyone, but it worked for me. Good Luck to you! I know your pain!
Chiropractor! I started having problems with this pregnancy a few weeks ago ( I am 15 weeks now, but measuring 20-possible twins). I was having the same kind of pain. Went to my Chrio yesterday and I feel soooo much better today. She advised that I do pelvic rocks (get on hands and knees and stick your butt in the air and then drop it down as far as you can) and that I sit on an excersise ball and bounce.
Ohhh! I had Sciatic nerve troubles! My pelvic bones didn't widen and both babies rested on my nerve causing pain for me. Toward the end of the pregnancies I'd actually lose feeling and fall to the ground (very scary). I was able, thanks to my insurance, to get maternity massages and those would cause my babies to move and give me some relief. Do check with a chiropractor and see if you can do that.
@Darn_it_danube@xanga - it's not advisable to do situps or any floor exercise where you're laying on your back past the first trimester. It lowers your blood pressure and can inhibit blood flow and oxygen to the baby. There's a big difference between actually experiencing back pain while pregnant and just having back pain period, but your advice isn't safe for a woman in her second trimester. And poking the baby to make him move? Seriously?! It's not like they have that much space in there to move around either.
To the OP: I had sciatica and pelvic pain when I was pregnant too. My doctor said to wear a belly band, which helped a little, and to go to a chiropractor (which I didn't do). Other that that, she said, it comes with the territory and there isn't much you can do. It was a great excuse for me to get lots of backrubs from my hubby. An exercise ball is a good idea also, and doing pregnancy pilates and staying flexible is helpful. I found a great 10 minute prenatal pilates dvd that helped all through my pregnancy. Good luck!
Ywa
oops
go to a chiropractor
Also try to hang your head off your bed and relax. Let the weight of your head pull your neck apart. Or lie down with a neck pillow to read or nap. Also lie down and put your feet up. Try to sleep with a pillow between your legs if you are lyiny on your side.
I had six children so I had some experiences with pregnancy during each of those!
@IamKelleyK@xanga - My stepmom had sciatic nerve pain while she was pregnant with twins, and the doctors recommended that she encourage movement between the two of them so that they weren't laying on her nerves. You don't literally poke. She had to do a lot of leg exercises, too, to strengthen her back. (She's never had sciatica outside of pregnancy.)
I have never been pregnant, but lately we think I've been having problems with my sciatic nerve, that maybe it slips out of place and swells. Sometimes I wake up and moving in certain ways brings on excruciating pain in my lower back/bottom, but it shoots up a few inches rather than down my leg.
I just ice it and then lie on my back and pull my knee up to the opposite shoulder. I don't know if that part helps very much, but my mom told me to do it to move the nerve back into place, and the ice can certainly help to numb the area. But somehow it doesn't numb enough deep enough. I was also told to sit down as little as possible to minimize pressure on the area.
I sleep with a pillow between my legs sometimes, because my mom also said that that helps, but it tends to fall out and it still hurts in the morning. Or else, I may be lying on the wrong side and it hurts anyway.
Sorry, I'm not much help... it hasn't happened to me in a while, and we're not QUITE sure that it's sciatica, and I've never been pregnant, but I hope some of this works for you, should you choose to try it. :) Good luck! :D
I had a lot of pain during my pregnancies and after with my scaitic to the point that it hurt to turn over and I couldn't put weight on my right leg. I tried stretching, icing, everything anyone suggested, but the only thing that helped was the chiropractor. It made a world of difference.
I had sciatica the whole pregnancy. I just took tylenol and I didn't move a lot. My doctor eventually put me on bedrest the last month. Other than that, your best friend will be a heating pad! :) It did wonders for me. Hope that helps.Â
I went to the chiropractor during my pregnancy and that REALLY helped. I would definitely recommend it to anyone especially pregnant moms. Stretching exercises and exercise in general has also really helped my sciatic nerve pain. It's really important to keep everything lined up properly so use good posture...you wouldn't believe how much it helps! It's helped me to sleep in the proper position--on my side with a good pillow--as well. I also use a heating pad on night's when the pain is bad...I wrap the heating pad around my upper thigh and put a pillow underneath it to hold it in place.
Here is the website with exercise examples on it that I use: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/exercise-sciatica-a-herniated-disc. Check with your midwife and make sure there's no reason you shouldn't exercise first though of course. Hope you feel better soon!
My cousin did prenatal yoga to alleviate hers. She said that it worked very well.... she also said that the deep breathing exercises taught in yoga helped her during her delivery.
If you find an answer let me know! I am 22 weeks along with my third baby and each pregnancy has gotten worse and worse with the sciatic nerve issues...
Dr. said that each pregnancy will get worse because the muscles and ligaments are stretched and don't hold the weight of the baby off the nerve.
I am freaking out because the intense pain I am feeling now... shooting down my back, butt and legs will sometimes cause me to fall to the ground- this did not happen until the end of my last pregnancy... I have no idea how i am going to make it 20 more weeks. Can I request bed rest? How can i convience my Dr. that I need it?
I'm currently 23 weeks pregnant.I have been in pain with this pregnancy since about 12 weeks. At first we thought it was just my sciatic nerve but my dr sent me to physical therapy and it turns out my pelvis on the right side is falling out of place which is causing the pressure on the nerve. To be honest PT is not helping alot but there are exercises that do help. She said its cause of the relaxin being released and my extreme elexibilty is way it falls out. SHe also said it tends to be worse with second+ pregnancies. With my daughter I didn't get it til the end and a maternity belt helped. You might want to look into PT and see if its your pelvis. Maybe you will have better luck than me. Best of luck with the pain and the rest of the pregnancy.
@aluraenglish - Bedrest isn't really recommended for sciatic problems. It can tend to make them worse. I'm in the same boat as you. I collapsed while trying to stand up holding my 2 year old daughter. My physical therapist said it might get better as the baby gets bigger in the 3rd trimester cause it will apply a more even pressure in your pelvis. Hope you feel better. As much as I hate it.....I have to take pain meds as a last resort. I runa daycare so I have to be able to function.