My back is in agony :( feeling crippled :(

[Mango401]

Has anyone got any tips for helping with a very very painful back? I have tried paracetamol, a hot bath, a hot water bottle on my back and nothing seems to be working! I am in so much pain and it is so sore! I literally haven't got out of bed all day due to my back being so sore I'm 33+4 weeks now! Any tips appreciated!x

[joda]

Go to doctor. Hot shower might help. if you've got a gym ball go on that to take pressure of your hips. rotate hipps if not to painful but even just sitting on it should help. Take everything slowly. Pillow between your legs and under your bump. try moving as much as you can, I know hurts but staying still can make pain much much worse. Just a little walk will do. But honestly go doctors they can prescribe stronger medication and refer you to physio if doesn't ease off as sounds like either start of pgp or if come on suddenly more likely sciatica. Hope you get some relief soon. Back pain is the worst x

[Hidden]

I used deepheat freeze spray on my bk...it really helped as I found heat didn't do much. X

[Hidden]

I have used something called "tiger balm" id say sinse the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy.

Its a muscle relaxant balm that when you apply it to your skin it heat the area but also numbs the pain.

You can get this in "larger pharmacy stores" like Boots or Superdrug for about £4.

[Hidden]

Yeah sometimes cold works better than hot. .. if u have some ice packs apparently they don't feel freezing... my friend has one said it's great x

[deemuir]

There isn't much you can take whilst being pregnant but you can take codine and paracetamol to get on top of the pain but your gp needs to perscribe you the codine. I was house bound for aweek and only just starting to be back to normal now after 2 months but codine really helped me. Fingers crossed for you it goes away really quickly

[MadamAdams]

You have my sympathy on this, from one sufferer to another! If the pain is in your lower back it may be signs of a trapped nerve, something quite common in later pregnancy. Yoga can be a huge help in relief of back pain as can swimming. I know you don't want to hear this (I certainly didn't!) but the more you can move about the better, inactivity can actually make the pain worse as your brain begins to anticipate pain when you move which in turn makes it worse as the muscles tighten up in anticipation of the pain - vicious circle ensues.

I found being in a swimming pool helped immensely as it takes all the baby weight off your front and therefore off your back too. One yoga position I found helped as well (and I still use it now with my backache) is to get on all fours and arch your back upwards like a cat. Hold this for as long as you can, then slowly relax your back. Done a few times a day this can help strengthen the muscles in your back and your stomach, both of which need to be the same sort of strength to support you.

Once you've had your baby, you may find the back ache gets worse for the first few months - this is normal as your back has been pushed into a tighter curve during pregnancy and now needs to go back. Ask your GP to refer you to a physiotherapist who can help you regain the muscle strength to maintain a good posture. Try not to bend at the waist too much in the first few months when picking your baby up (easier said than done) and when you're carrying your baby make sure to swap sides regularly to even out any pressure on your hips and spine. If all else fails and you do need to collapse on the sofa for a bit, get the hubby to take over! Don't try to be super woman with a bad back, its simply not worth it as you end up with more problems that take longer to deal with.

Hope that helps