Research estimates that about 1 in 5 people in the U.S. experience chronic pain. The chances of experiencing chronic pain are high in pregnant people due to increased stress on the body’s joints and tissue, yet this type of pain management is understudied in the research world.
If you’re pregnant and having trouble managing your chronic pain, take a look at the sections listed below. We’ve provided several tips and treatment methods that may benefit you.
What are some types of chronic pain that may be experienced during pregnancy?
- Migraines or headaches.
- Neck pain.
- Back pain
- Foot pain.
- Joint pain.
- Pelvic pain.
- Fibromyalgia.
What are some chronic pain management tips for women going through a pregnancy?
- Make regular visits with a physical therapist — One of the most effective ways to manage chronic pain during pregnancy is by making regular visits to a physical therapist. A physical therapist is a highly educated health care professional who specializes in determining the root causes of medical conditions and creating personalized, whole-body treatment plans. If you’re looking for a way to manage your chronic pain throughout the term of your pregnancy, prenatal physical therapy is likely to provide relief. Physical therapists can help you build muscle strength, improve your range of motion, increase flexibility, support your joints and much more. They’re experts in helping patients deal with chronic pain and managing the symptoms of chronic pain to improve their quality of life.
- Put a healthy lifestyle first — One way to help manage your chronic pain during pregnancy is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Keeping this at the forefront of your mind may ultimately benefit your pain. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may look like getting enough exercise and ensuring that you eat enough nutritional foods each day. In fact, nutritional deficiencies may be to blame for your chronic pain. Some research shows that nutritional deficiencies have been linked to conditions that cause chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia.
- Make sure to incorporate movement into your daily routine — Incorporating gentle movement and exercise into your daily routine can significantly aid in chronic pain management during pregnancy. Regular physical activity can reduce stress; alleviate muscle tension; strengthen the muscles around joints, ligaments, and tendons; and promote the overall health of you and your baby. It’s up to you and your trusted health care professional to determine how much physical activity may be best for you, but getting gentle exercise each day, like walking or swimming, is likely to help.
- Try to keep inflammation low — You’ll want to keep your chronic pain at bay by managing your levels of inflammation. During your pregnancy, you may benefit from eating anti-inflammatory foods like tomatoes, leafy greens, fruits, nuts and fatty fish. You’ll want to speak to your doctor, but it is generally not recommended to take certain medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) during pregnancy.
- Try heat or cold therapy — Heat or cold therapy may help your pain during pregnancy. You can use hot water or a heating pad around the area of your chronic pain to keep it manageable. To be safe, however, do not use water above 100 degrees and avoid applying a heating pad directly to the abdomen. If you prefer to use cold therapy, this might involve using ice packs to reduce inflammation and numb pain temporarily.
- Try to stretch regularly — One way that you can work toward managing your chronic pain during your pregnancy is by stretching on a regular basis. Stretching may help keep your joints from becoming stiff and hard to move. It can also help release tense muscles. It’s as simple as taking a few minutes each day to lie out and stretch your body in as many places as you can. It will keep your body limber and flexible, while potentially reducing some of the pain that may be affecting you. Not only is it good for your body, but you’re more likely to feel mentally refreshed after, too!
Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch PT to provide you with pain management during your pregnancy
At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need.
Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you manage your chronic pain during your pregnancy. You don’t have to suffer alone throughout the term of your pregnancy. Let one of our physical therapy partner locations provide you with gentle yet effective treatment so that you can manage your chronic pain. Don’t wait until your next flare-up to call one of our partners. Reach out today to start getting some of the relief you’re looking for as early as your first session.
Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform.
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