If you have hurt your back contact your caregiver for advice. You may need bed rest until the muscles recover. Using heat packs on the affected area or having a warm bath with a few drops of Lavender oil can help to release muscle spasms. Deep heat rubs can also be relieving.
Avoid painkillers and sedatives unless absolutely necessary, check with your caregiver about doing this. Your hospital may have a physiotherapist service you can access for advice. They may offer you a pelvic girdle to stabilise your joints. This is like a large elastic corset worn around the hips. Alternatively you may wish to see a chiropractor or an osteopath.
Some women ask about using a
TENS machine during their pregnancy for back pain. At this stage there are no studies that definitely show whether this is safe or not. Some practitioners do recommend using TENS to help relieve back pain, but only putting the pads on your back, not your abdomen, with the idea that this may prevent the current going through to the unborn baby. Ask your caregiver what they recommend.
The following are a few natural therapies that some women have found helpful for their lower back. Check with your caregiver and therapist before using these.
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Massage, Shiatsu or Alexander Technique, Bowen technique. |
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Acupuncture or acupressure. |
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Herbal liniments. |
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Herbal tinctures including St. John's Wort and Scullcap. See your herbalist. |
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Homoeopathic remedies may include Hypericum Perfoliatum or Arnica for swelling and bruising. See your homoeopath. |
Updated November 2007
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