Back/bum pain :(

[SuzyP36]

Hey folks,
1st pregnancy and I'm 17+4
Since last night I can hardly sit down :(. It's a constant pain basically at my lower back but at the left side of my tail bone that kind of area so really low down. Just taking paracetamol just now and trying a bath later on but is this normal x

I have had tail bone pain on and off since I was about 7 weeks (am 23 + 2 now) but it comes and goes. I find that the shoes I wear make a big difference – trainers and cushioned shoes (good old Clarks!) are fine but flip flops or anything without much support leave me almost crippled by the end of the day. I’ve started having acupuncture and have an appointment with the hospital physio this week. Paracetamol didn’t help tbh, although a hot bath was comforting. It also manifests itself in sciatica that I sometimes have down the whole right side of my body. Again, a bath helps. I’m hoping it’ll all disappear once bub is born.

Might be PGP? I have had painful sacroiliac joints all pregnancy ( the join between your pelvis and spine). If you can you could try some maternity Pilates stretches ( search youtube) to see if you can stretch them out a bit. I would ask your midwife in case it is something else. Also they can refer you to a Physio if it is PGP.

Thanks guys I work all day on my feet so maybe need to re assess the footwear. Will get to the doc then on my Wednesday my day off and see what they say. Will defo try the stretches. Am at the point nothing could make it worse. Actually dreading work tomorrow but then sitting about isn't helping either

X

Yeah I'm 15 weeks and not pregnant standing on your feet all day is bad enough but I've noticed last month my feet are crippled by the end of the day, even now sat down I can feel my feet throbbing. I've been getting bum ache sounds strange but my bum hurts like the bones. I also feel a trapped nerve in my bum which isn't helping matters. I'm only 15 weeks I'm pretty scared the further I get on in pregnancy.

It could be your sacroiliac joints (where the pelvis meets the spine). Physio may help, your gp can refer you. I had bad lower back pain in my last pregnancy & it was from where i was walking my dogs & they pulled on their leads, putting stress on the joints. We changed the type of lead we use & the pain eased.

Until you get to gp a hot water bottle or heat bag can help.

Cravingcake. I have a 5 stone labrador that i walk twice a day! Never thought about him pulling hes generally good on a normal collar and lead but has his pulling moments.
Maybe time for his halti again for a wee while x

I had a dog trainer suggest changing the leads from normal to halti's to try to slow them down so they wouldnt pull me off balance as bump got bigger and within a few days i noticed the difference. I have 2 cocker spaniels which like to go in different directions. Definitely change the lead, as she didnt know i was having back pain at the time.

I also saw physio after birth and she said that around 18-19 weeks is when the relaxin hormone starts to really kick in, which loosens all your joints making you more prone to damaging something even if you have done it all the time. She also diagnosed me as hypermobile, which very simply means my joints move further than they should.

If the bum pain is actually IN the bum as opposed to low back, it is almost certainly periformis syndrome, a form of sciatica. You need to get down to an osteo and have him work that bum muscle! Also it should be noted (although each to their own) that I think the NHS guidelines on inbrupofen have changed, and i think you can now take them in the second trimester... although you may not want to! This is a recent change in the guidelines...

Seconding heylottie if it's in your bum across the middle it could be your piriformis - is your arse cheek tender when you press on it?. This can often be triggered by PGP in your sacroiliac joints from pregnancy as it throws your muscles out of whack. See this post for info and stretches you can do yourself www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1887094-Buttock-hip-pain

I've had this on and off all the way through, from about 17 weeks. Couple of big flare ups. Osteopath really helped with the worst one. Was also told to move within limits so it may mean taking it easy for a couple of days - keep moving but rest a lot and don't push through the pain (I know it's easier said than done when you've got loads to do).

Yeh it's in my bum cheek if I press on it. I'm going to make sure u see the gp tomorrow then guys and hopefully if ts something like yous are mentioning I can get referred.

X

I found this website really helped my SIJ pain. It went away!

I had this and it was agony. My (fantastic) chiropractor sorted it out for me in one session. Let me know if you are in London and I'll pass on his details.