Sciatic pain during pregnancy

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body, and it runs under the uterus and all the way down the buttocks and legs to the feet. The most common causes of sciatic nerve pain are a herniated disc, bone spur on the spine or narrowing of the spine - all of which can compress the nerve. 

While these are the common causes behind sciatic nerve pain, the reasons behind the same pain during pregnancy are quite different. You might assume that the growing weight of the baby directly causes sciatic nerve pain, but it doesn’t. A more viable explanation is that pregnancy hormones loosen and stretch the ligaments in the lower abdominal region as the uterus grows to accommodate the baby. The function of these ligaments is to support and stabilise the spinal cord, but once they stretch out, this support is destabilized.  

This in turn leads to the pinching or compression of the sciatic nerve and sciatic nerve pain. The baby’s weight and position is an added pressure on this already pinched nerve, making the pain more intense.

Lower back pain is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy, and can occur due to a number of reasons, including weight gain, lack of balance and improper posture due to growing belly, varicose veins, etc. Sciatic nerve pain is actually one of the rare clinical entities of lower back pain, and is specifically caused by the pinching or compression of the sciatic nerve. Similarly, varicose veins can also cause pain in the lower back and legs, but the cause is the compression of the inferior vena cava.

How to tell if the pain you’re experiencing is related to the sciatic nerve and not any other cause? The easiest ways to tell are to check for varicose veins on your legs, vulva and rectum, and to monitor the pain to see if it radiates from the spine towards the legs. The best thing to do is to consult your obstetrician and get diagnosed properly.

Since back pain is a common complaint during pregnancy, many pregnant women often fail to realise that they’re suffering from sciatic nerve pain. This is the reason why knowing precisely why and how sciatic pain occurs during pregnancy is very important. Sciatic nerve pain is often defined as a shooting and burning pain radiating from the hip to the feet, and usually happens at only one side at a time. The following are its key symptoms.

• Occasional or constant shooting pain on either side of your buttocks or a leg.
• The pain radiates from the back side of your buttocks and can be experienced on the back of the thigh all the way down to the foot - basically along the sciatic nerve. 
• The pain can be described as sharp, shooting or burning.
• The affected leg and foot might also have numbness, tingling, pins and needles and weakness.
• Difficulty in walking, standing or sitting.

There are a number of things you can do during your pregnancy to avoid sciatic pain. Remembering to ease your movements and not engage in activities that are too strenuous is very important. Try the following tips:

• When picking something from the floor, make sure you bend both your knees and keep your back straight.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects.
• Avoid turning around with just your waist and hip. Move your feet while turning to avoid twisting your spine.
• Avoid wearing heels, and opt for flat shoes to evenly distribute your weight on both legs and feet.
• Avoid carrying a bag on one side during pregnancy because this will not distribute your weight evenly. If you’re carrying shopping bags, distribute the products equally and carry the same weight on both sides to maintain balance.
• Keep your back straight and support it properly with a wall, chair or pillows while at work, home or travelling. Get a maternity support pillow if you can.
• Increase your rest time as your pregnancy progresses.
• Use a firm mattress to sleep on. If your mattress is too soft, you can use a hardboard underneath to make it more firm.

The simple fact is that if you’re suffering from sciatic pain during pregnancy, it will not go away completely until you deliver your baby and every function of your body goes back to its pre-pregnancy state. The best you can do during your pregnancy is to use the above mentioned tips to not aggravate the pain and use the tips mentioned below to manage the pain with ease at home. 

You could also ask your doctor for medications to manage the pain, but a lot of people prefer not to take painkillers during pregnancy for fear of complications. Instead, the simple home remedies mentioned below are easier to follow and completely safe.

1. Hot compress
2. Exercise
3. Yoga
4. Maintain posture
5. Maternity belt
6. Prenatal massage

While mild to moderate sciatic pain is not much to worry about, if the pain gets too intense or frequent, it can indeed be a cause for worry. You should contact your doctor and emergency health services immediately:

• If you’re in your second or third trimester, this could be a sign of premature labour.
• If you also have a fever, vaginal bleeding or experience pain while urinating.
• If you have or are losing feeling in either or both legs, buttocks and genitals.
• If you have pain under your ribs on one or both sides.