Back Pain 5 Weeks Pregnant
One of the most common complaints in pregnancy is back aches and pain!
In this article, we will discuss whether it is normal, the potential causes and how to relieve that pesky back pain.
- Is Back Pain During Early Pregnancy Normal?
- Causes of Back Pain in Early Pregnancy
- How to Alleviate Back Pain at 5 Weeks Pregnant
- When Should You Contact Your Doctor?
Is Back Pain During Early Pregnancy Normal?
Back pain during early pregnancy is extremely common (unfortunately!)- with somewhere between a half and three-quarters of pregnant women experiencing back pain.
During pregnancy, your body goes through so many hormonal and bodily changes- such as your ligaments softening and uterus expanding- that some mild aches and pains are to be expected.
Back pain is very common in the third trimester of pregnancy too.
You may also experience early pregnancy hip pain or joint pain.
If you are not experiencing back pain at this stage, that is also normal. In fact, it is quite normal to experience no symptoms of pregnancy at 5 weeks pregnant, as you are still very early into your pregnancy.
Causes of Back Pain in Early Pregnancy
Hormones
During early pregnancy, your hormone levels change rapidly.
Some of these hormones are responsible for helping the ligaments and joints in the pelvis to soften and become looser, which aids in childbirth.
These hormones can not only affect your pelvis but your entire body. This softening and loosening of the ligaments and joints can directly impact your back, causing aches and pains.
Changes in Posture
To accommodate for the softening of your ligaments and weight gain, you may adopt a bad posture. Bad posture, as well as excessive standing, sitting or bending over can cause backaches, strain and pain.
Stress
Stress can cause muscle tension throughout your body.
Once of the most common places for stress-induced muscle tension to appear is in the back muscles. This can cause back pain, back spasms and even reduced mobility if there is a build-up of tension in the back.
You may find that your back pain increases during stressful parts of your pregnancy.
Weight Gain
As your pregnancy progresses, you will find that you gain weight- and this is completely normal!
As you gain weight during pregnancy, your spine must support the extra weight. This can cause lower back pain.
Shifting Center of Gravity
As you progress through your pregnancy and your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts forward. This can lead to changes in your posture- including how you sit, stand, move and even sleep.
Whilst it is good for your body to accommodate for the change in your centre of gravity- sometimes, it may accommodate for it in a not-so-good way and cause you to adopt bad posture.
Bad posture can cause back pain, strain, aches and even stiffness.
How to Alleviate Back Pain at 5 Weeks Pregnant
Maintain Good Posture
Maintaining good posture is a great way to alleviate back pain during pregnancy. When you are standing, you should stand straight with your chest high and shoulders back and relaxed and when you are sleeping, it is advised to sleep on your side with pillows tucked beneath your belly and between your knees for extra support.
Hot and Cold Therapy
Hot and cold therapy is commonly used to alleviate muscle and ligament pain in pregnancy by many women. To do this, you start by putting a cold compress on the painful area for up to 20 minutes, or as required, and then after two or three days, you begin to use heat- putting a hot water bottle or heating pad on the painful area.
You should not apply heat directly to your abdomen during pregnancy.
Pregnancy-Safe Exercise
Performing pregnancy-safe exercises throughout your pregnancy can help to strengthen muscles and boost flexibility, which eases stress on your spine.
Good exercises for relieving back pain include walking, swimming and stationary cycling.
Manage Weight Gain
The idea that you need to “eat for two” during pregnancy is not true at all- in fact, the number of calories you consume during the early stages of pregnancy does not need to increase at all.
Gaining weight too quickly can cause a lot of strain on your body- particularly your back.
It is important that you eat a well-balanced diet to ensure you get the nutrients you and your growing baby need and avoid any unnecessary strain on your back.
If you would like to learn about the link between weight gain and pregnancy, why not check out our article “Does Progesterone Cause Weight Gain?”
Get Plenty of Rest
With all of the hormonal and bodily changes- pregnancy can certainly zap your energy.
You should get plenty of rest to reduce strain on your muscles, reducing back pain.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Wearing flat, comfortable shoes that offer good arch support is essential to avoid strain on your feet, legs and back.
Counselling
Stress can cause many physical symptoms, including headaches, back pain and even nausea. If you are experiencing physical symptoms, such as back pain, due to stress, counselling may help to ease it.
Medication
If your back pain is severe or persistent, your doctor may recommend that you take some medication to treat any inflammation and relieve your symptoms.
Medications, such as acetaminophen, are safe for most women to take during pregnancy; however, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, are advised against taking.
Occasionally, your doctor may prescribe you with other pain medications or muscle relaxants.
You should always consult your doctor before taking any new pain medication- and check that your existing pain medication is safe to take during pregnancy.
When Should You Contact Your Doctor?
If you experience back pain during pregnancy, it is a good idea to consult your doctor, who can advise you on ways to best manage it- as well as prescribe appropriate medication.
If you experience severe back pain that is persistent and prolonged, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
If your back pain is accompanied by numbness or weakness, a fever or dull ache, vaginal bleeding, painful urination, loss of sensation in one or both of your legs, groin, anus or bladder or cramping (at 5 weeks pregnant) then you should seek medical help straight away.
Why not check out another one of our articles Diarrhea at 5 Weeks Pregnant?
My name is Louise and I am the Digital Marketing and Administrative Assistant at MyBump2Baby. I have been writing in the parenting niche for over 2 years specialising in fertility, pregnancy, baby and baby name support articles.