Back pain during pregnancy | Intervertebral disc pain

Back pain during pregnancy

Back pain affects about three quarters of all women during pregnancy. However, this pain does not necessarily have to originate directly from the intervertebral disc. In addition to the classic slipped disc during pregnancy, tension in the muscles, problems in the ligaments and joint diseases often trigger back pain during pregnancy.

Pain that increases significantly in the course of the day generally indicates fatigue of the supporting muscles. Furthermore, in medicine, these “real back pains” are distinguished from so-called pelvic pain, which is often perceived as back pain. Women suffer particularly frequently during pregnancy from pain in the intervertebral disc, which is provoked by compression of the sciatic nerve (so-called sciatic pain).

In addition, during pregnancy there is an approximately 20% increased risk of suffering a herniated disc. According to some studies, the greatest risk is during the 3rd and 4th month of pregnancy. The exact reasons for this are not yet known.

It is certain, however, that during pregnancy there is an above-average stretching of the ligaments, which significantly reduces stability. To prevent a slipped disc and pain in the disc during pregnancy, it is recommended to train the back muscles and thus improve the stability of the spine.