Swelling and Pain: Combatting Two Common Pregnancy Complaints

Counter Symptoms with Exercise, Stretching, Muscle Engagement and Massage Therapy

In massage therapy, a practitioner will typically hear two chief complaints from pregnant patients: swelling and pain, which begs the questions, “How do I prevent the swelling and pain?” and “How can I make it go away?”

Unfortunately, these are not entirely preventable during pregnancy. However, there are ways to help reduce the symptoms.

Lower Back and Hip Pain

One of the biggest causes of pain during pregnancy is the shift of weight distribution. As pregnancy progresses, hip ligaments loosen to prepare the body for childbirth. Additionally, the natural S-curve of the spine shifts to allow for a greater lumbar arch to support the growing belly. This opening of the hip girdle and increase in lumbar curvature can be correlated with common lower back and hip pain.

If a patient has poor posture before pregnancy, neck and shoulder pain tend to accompany the other two types of pain. I encourage my patients to work on pulling their shoulders back for a more upright posture to help reduce pain. If the shoulders protract forward, gravity takes over and causes even more pain in the lower back than just the increase of the lumbar curvature.

Active engagement of muscle groups will help during pregnancy. The practice of squeezing the buttocks together a few times throughout the day can be beneficial for hip and lower back pain by easing the pressure on the lower back and encouraging blood flow to the deep lateral rotators of the hips.  As the hips start to shift and widen, it can cause a typical gait to become more of the “waddle” that you tend to see. This normal occurrence causes less movement in the hips during walking. Less movement in joints typically equates to an increase in tension of muscles in that region, which is why it is important both to activate muscles and to stretch. A medical professional can recommend exercises and stretches that help with pain management. It is important to check with your doctor about any exercise plan to ensure you are doing what is best for you, your body and your baby.

Swelling of the Legs and Feet

Swelling also plagues soon-to-be moms in a very uncomfortable way. During pregnancy, there is a significant increase in blood volume pumped by the heart to the uterus for proper fetal growth. This increase of cardiac output causes the uterus to expand, making return blood flow back to the heart from distal extremities increasingly difficult. Therefore, there is a great deal of swelling in the legs and feet.  If you have significant swelling and pressing your finger into the swollen tissue leaves an impression of your finger for longer than a few seconds, you might have pitting edema. This would be a time to contact your doctor as soon as possible to rule out serious medical issues.

To help reduce swelling, use gravity to your advantage. If you are comfortable sitting on the ground and getting back up, place your buttocks as close to a wall as possible with the legs straight up against the wall for about ten minutes per day. If you are unable to do this, any form of elevation of the legs while sitting or lying down will help encourage the fluid to move out of the legs and feet and back up to the heart.  Taking a warm Epsom salt bath and soaking for about 20 minutes can also help since the magnesium sulfate aids in pain and swelling reduction.

Massage Therapy for Swelling and Pain Reduction During Pregnancy

In addition to engaging muscles, exercise and stretching, massage therapy can be useful in pain reduction during pregnancy. With therapeutic pregnancy massage, one can find even greater results when combined with appropriate self-care at home. Massage therapy is a great way to aid circulation for swelling reduction, and this increase in blood flow relieves tension in sore or painful muscles. Massage encourages the muscles to rest for longer periods than prior to treatment. The more the patient is able to stretch and move, the longer the benefits of the massage will be retained.

During massage, a practitioner will apply ischemic pressure to tissues. This pressure, used in various techniques, allows for the old blood to leave that compressed tissue and upon release of pressure, it allows for fresh blood to rush to that area, diminishing toxicity in that area and encouraging a decrease of fluid retention in extremities. When applied in a specific way, catered to each patient’s needs, this can be a powerful tool to relieve pregnancy swelling and pain. Visit a therapist trained properly to work with patients before, during and after pregnancy. Treatment plans vary depending on trimester and health problems or complaints prior to pregnancy.

*This information is intended for general knowledge and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.