Expecting mothers often find themselves wondering: “Is this sharp pain in my belly round ligament pain, or could it be sciatica radiating from my back?”

Pregnancy brings many joys, but it also comes with its fair share of aches and pains that can leave expectant mothers feeling confused and concerned. Two of the most common types of prenatal discomfort are round ligament pain and sciatica, both of which can significantly impact a woman’s quality of life during pregnancy. Understanding the differences between these conditions and knowing how to treat them effectively can make all the difference in enjoying a more comfortable pregnancy journey.

Understanding Round Ligament Pain

Round ligament pain is an uncomfortable pulling or stabbing sensation in the lower abdomen, near the hips or into the groin area, often occurring on one side of the lower abdomen, though it may affect both sides. Your round ligaments are rope like structures that attach from your uterus down into your pelvic floor, and as your uterus expands during pregnancy, you may experience “growing pains” around the middle.

The most distinctive characteristics of round ligament pain include:

An intense, sudden spasm in your abdomen or hip area
Pain triggered by sudden actions like standing up quickly, coughing, laughing, or even rolling over in bed
Pain that’s localized to the lower abdomen and doesn’t radiate to other parts of the body, distinguishing it from conditions like sciatica
Pain that is temporary and usually stops after a few seconds or minutes, but can be intermittent and return

Recognizing Sciatica During Pregnancy

Sciatica is that tingling, sometimes sharp pain that starts in the lower back and travels down the back of the leg, resulting from discomfort or pressure on the sciatic nerve, which happens to be our body’s longest nerve. Sciatic pain can be felt within the lower back, buttocks, and down the legs, with symptoms presenting as tingling or numbness in the mentioned areas or sharp lower back pain.

Key features of pregnancy-related sciatica include:

A shooting, burning, or tingling sensation that starts in your lower back or buttocks and radiates down your leg
Pain associated with prolonged periods of sitting or standing, as well as specific movements like bending or twisting
Pain that can stem from ligaments loosening due to hormonal changes, as well as your uterus growing, both of which can lead to your center of gravity shifting and cause the sciatic nerve to be pinched or compressed

What Causes These Pregnancy Pains?

Both conditions are primarily caused by the remarkable changes your body undergoes during pregnancy. When you’re pregnant, the hormone relaxin is released, which relaxes the joints and eases labor and delivery, but sometimes, the ligaments get so loose that they become structurally unstable, and it creates pain.

For round ligament pain specifically, as the belly size increases during pregnancy, round ligaments stretch in response to the growth, and pregnancy can cause these ligaments to become long and taut, putting extra pressure and strain on your ligaments, so they can become tense, like an overextended rubber band.

Sciatica during pregnancy often occurs because additional weight and fluid retention during pregnancy puts pressure on the spine, and as your uterus and baby grow, the spine can become compressed causing pain, with your baby’s actual position inside you occasionally adding pressure to the sciatic nerve.

Treatment Options and Relief Strategies

Fortunately, both conditions can be managed effectively with conservative approaches. For round ligament pain, hands-on muscle work and gentle chiropractic adjustments are effective at limiting round ligament pain, along with gentle self-massage in little circles over and around the painful area and trying a warm compress, heating pad or water bottle on the painful areas.

For sciatica relief, light stretches and exercises specifically designed for pregnant women can bring relief, including pelvic tilts, knee-chest position, and yoga postures like cat-cow pose, with walking and swimming being other good options.

The Role of Chiropractic Care in Pregnancy

Many expectant mothers are discovering the benefits of pregnancy chiropractic care for managing both round ligament pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care keeps the spine aligned, so it can be helpful for pregnant women who are in discomfort, with a chiropractor working on spine alignment, muscles, joints and ligaments to create better functioning and stability of the pelvic region, and around 75% of women who receive chiropractic care report feeling relief about two to four days after a session.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy can provide benefits for women who are pregnant, with current literature reporting favorable results on the use of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy, and chiropractic evaluation and treatment during pregnancy may be considered a safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal symptoms that affect pregnant patients.

At practices like Chiropractic First in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. James Heath and his team understand the unique challenges pregnant women face. Dr. Heath practices with passion, total commitment and hard work, caring for you and your family as he cares for his own, with patients being the priority at Chiropractic First. Their main goal has always been to provide personalized chiropractic treatment at a reasonable price, utilizing the latest and greatest chiropractic techniques, promoting faster recovery time with shorter treatment time, with their team focused on getting you to your healthiest.

Additional Benefits of Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Beyond pain relief, chiropractic care during pregnancy offers numerous additional benefits. The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) recommends women receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy to establish pelvic balance and optimize the room a baby has for development throughout pregnancy, with a balanced pelvis giving babies a greater chance of moving into the correct position for birth, potentially avoiding the crisis and worry associated with breech and posterior presentations, and optimal baby positioning at the time of birth eliminating the potential for dystocia (difficult labor) and resulting in easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and baby.

Research has shown impressive results for women who receive prenatal chiropractic care. A 2007 article in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine reported that first-time moms who received chiropractic care during pregnancy had on average 25% shorter labor time, while women who had already given birth before had on average 31% shorter labor times.

When to Seek Professional Help

While both round ligament pain and sciatica are common during pregnancy, it’s important to know when to seek professional guidance. It’s important to notify your doctor if your round ligament pain doesn’t resolve itself after a couple of minutes, or if you have severe pain accompanied by other symptoms. Chiropractic care is safe for most pregnancies, unless you have vaginal bleeding for unknown reasons, preeclampsia, or are at risk of premature labor, and it never hurts to check with your obstetrician before seeing a chiropractor.

Both round ligament pain and sciatica can significantly impact your pregnancy experience, but understanding the differences between these conditions and exploring safe, effective treatment options like chiropractic care can help you enjoy a more comfortable and healthier pregnancy. Remember, you don’t have to suffer through pregnancy discomfort – professional help is available to support you through this incredible journey.