Almost 20% of all pregnant women go through hip discomfort. It’s a bit comforting to know that you’re not alone if you’re currently experiencing this. You may feel pain in the area where the general pelvic girdle is or at the back or on the side of your hip. The pain may happen suddenly or gradually. You may also feel a sharp or dull pain.
Though you may feel hip pain at any time during your pregnancy, it usually occurs on the 2nd or 3rd trimester. This is because of the growth of the baby during these periods where the body needs to adjust.
Remember that if the discomfort is too severe or restricting, you must visit a doctor immediately for proper diagnosis.
However, if the pain is tolerable, here are five tips you can do at home to help relieve the discomfort.
- Massage
To relieve pressure and pain in your hips, you can ask your partner to do massages for you. Isis Arjeta, a professional massage practitioner, shares that your partner can massage your legs and the side of your hip inside your house. Having more comfort, you can opt to do this using a quality mattress topper designed to alleviate pain. Keep in mind that the focus of the massages is stretching your muscles back, going to the spine and relaxing your torso. You can consider buying massage chairs specially designed for back pain.
- Exercises
Physical therapy helps relieve hip pain. Here are some ways that you can do easily in the comfort of your own home.
Stretching exercise
- Begin on placing your palms and knees on the ground.
- Move one knee forward and then move your foot going towards your opposite hand.
- Move the opposite foot back. Do this until the bottom part of your front leg is stretched.
- Keep this position for 30 seconds to a minute. After, do the same steps again on the other side.
Seated:
- Sit on something steady. Put your ankle up on your opposite thigh. This should look like number 4.
- Make sure that you sit in the correct position. Your spine should be straight up.
- Move forward towards your hip joint until you feel taut. After, do the same steps again on the other side.
- Stretches
“The tightening of hips from yoga stretches help relieve hip pains. At the same time, they are not vigorous and intense, so they are good for pregnant women. However, not all forms of stretching are recommended, such as hot yoga. You better inform your yoga teacher of your pregnancy before engaging in any yoga sessions,” says Dr. Karen W, an OB/GYN at Doctorspring.
If you choose to stay at home, many free videos on the internet show different positions you can follow for any back or hip discomfort. Make sure that these poses are made for pregnant women. The following positions are from the sessions at Yoga Sidsel. These last for 20 minutes.
1st Pose:
- Place your hands and knees on your mat. Make sure that they are a little bit wide apart. Position your shoulders above your wrists and your hips above your knees.
- You bend your spine and slowly move your belly down towards the mat.
- Go back to your first position, and do it all again.
2nd Pose:
- From the 1st Pose, point your toes on the mat and stretch out both your arms in front of you.
- This time, spread your knees a little wider and move your hips toward your rear.
- Position your head on the mat. If you want, you can also opt to move forward and backward.
3rd Pose:
- Sit on the ground and bend your legs. Hold your ankle and face the soles of your feet together. Imagine a butterfly when you do this position.
- A good mattress topper, a bolster pillow, or a folded blanket is recommended so that you can position your belly in a higher position giving it more space.
- You can choose to move your hands forward or stay in your current position. Remember to keep your spine straight. Do not bend it.
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Pain Medications
Aside from doing various exercises and stretches, OTC pain relievers may help you ease the pain. Of course, you need to consult your attending doctor on pain medications to take and the right dosage. Category B medications such as acetaminophen are commonly safe to take for pregnant women. But, you must consult your doctor before taking any kind of medication.
- Warm Baths and Compresses
When you use temperature to treat hip pain, it is best to have warm baths and use warm compresses. Warm temperature relieves muscle spasms and stiffness of the joints. It also improves blood flow in your hips.
For warm baths, check that the water temperature is not too hot. A half-cup of Epsom salts can be added to loosen your muscles.
If you don’t have a heating pad, you can soak a towel in warm water as your improvised compress. Don’t go beyond 15 minutes when you apply it. Be careful not to place the heating pad directly on your skin.
Final Thoughts
Experiencing hip pain during pregnancy is a common occurrence. Unfortunately, it can be annoying and uncomfortable, but the tips mentioned above will help relieve the discomfort. However, if the pain becomes intolerable, it is best that consult your doctor immediately.
