Back pain and pregnancy: active management strategies

For about half of all pregnant women, low-back pain is inevitable. Physicians who can specify what type of back pain the patient has - lumbar, sacroiliac, or nocturnal - can institute targeted treatment that addresses the relevant pathophysiology. Acetaminophen and certain modalities such as icing the area are the basis of acute treatment in conjunction with ergonomic adaptation and a good low-back exercise program. This will help decrease stress on the low back, making back pain less likely. Before a woman becomes pregnant, encouraging her to become fit and resolving existing back problems is the key to back pain prevention.