The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for pregnancy related low back and/ or pelvic girdle pain: An online survey

Abstract

Low back and pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP) is a common complaint among pregnant women, which increases throughout pregnancy and women use various complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to manage their pain. Using an online survey, CAM treatments used by pregnant women in the UK and their perceptions of these therapies to relieve LBPGP were investigated. 191 women completed the survey and 70% experienced LBPGP lasting more than one week. Over half of women who sought treatment from a GP or physiotherapist were dissatisfied. 25% of participants used CAM during pregnancy, the most popular being aromatherapy (21%), acupuncture (21%), and reflexology (15%). 81% of women used CAM to manage their LBPGP and 85% found it useful for pregnancy symptoms. Women experience high levels of pain during pregnancy with limited treatment options. Research into effective CAM treatments for LBPGP is required to allow women to make informed decisions regarding treatment options.

Compression shorts reduce prenatal pelvic and low back pain: a prospective quasi-experimental controlled study

“…This prospective quasi-experimental controlled study evaluated for the first time the effectiveness of wearing custom designed compression shorts during pregnancy to manage prenatal PGP and LBP and associated disability and to further assess the thermal safety of these compression shorts when they were worn during pregnancy. The study responds to previous research which has highlighted that LBP and PGP are the most common conditions experienced by women during pregnancy (Colla, Paiva & Thomas, 2017; Hughes et al, 2018; Ho et al, 2009a; Wang et al, 2005). The primary aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a specific DEFOs for reducing prenatal pain and associated disability arising from the pelvic girdle and lower back and secondly this study aimed to further assess the thermal safety of DEFOs during pregnancy.…”

“…The two most commonly reported prenatal problems are low back pain (LBP) and pelvic girdle pain (PGP) (Fitzgerald & Mallinson, 2012; Pennick & Liddle, 2013). An estimated 50–70% of women report LBP during pregnancy (Colla, Paiva & Thomas, 2017; Hughes et al, 2018; Ho et al, 2009a; Wang et al, 2005). On this basis, LBP is quite often considered ‘normal’ during pregnancy, but women report that it interferes with their activities of daily living (Colla, Paiva & Thomas, 2017; Hughes et al, 2018).…”

“…An estimated 50–70% of women report LBP during pregnancy (Colla, Paiva & Thomas, 2017; Hughes et al, 2018; Ho et al, 2009a; Wang et al, 2005). On this basis, LBP is quite often considered ‘normal’ during pregnancy, but women report that it interferes with their activities of daily living (Colla, Paiva & Thomas, 2017; Hughes et al, 2018). PGP during pregnancy is estimated to range in prevalence from 24% to 50%, with the cited reason for this range being there is variability in how PGP is defined, how physical assessments to identify PGP are performed and how it is reported (Clinton et al, 2017; Fitzgerald & Mallinson, 2012; Walters, West & Nippita, 2018).…”

The Benefits of Prenatal Aromatherapy Massage and Prenatal Yoga in Improving Beta Endorphin and Alleviating Back Pain for Pregnant Women

“…In pregnancy, hormonal change triggers a reaction on the soft tissue supporting and connecting bones, causing reduced elasticity and flexibility on the muscles [8]. Posture change during pregnancy may be caused by weight gain and abdominal muscle stretching (unable to maintain former posture), leading to more weight to be supported by lower back [9]. Gravity centre theory indicates that, during pregnancy, body centre of gravity shifts to the front, causing core muscles to work harder in keeping the stability of the lumbar backbone and pelvic girdle [10].…”

Uso de aromaterapia en gestantes: una revisión de la literatura

“…El dolor lumbar es una molestia frecuente principalmente en el último trimestre del embarazo y se debe a los cambios generados a nivel físico en el cuerpo de la gestante. Ante lo incómodo que puede ser este dolor, algunas pacientes han optado por utilizar no sólo fármacos para calmarlo, sino que el 25% se han aplicado técnicas complementarias, siendo la aromaterapia una de las más usadas (37).…”