How Pregnancy and Childbirth Impact Your Joint Health

From morning sickness to fatigue, pregnancy can bring a lot of unwelcome side effects. People often joke about some of them — like the food cravings or growing feet — but other impacts probably don’t feel very funny when you’re living with them. Take joint pain as an example. 

You probably won’t hear this side effect of pregnancy referenced in pop culture. And even if you’re familiar with it, you might assume it fades after childbirth. Actually, though, it’s very common for women to experience joint pain throughout their pregnancies and postpartum. 

Fortunately, Dr. Jonathan D. Carlson can apply his specialization in joint pain to help. If you’re dealing with discomfort during your pregnancy or after, visit us at Hawai’i Pain and Spine on the Windward side of Oʻahu in Kailua. 

Understanding pregnancy and joint pain

A lot of changes happen in your body during pregnancy that can strain your joints. Your ligaments relax as your body makes a hormone called relaxin, lessening the support for your joints. As your baby grows, the added weight takes its toll, as does the way you change your posture to accommodate your belly. Altogether, this taxes your joints.

Joint pain during pregnancy usually impacts the lower half of your body, which bears the brunt of the added weight. You might feel pain in your:

• Hips
• Lower back
• Knees
• Pelvis

Your joint pain might evolve as your pregnancy progresses. Seeing Dr. Carlson when you first notice persistent discomfort means that he can tailor treatment to you during each trimester. 

Postpartum joint pain

For some women, relief comes with having their baby. The lessened burden on your body once your baby is in the world can help to alleviate your joint discomfort.

Unfortunately, though, not all women have this experience. Some suffer with postpartum joint pain because of fluid retention, the way they hold their baby, and other factors. If you deal with joint pain after childbirth, you’ll most likely feel the discomfort in your:

• Fingers and wrist
• Knees
• Hips
• Pelvis
• Lower back

If you’re dealing with persistent pain after having your baby, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Carlson. 

Helping you find relief

Some women find pain relief with simple changes like walking more, having massages, wearing better shoes, and getting ample rest. 

But if lifestyle modifications don’t soothe your joint pain, talk with Dr. Carlson. He can help you explore your treatment choices, from stretching and yoga to injection-based options. 

Don’t hobble your way through your pregnancy and postpartum period. To talk with Dr. Carlson about your joint pain relief options, call our office to schedule an appointment today.