How can rib pain be relieved during pregnancy, which affects most pregnant women, especially during the last months of pregnancy, as several factors help increase rib pain, and rib pain can be an additional burden on the pregnant woman in addition to other difficulties during the last months of pregnancy, and through This article will talk about rib pain in a pregnant woman and how to alleviate it.
How to relieve rib pain during pregnancy
In some cases, rib pain is unavoidable due to the increased pressure that arises from the large size of the fetus, or because of the movements of its head and limbs, and among the ways that can be followed to relieve rib pain:
- Bathing in warm water helps relax the muscles and relieve pain and tightness.
- Take some medications for pain relief, which are considered safe medications during pregnancy.
- Do some moderate and light exercises that can relieve rib pain.
- Treating the health problem that causes pain: If the cause of this pain is a urinary tract infection during pregnancy, it is important to treat it by medical methods and medications such as antibiotics, and if the cause of rib pain is gallstones, treatment can only be done by surgery after birth, but it can Alleviate pain by avoiding fatty foods.
- Stretching during pregnancy is very important to avoid pain due to the pressure of the fetus on the ribs, in addition to the special pregnancy exercises that are performed by the ball, which contribute to increasing the flexibility of the chest muscles.
- Put a warm compress on the ribs at a suitable temperature for the body.
- Change the position constantly, stretch and sit in a semi-upright position to make room for the ribs to stretch. It is also preferable to stand when feeling tired.
- Sleeping in a comfortable position, such as placing the pillows between the feet or elevating the back a little while sleeping, which contributes to relieving rib pain and relieving heartburn associated with stretching pregnancy.
- Avoid tight clothing, which can put great pressure on the ribs and cause shortness of breath.
- Practicing yoga exercises that help relax all the muscles of the body and joints of the body, which can also help relieve lower back pain.
Causes of rib pain during pregnancy
Several reasons can lead to rib pain during pregnancy, including:
- Structural changes: the structure of the muscles and ribs in the chest area changes as a result of the growing fetus, and some sudden movements or wrong positions may cause increased pain.
- Gallstones: The increase in estrogen during pregnancy and the slow emptying of digestive juices from the bile ducts contribute to the formation of gallstones, which cause pain in the area under the ribs and women think that it is pain in the ribs.
- Relaxation of the stomach muscles: which is caused by the increase in the secretion of relaxin hormones, which causes relaxation of all the muscles of the body, including the muscles of the stomach and esophagus, which causes heartburn and the pain extends to the ribs, in addition to the pelvic muscles to expand enough to expand the fetus.
- Some serious diseases: such as liver diseases and problems, or preeclampsia, which is accompanied by serious symptoms such as high blood pressure, or an increase in the number of proteins in the blood, in addition to other liver-related diseases that can be predicted through severe pain under the ribs.
- Hormones: especially estrogen and progesterone, which play an important effect on the body and stretch it and may cause an increase in pain in the ribs area.
- Weight gain: swelling of the body, increasing and gaining more fat, which is located in the chest area, can cause increased pressure on the ribs and a feeling of pain.
- Fetal position: The position of the fetus’s head under the ribs, or the position of the legs under the rib cage, can cause increased pressure on the ribs.
- Fetal kicks: Especially during the last months of pregnancy, the kicks of the fetus become stronger due to the strength and growth of its muscles.
Prevention of rib pain during pregnancy
Although the female body has sufficient ability to expand and grow with the increasing size of the fetus, this may cause the woman some inconvenience and pain. The most important steps that can be taken to prevent rib pain associated with pregnancy:
- Maintain a healthy weight gain during pregnancy.
- Training the body to sit in a healthy and comfortable position.
- Eating healthy, fat-free food that protects against significant weight gain.
- Eating healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits that protect women from digestive problems such as gas buildup, bloating, and constipation.
- Body and joint exercises for pregnancy exercises to increase strength and extensibility.
- Wearing a comfortable bra to lift the weight of the chest beyond the ribs.
- Use of a protective abdominal belt during pregnancy.
- Changing sitting positions constantly, especially if the work requires sitting for long periods.
Symptoms of shortness of breath during pregnancy
Shortness of breath is very common during pregnancy, and most women suffer from it, and rib pain can be one of its causes, and the most important symptoms of shortness of breath during pregnancy:
- The inability during normal breathing to get enough air, which makes taking a deep breath necessary, which causes more effort on the pregnant woman.
- Chest or throat pain and a feeling of tightness in the respiratory tubes.
- Feeling restless or not getting enough oxygen.
When do rib pain and shortness of breath occur during pregnancy?
Shortness of breath can occur during any stage of pregnancy and has several causes, as it can occur during:
- First trimester: hormonal changes are the basis for feeling short of breath, in addition to feeling exhausted and not being able to take in enough air.
- The second trimester: Shortness of breath occurs during the second trimester due to the expansion of the body’s organs, such as the expansion of the arteries, the expansion of the lungs, and the enlargement and expansion of the pelvic area.
- The third trimester: Shortness of breath occurs here due to the large size of the fetus and its pressure on the diaphragm and the lifting of the lungs upward, which causes difficulty in breathing, and symptoms can improve with the approach of birth as the fetus descends down into the pelvis.
When to worry about rib pain during pregnancy
When a pregnant woman feels pain in the ribs or shortness of breath, she must change the position, and the pain often disappears with changing the position, but the pregnant woman should contact the doctor directly if she feels any of the following symptoms:- If coughing is accompanied by shortness of breath.
- If the pain in the ribs is increasing and does not go away by changing the position.
- If the pain in the ribs causes the pregnant woman problems and difficulty during speech and breathing.
- Feeling her heartbeat increase.
- Rib pain accompanied by chest pain.
- Pregnant women experience fainting spells and unconsciousness.
- Rib pain is associated with high body temperature.
- You have swelling with shortness of breath.
- A whistling sound while breathing.
- Changing the colors of the fingers, limbs, and lips, turning them blue.
After the article, it was identified how to relieve rib pain during pregnancy, and it was found that there are a set of steps and tips that can be followed to relieve muscle pain for pregnant women, and the most important causes of muscle pain, and ways to prevent them, in addition to the danger signs associated with pain ribs.