Suffering from lower back pain during pregnancy? Try physiotherapy and/or acupuncture

If you are suffering from low-back pain during pregnancy you are not alone. Up to 80% of women suffer from low back pain at some point during their pregnancy (Wedenberg et al., 2000). Moreover, almost all women cited low-back pain as a “significant problem” that negatively impacts their daily routine (Ostgaard et a., 1991; Sabino & Grauer, 2008).

Fortunately, there are several safe and effective therapies available to reduce pain and discomfort including physical therapy and acupuncture.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine dating back thousands of years. It involves the insertion of fine, usually stainless steel needles into the skin at specific points called acupuncture points or acupoints. All acupoints are interconnected through a series of channels called Meridians through which energy (Qi) flows through. Each meridian corresponds to a particular organ or organ system. When a person is unwell, it is said that these channels are clogged up with Qi. When a needle is placed in an acupoint it allows the clogged energy to be released which in turn restores the flow of energy making the person well again.

A study published in the Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica Journal compared the effectiveness of physiotherapy and acupuncture treatment for low back pain during pregnancy (Wedenberg et al., 2000). The study included 48 women up to 8 months pregnant. All women were suffering from pregnancy-related low back pain. The researchers randomly divided participants into one of two treatment groups:

1. Acupuncture
2. Physiotherapy

Women in the acupuncture group received 10 30-minute treatment sessions over the course of one month. An acupuncturist placed fine needles just below the skin at acupuncture points associated with low back and pelvic pain. Women in the physiotherapy group received 10 50-minute treatment sessions over the course of 6 to 8 weeks. The sessions included soft tissue mobilization, physical exercise, and counseling. Following treatment, the researchers followed up with the participants.

Results

The researchers found that 100% and 78% of women in the acupuncture and physiotherapy groups respectively, no longer suffered from low back pain.

Overall, the results of this study suggest that acupuncture is slightly better at relieving low back pain associated with pregnancy. This is because all participants in the acupuncture group were cured of lower back pain. Whereas only 78% of those undergoing physiotherapy treatment were. Nevertheless, both treatment options are safe and effective at reducing/curing low back pain in pregnant women. The authors noted that the “overall satisfaction was good in both groups” and no serious adverse events were reported.

Ostgaard, Andersson, G. B. J., & Karlsson, K. (1991). Prevalence of back pain in pregnancy. Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976), 16(5), 549–552. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-199105000-00011 

Sabino, J., & Grauer, J. N. (2008). Pregnancy and low back pain. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 1(2), 137–141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-008-9021-8 

Wedenberg, K., Moen, B., & Norling, Å. (2000). A prospective randomized study comparing acupuncture with physiotherapy for low-back and pelvic pain in pregnancy. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 79(5), 331–335. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0412.2000.079005331