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| |    Sciatica During Pregnancy by Lisa Rodriguez, R.N. and Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. reviewed by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. As your baby grows, your uterus may press on the sciatic nerve, which connects your legs to your spinal cord. Sciatica (sciatic nerve pain) is a sharp or aching pain that usually starts in the lower back or buttock and sometimes seems to shoot down the back of the leg to the calf or heel. Most women who experience sciatica notice it first while on their feet. You can try to rest as much as possible to ease the pain. A heating pad or hot water bottle (wrapped in a towel to avoid burns) applied to the area is another solution. There are many exercises to help with this nagging problem. Sometimes simple stretching exercises done twice each day can give great relief. Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) can be an alternative if nothing else seems to be helping. You may want to discuss the use of non-steroidal medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) with your practitioner to see if they are an option for you. Many physicians believe these medications to be safe until the 32nd week of pregnancy. If the problem gets so severe that you are having trouble walking, or it is interfering with your life, discuss treatment options with your practitioner. Even if sciatica starts fairly early in your pregnancy, you may not be destined to have pain for all the remaining months. Many women grow out of this problem later in the pregnancy.
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