Muscle strains..what to do?

LignumVitae

Hello

I've been a bit quiet recently so I hope you are all well. I've having a few trials with my body carrying two ever increasing twins. Last week I really hurt my back but seem to have sorted that with some exercises on all fours and adding to my ever increasing pillow count in the bed (there's barely room for Mr LV now). Sleep had evaded me because of that which never helps anything.

For about 5 days I've had pregnancy rhinitis which means I've been sneezing like a good'un. The outcome is that I have pulled the muscles in my lower abdomen and they really hurt walking is a particular pain and I learned yesterday that grim determination to carry on as normal doesn't always help, especially not in freezing rain.

I don't really know how you treat muscle strains being more of a joint problem kind of girl! Does anybody have any advice please? Do you rest them, stretch them, warm them or cool them and does anybody know how long they may take to mend? I'm taking pregnancy safe antihistamines to reduce the sneeze rate but I'm growing fast and want the muscles back to working order to help carry the ever expanding waist line!

LV x

Numptydumpty

Hi LV,
Sorry to hear this, just what you need eh?
I would think rest and plenty of it, would be the best thing. Perhaps a warm bath, if you can manage it. Is there some kind of sling you can get, to help support your blooming tummy?
I hope things improve very soon.
Wishing you well,
Numpty

stickywicket

I can imagine it aint easy carrying two at once.

I remember the back exercises from about 38 years ago, chiefly because they were the ones I couldn’t do or, at least, was told not to do given the joint problems. I really don’t know what to suggest LV except that, as this isn’t just an abdominal strain but an abdominal strain during pregnancy, I think you need ‘proper’ medical advice. You don’t want to beggur up something else and I can well imagine that Bubble & Squeak mightn’t take kindly to being suddenly heated up or cooled down Do you attend ante-natal classes yet? They’d be the best people to ask. I think the usual route is different exercises that will help support the bits that have over-stretched but don’t take my word for it.

I get allergic rhinitis. (Not pregnant though ) I use a steroid nasal spray and, once under control, I was able to reduce it from 2 squirts in each nostril twice a day to just one in each at night.

stickywicket

How's things today, LV? I hope a little better.

LignumVitae

Hello,

Thank you both for your help. I was all set to go to the doctor this morning as I think a nasal spray which is localised could be far better than using antihistamines which could get through to Bubble and Squeak. Naturally, my body on hearing about the impending trip decided to take action. All sneezing has remarkably stopped and my tummy is a lot less painful! I had a lovely deep bath last night which I think could have helped as it made me feel all weightless and I could lie there, on my back for ages, heaven! I also didn't do my daily walk which might have just given things a chance to settle. Hopefully I can head out again today.

I will keep the threat of a trip to the doctor on ice just in case my body forgets. I am seeing my midwife next tuesday (hopefully we will get to listen to some heart beats) and I am going to ask her about supports and about classes both of which could be useful, I don't even know how to change nappies for instance. I am hoping she will also give me the all clear to go and float in a swimming pool too, I figured the weightlessness would feel lovely on my back and tummy. I can also do some very gentle hydro exercises there too, if I remember them! I was banned from such things after my bleeding episodes but I really hope those, like the sneezing and sore muscles are behind me now.

Thank you, LV xx

Numptydumpty

Hi LV,
I'm pleased things have settled down a bit, and hope they continue to do so.
Please be careful with the swimming, a friend of mine, (many moons ago) strained her tummy muscles, swimming whilst pregnant.
I've suffered from rhinitis for many years. Mine though, is the stuffy nose variety. I use a steroid spray, which I used safely through both of my pregnancies.
Wishing you well,
Numpty

LignumVitae

Hi Numpty,

That's really useful to know, I will get onto a nose spray if it starts again...I can't keep sneezing! I wasn't planning on swimming too hard, I was just calling it swimming rather than, hanging around in a pool pretending to be exercising which is more likely what I will be doing. I have noticed that things are beginning to feel tight and when I tried to flex my back on my knees it wasn't very easy because I didn't have the movement at the front! I will be very careful...it's amazing how fast it all changes.
LV xx

mig

Pleased things have eased a little,take it easy with the swimming.Mig

LignumVitae

I started sneezing again in the night and hurt everything again so I went to the doctor this morning. He was lovely, has given me some safe antihistamines which should be very effective as well as eye drops as he correctly noted I had dry and itchy eyes (I'd kind of missed those focusing on the sneezing bit). So far, no sneezes, it's lovely!!