Pregnancy comes with a lot of new experiences, one being a strain on your back because of the weight of the baby’s development. A common question many pregnant women have is, ‘can you use Icy Hot while pregnant? The answer is yes. Not just this, but there are many other pain medications and pain relief options you can choose from and all will be discussed here.
Icy Hot topical painkillers work by blocking pain receptors with counterirritants to provide pain relief to slight aches. Products from Icy Hot are authorized to treat sprains, strains, joint discomfort, and muscular pain. Experiencing muscle and lower back pains is normal during pregnancy, and you can try several things, such as exercising, using a heating pad, or other methods like taking a warm bath. All of these are useful for sore muscles. An easy and efficient technique to treat aches and pains throughout pregnancy is to apply a muscle treatment or balm to your lower back.
What Are the Ingredients of Icy Hot?
Different Icy Hot products have different ingredient lists. Several main ingredients are:
- Just menthol
- Methyl salicylate in combination with menthol
- Camphor with menthol
- Lidocaine, and menthol (a topical anesthetic)
Icy Hot should only be used externally. The mixture produces a chilly sensation that is then followed by warmth. Thus, it is “icy” at first and subsequently “hot.” The specific chemical dose varies depending on the product you choose, ranging from 2.5% menthol to 30% methyl salicylate. Usually, the ratio of menthol and methyl salicylate is higher for more intense pain.
MENTHOL
Among the most often utilized substances for topical pain treatment is menthol. It is made from the herbs pennyroyal, eucalyptus, and peppermint, which gives it its recognizable “cooling” effects. Menthol doesn’t really reduce body temperature; instead, it stimulates a protein called TRPM8 to give the sensation of coldness when applied to one’s skin.
The cold-sensing receptor protein called TRPM8 enables your body to sense temperature changes on its own. When a protein notices that a particular area’s temperature is lowering, it might change its structure to let calcium ions into the nerve cell, which causes you to “feel” cold.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that menthol’s cooling effects are anesthetic, which means they lessen pain—particularly for throat and skin aches. For this reason, menthol is frequently used as the main component in large-scale topical use like Icy Hot and cough drops.
METHYL SALICYLATE
An organic molecule called methyl salicylate is naturally produced by some plant species, most notably the wintergreen.
The substance functions through a mechanism known as “counter-irritation” and is sometimes used in topical treatments to help relieve mild aches and pains. The concept behind counterirritants is known as the “gate control theory,” which simply holds that the brain is unable to process both painful and non-painful information simultaneously. According to this idea, the brain’s base has a gated mechanism that regulates the information it receives from the brain. Specific inputs can affect how this “gate” responds.
If the nervous system does not provide any input, the gate automatically stays closed. Small pain-sensing nerve fibers, on the other hand, synapse onto projecting cells that move to the brain when we feel pain. When there’s more tiny fiber stimulation than usual, painless information, the gate opens, and the brain detects pain.
In essence, it aggravates the skin just enough to temporarily halt pain impulses coming from another part of the body, like a torn or aching muscle.
CAPSAICIN
Similar to methyl salicylate, capsaicin is a counterirritant that reduces pain by causing skin irritation.
The primary ingredient in chili peppers, capsaicin, is what imparts them their hot “kick” and causes a burning feeling in nearly everything it comes into contact with.
This burning is unpleasant and painful in large amounts, similar to when you bite into a chili pepper. But in lesser doses, it can generate a warming sensation that eases pain. This substance is what provides Icy Hot its capacity to heat things.
Is Tiger Balm Safe to Use for Massage?
Tiger Balm is one of the over-the-counter medications that can soothe sore muscles and can be used as a pain relief cream for aching muscles all over the body.
However, not enough study has been done to determine if using Tiger Balm while pregnant is safe. Without this convincing proof, most businesses would opt for the safer route of precaution and advise consumers to either not use it while pregnant or nursing or always to ask a medical doctor first.
But historically, there haven’t been many topical skin products that have raised issues with nursing or pregnancy.
What Kinds of Rub Will Provide Instant Relief?
The preferred OTC pain treatment to use while pregnant is acetaminophen (Tylenol). It is thought to be safe and beneficial for pain alleviation throughout all trimesters. According to studies, acetaminophen is used by roughly 65% of pregnant women.
Acetaminophen is a common remedy, but there are still some dangers associated with it. As a result, acetaminophen should only be used by pregnant women in authorized quantities for a brief length of time. Additionally, before using acetaminophen, make sure to mention it to your healthcare specialist from a precautionary standpoint.
What are the Other Effective Ways to Get Rid of Aching?
Prenatal yoga
One of the most well-liked methods for easing pregnant back discomfort is yoga, a strengthening and flexibility exercise centered on movement with origins in medieval India. Pregnant women who suffer from back pain, muscle aches, joint pain, and nerve pain frequently turn to prenatal yoga.
Typical pregnant yoga exercises might include the following:
Breathing. You’ll be urged to concentrate on taking calm, deep breaths through your nose. Breathing exercises from prenatal yoga may help you manage or lessen breathlessness while pregnant and get through labor contractions.
Light stretching. You’ll be urged to gradually extend various body parts, such as your fingers, arms, and legs to the maximum degree.
Body positions. You will gradually shift your weight into various positions while moving, sitting, or lying on the ground to improve your energy, agility, and stability. Props can be used to offer comfort and support, such as blankets, pillows, and belts.
Cooling down: You’ll unwind your limbs at the end of every prenatal yoga session and get your heart rate and breathing patterns to normal. To achieve a state of self-awareness and inner peace, you can be advised to concentrate on your breathing, pay special attention to emotions, thoughts, and feelings, or recite a slogan or phrase. Consult a chiropractor.
Chiropractors
Although many people equate chiropractors with “cracking” their joints, they really employ a variety of procedures to treat back pain. Many pregnant women also feel relief while under the care of a skilled chiropractor.
To stop pregnant women from experiencing muscle tightness, nerve damage, and joint instability, chiropractors frequently do joint manipulation (which might result in that cracking sound), soft tissue therapy, and recommend exercises. Talk to your doctor about any alternative therapies you’re thinking about. Make careful to mention your pregnancy to the chiropractor.
Maintain Proper Posture
Your center of gravity moves forward as your child gets bigger. You may adapt to slipping forward by falling backward, which can stretch your lower back muscles and can risk back pain during pregnancy. Remember these guidelines for maintaining proper posture:
- Become tall and erect
- Keep your chest raised
- Maintain a calm, backward-bowed posture
- Keep your knees from locking
For optimum support when standing, use a pleasantly wide posture. If you have to stand for an extended amount of time, put one foot up on a low-foot stool and schedule regular rest breaks.
A Pregnancy Back Support Belt
Support belts are often recommended by doctors for pregnant women for good arch support, but they should not be your main method of pregnancy back pain alleviation. A belly band worn throughout pregnancy may assist in supporting your lower back and growing baby during activities, which may lead to a general reduction in pain.
Why Sleeping in a Specific Direction is Mandatory?
It is advised by experts that mothers lie on their left side. It enhances circulation, making it simpler for nutrient-rich blood to go from your heart toward the placenta to feed your unborn child. Additionally, lying on your left side prevents your growing body weight from putting too much pressure on your liver. While either side is acceptable, the left is preferred.
Can I Get a Massage From My Husband During Pregnancy?
Yes, go ahead, but precaution is necessary.
Before you receive a massage, whether it be from an expert or your husband, let your physician know that you’re considering getting one.
However, after the first trimester, massages are generally thought to be safe. Before that, you could decide to avoid massages since they might make you queasy or dizzy, and you definitely don’t want to unintentionally aggravate your morning sickness.
Where Shouldn’t I Get Massage?
Your abdomen. You should usually avoid getting massages on your expanding belly and the region around it since they might harm you or your unborn baby. However, it’s acceptable to gently massage some stretch mark lotion into your stomach.
Your legs. Gently massaging your legs would be fine, but watch out for your spouse using excessive deep tissue pressure. Pregnancy causes your blood volume to expand, which might cause your leg’s blood circulation to slow down and raise your risk of blood clots. So, a clot might be removed via a deep-tissue massage on your legs.
Points of pressure. Reflexology uses pressure points on certain parts of the body, such as the wrist, ankle, or spaces between the fingers. There is presently no evidence to back claims that rubbing these locations could induce contractions. Though, it is better to steer clear of this.
Consult Your Doctor
Pregnancy can be a hard time for the mother. It is important to ensure your safety and lower the risks of any potentially harmful medications. Always make sure to double-check the ingredient list and consult your healthcare specialist whenever you wish to use any new medication or other ingredients for discomfort relief, so you can avoid any mishaps.
