Retrospective Maternal Back Pain Resolution
Choosing the cases – I simply went to my files and pulled out ALL who came in with severe back pain in pregnancy. I wrote this as I did not ever have someone who was not substantially helped. Most left after one session with no pain. Concurrently I ran another set of cases for breech, induction and impending early/threatened labour.
Most interesting part of this study for me was the continuation of a well pregnancy and an easy birth at the end. Those 2 who intended having a C section did so. The young woman who chose to be induce with an OP presentation had a C section. The rest enjoyed were mostly easy births. Including two with 10.5 lb baby, one a first time mum.
Abstract
Lower back pain in pregnancy is often the cause of considerable life disruption in pregnancy. Orthodox medicine marginalises back pain in pregnancy; whilst it is often debilitating, it is not life threatening. Back pain when viewed through the Chinese medicine model is a common symptom of Kidney complex deficiency (inherent constitutional weakness). Discussed here are the easy steps for anyone to supplement the mother’s Kidney Qi, hence improve pregnancy outcomes by remedying the deficiency warning sign of her lower backache. Following Chinese medical theory, where maternal Kidney Qi is said to supply the developing baby with all of its life force, the direct impact of enhancing maternal Kidney Qi is baby’s enhanced growth and constitution through its enriched Jing reserves. Using indirect moxa on her sacrum is an easy, safe and effective way to also the baby’s positioning; thus ensuring a better birth outcome. The intended recipient of this information is the prospective dad – with this nightly ‘hands on’ intervention he can make the difference by allowing his baby’s mother peaceful sleeping, creating a great foundation for the comfortable growth of his baby and the birth of their family.
Keywords: moxa, back pain, lower back pain, sacrum, pregnancy, malposition, pubic symphysis pain, pelvic girdle pain, sciatica, Kidney Qi, better birth outcome.
2018 – I looked at the research findings. I discovered the widespread occurrence of back pain in women during pregnancy. I have not updated these. It can only be worse now. Any citations are current as of 2012.I have chosen to not redo these. The cognitive dissonance and wilful blindness (just read the vaccine package inserts for what is likely to happen), complete lack of conscience (Do No Harm) and lack of scientific rigour in the now almost religious zeal where all are told they must vaccinate. With no safety studies whilst pregnant. Not tested on small children – and not in combination. With no apparent indications that this practice is even needed let alone being safe for the growing fetus, or the gestating mother. Added – the lack of required minerals – especially magnesium – and also zinc and selenium needed for the iodine transfer to thyroid hormones so missing in most I saw a decade ago – can only worsen as we take this unscientific loss of minerals – hence maternal lack of well being transferred as symptoms that are NOT normal and not healthy for mum or baby – the back pain is a great call for help and so easily helped..
My small stand on this is around the loss of bio available magnesium – an instant fix – much like watering a wilted house plant.
2019 – The situation will not have changed, as nutritional deficiencies, the role of the adjuvants now forced into pregnant women’s bodies, and the ignorance of the structural blockages must women have leading into birthing are all part of the reasons the back pain is almost epidemic (as is now placental failure after hyperemesis).
While the severity of the symptoms and the extent of other forms of discomfort are personal to each woman; the reality remains that many women suffer from moderate to excruciating pain in the lower back, pelvis, legs and associated areas during a ‘normal’ pregnancy. The extent of the suffering is detailed below.
2019 update – since writing (2012) I have been researching practically. I have not updated what others say: once was enough! Once I had begun exploring realigning sacrum /unbreaking coccyx and repositiong uterii – the acupuncture (and all of this work) was necessary though an ancillary component. Moxa (smoky, not pretend or heat lamps) IS needed. Acupuncture is needles AND moxa AND touch therapy within a supportive nourished environment are required . Needles can not do alone what you see below. My being totally allergic, and unable to even touch moxa wool now, I do understand the reticence of its usage.
This is what works – there is no substitution if you want pain resolution and a return to glowing great health.
PAIN CASES
I am inserting these at the beginning of the article. The gravity of this problem seems ignored. So too the real body warning that ANY problem or discomfort in pregnancy is a warning. If she would only listen and find someone whose health model understands the message and thus can offer the solution.
These women vary in age and ‘story’. Essentially, regardless of all other factors, the use of the moxa immediately allowed the pregnant woman to be comfortable enough to have my usual acupuncture session. Having had experienced such a shift she then had the tools to take home to get someone there to help her through the rest of the pregnancy.
The cases below are typical of a normal affluent Australian clinic. The woman from my closed community in New Zealand (where it is normal to have at least ten children by the age of 40 (sometimes 30), and often far more, and till the late 40s) shows that it is so possible to effect a permanent and vast difference. The state of the children’s health and their mothers’ bodies is covered in another article (Improving Jing in multiparous women and what it means for obstetric care anywhere).
As the first case here, A is the one of the youngest of this group, and as such, she could be expected to be in the best condition. Were I seeing her at different stages since – a year on (2013) I would have her use a lot more transdermal magnesium which probably would have resolved all issues – including her anxiety and sleeplessness, as well as all structural pain and instability. There is always more in the nutrients and circulation that can be tweaked.
By 2015 – I was loading women with the needed replacement doses of Vit D 3 – 50,000 iu daily until no pain.
By 2014 I would add in the Arvigo techniques.
2016 – After becoming a Mercier therapist , I eventually modeled into my own therapy – Heather’s Gentling Way.
Judging by what I see still in clinic, all of these women would have benefited. Pain happens with insufficient ingredients. Magnesium and Vit D (and water) being central to this.
As with the use of moxa – and indeed cupping out the cold with navel cupping (outside this article’s scope) – all I suggest and use is safer than leaving the body in its depleted state. All these interventions involve returning the template – the blueprint is needed for strong Jing for the future person being made and mum to be a mother well.
This may be restoring a normal she may have to date not had. This brings in the crucial times we can change. Pregnancy is one of these – (Dr John Shen). I ask why would we essentially sit on our hands. Mum needs to make the best baby possible. All written below is safe, works every time (check hydration and offer food to allow the moxa to not ‘space’ her out).
This work has been actively taken up by the husbands, the midwives and the health workers in the closed sect I mention. I have been working with intensively with them (40 births a year average) since 2006.
This all looks too simple. Holistic approaches are – follow nature – and replace what is missing – then as an unbroken unit it can continue. As a closed system, using acupuncture it is easy to affect all aspects of the body. Regardless of what else is the problem, the body seems to take on board the assistance and go from there.
By strengthening the Kidney Qi and Yang, many other apparently minor problems (that themselves are signaling a body in trouble) – then resolve. (Flaws 2005) This means less likely end of pregnancy and birthing problems, as the Qi is sufficient to do what comes naturally.
TABLE 1 – Common Identifiers – what they came in complaining about AS WELL
| Name | Age | parity | Preg | Condition |
| A | 22 | 34 | 1st | Exceptional back /PS pain |
| S | 23 | 40 | 2nd | Acute back and leg pain and induction |
| M | 38 | 16 | 1st | Much bleeding/potential Misc/v bad back |
| S | 22 | 35 | 1st | Severe back pain/Gestational Diabetes |
| C | 34 | 28 | 2nd | Excruciating back pain |
| K | 33 | 27 | 2nd | PS pain and back ache |
| A | 35 | 33 | 3rd | Sacro iliac joints too painful to walk/back pain |
| S | 23 | 37 | 2nd | Back/body pain/anxiety/(previous dead baby 32 wks) VBAC – choose to have C section |
| L | 41 | 38 | 2nd | Anxiety/back ache |
| V | 37 | 32 | 4th | Acute pelvic girdle pain and back ache |
| V | 38 | 29 | 1st | Back pain/insomnia |
| L | 40 | 16 | 2nd | Back ache/anxiety/ Insomnia |
| M | 35 | 28 | 1st | Acute back/speed addict – needs to detox |
| L | 27 | 32 | 2nd | Gestational Diabetes, back pain, wants (and had) VBAC |
| M | 36 | 40 | 4th | Backache/not coping |
| J | 35 | 26 | 2nd | Intermittent sciatica and severe anxiety wants (and had) VBAC |
KEY – (Parity – number of weeks pregnant)
VBAC – Wishing to attempt a vaginal birth after previous C section)
Table 2 shows the spread of problems in the studied patient population.
TABLE 2 Acupuncture identifiers –
| Name | Age | parity | Preg | Condition | Yin Def | Yang Def |
| A | 22 | 34 | 1st | Exceptional back /PS pain | Y | Y |
| S | 23 | 40 | 2nd | Acute back and leg pain and induction | Y | |
| M | 38 | 16 | 1st | Bleeding/potential Misc/v bad back | Y* | Y |
| S | 22 | 35 | 1st | Gestational Diabetes/severe back | * | Y |
| C | 34 | 28 | 2nd | Excruciating back pain | Y* | |
| K | 33 | 27 | 2nd | PS pain and back ache | Y | Y |
| A | 35 | 33 | 3rd | Sacro iliac joints too painful to walk | Y | |
| S | 23 | 37 | 2nd | Body/back pain//(prev dead baby) | Y* | Y |
| L | 41 | 38 | 2nd | Back ache/anxiety | ||
| V | 37 | 32 | 4th | Acute pelvic girdle pain & back ache | ||
| V | 38 | 29 | 1st | Back pain/insomnia | Y | |
| L | 40 | 16 | 2nd | Back ache/anxiety/ Insomnia | Y * | |
| M | 35 | 28 | 1st | Acute back/speed addict | Y* | Y |
| L | 27 | 32 | 2nd | Gestational Diabetes, back pain, VBAC | ||
| M | 36 | 40 | 4th | Backache/not coping | Y* | Y |
| J | 35 | 26 | 2nd | Intermittent sciatica & anxiety/VBAC | Y | Y |
Unfortunately I started paying more attention as I went along – thus not all have all upsets recorded. (Yin deficiency defined for this as hot feet or restless hot legs placed out of the bed covers at night, sometimes also with heat symptoms such as pimples or irritability.(*) These generally present due to excessive sugar/ fruit intake and not concurrently enough water and/or rest. Yang deficiency is measured as having a cool to touch belly, often the result of prior invasion of cold and/or poor thyroid function as measured by BBT or by self disclosure of medical history).
TABLE 3 Results – Back relief
| Age, gestational age, parity | Presenting condition | Pain relief – total | Pain relief – mostly | |
| 1 | A 22 34 1st | Exceptional back /PS pain | (back OK – hip now) | Y |
| 2 | S 23 40 2nd | Severe back pain/induction | Y | |
| 3 | M 38 16 1st | Bleeding/Misc?/v bad back | Y | |
| 4 | S 22 35 1st | Severe back aching & GD | Y | |
| 5 | C 34 28 2nd | Excruciating back pain | ongoing | Y |
| 6 | K 33 27 2nd | PS pain and back ache | Y | |
| 7 | A 35 33 3rd | Sacro iliac joints too p/ful to walk | mostly | Y |
| 8 | S 23 37 2nd | Body pain/(prev dead baby) | Y | |
| 9 | L 41 38 2nd | Back ache/anxiety | Y | |
| 10 | V 37 32 4th | Pelvic girdle pain | Y | |
| 11 | V 38 29 1st | Back pain/insomnia | Y | |
| 12 | L 40 16 2nd | Back ache/anxiety/insomnia | Y | |
| 13 | M 35 28 1st | Acute back/speed addict | Y | |
| 14 | L 27 32 2nd | GD/back pain | Y | |
| 15 | M 36 40 4th | Backache/not coping | Y | |
| 16 | J 35 26 2nd | Intermittent sciatica/anxiety | Y |
Not only did the other presenting problems resolve, the birthing was easy.
TABLE 4 Follow up/Birth Outcome
Key – A – name, 22 – number of weeks gestation 1st – birth order
| Name | Presenting condition | F/Up moxa at home | Birth outcome | |
| 1 | A, 22, 34,1st | Exceptional back /PS pain | Y | Spontaneous easy natural (10½lb) |
| 2 | S 23 40 2nd | Back pain relief/ induction | Y | Easy natural immediate |
| 3 | M 38 16 1st | Over bleeding/potential Misc/ v bad back | N | Elect C (mum initially 120 Kg) |
| 4 | S 22 35 1st | Severe back aching/ GD | Y | OP/ induction failed/C section |
| 5 | C 34 28 2nd | Excruciating back pain | Y | Induced easy natural |
| 6 | K 33 27 2nd | PS pain and back ache | Y | Spontaneous natural |
| 7 | A 35 3rd | Sacro iliac joints too p/ful to walk | Y | Spontaneous home water |
| 8 | S 23 37 2nd | Body/back pain/anxiety/(past 32 week dead baby) | N | Elect C (Dr scared her about uterus potentially rupturing – there is much mention of possible dead babies to worry mums in late pregnancy) |
| 9 | L 41 38 2nd | Anxiety/back ache | Y | Spontaneous easy natural |
| 10 | V 37 32 4th | Extreme pelvic girdle pain | No need (fixed!) | Spontaneous easy natural |
| 11 | V 38 29 1st | Back pain/insomnia | Y | Spontaneous easy natural |
| 12 | L 40 16 2nd | Back ache/anxiety/ Insomnia | N | Induced easy natural |
| 13 | M 35 28 1st | Acute back/speed addict/ | No need
(fixed!) |
Do not know (Lost contact) |
| 14 | L 27 40 2nd | Back pain/Seeking VBAC / Gestational Diabetes/ | Y | Induced easy VBAC |
| 15 | M 31 22 2nd | Morning sickness, weakness, extensive back ache | Y | Easy 4 hour labour, 9lb baby |
| 16 | M 36 40 4th | Backache/not coping | N | Spontaneous home water birth |
| 17 | J 35 26 2nd | Intermittent sciatica, v anxious | N | Spontaneous easy natural |
Actual case stories are here
How to do this at home????
These results are what happens to anyone who follows this ‘protocol’.
All my work is extensively researched – not in books and asking what others did – but by my own life and clinical experience gained over the past 40+ years of actively teaching and treating all matters maternal, all stages of pregnancy and especially resolving all in the ‘high risk’ category.
I remind you of what Dr John Shen said -‘Always always always follow life’.
