Deep heat creams whilst pregnant

**Myztik** · 03-10-2009 20:26

is it ok to use them? It doesn't say anything on the tube about not using it while pregnant but I'm paranoid

I have done something to my back and am willing to try anything right about now to ease the pain. Panadol isn't cutting it and the wheat bag is great, while it's hot but as soon as it cools down the pain is back just as bad as before.

I will be going to the doctor tomorrow just need some relief to get me through the night.

**sam's mum** · 03-10-2009 20:35

I am pretty sure that the one that I have says not to use while pregnant.

there were many times I wished that I could, but I couldn't find one that didn't have the warning...

hope that it is feeling better soon

**Myztik** · 03-10-2009 20:39

Thanks Jane. This is the Goanna Heat Cream one. All it says is not to use it on broken skin basically.

**Jinglejangles** · 03-10-2009 20:41

I hope it's okay! I've used it a couple of times!

I'm not sure what you've done to your back, by I have a disc out of alignment in my spine. I was putting a heat pack on it and standing under hot showers. At first it felt great, but in the following days the pain started getting worse. My doctor recommended I have physio (which I've been having 3 times a week) and the physio told me to stay away from heat. She said heat won't take the inflamation away. In fact it will make it worse. She told me to use ice packs to help with the inflamation.

So be sure to check with your doctor and ask what's best to use for your condition - heat or ice.

Oh, and as for the pain... My doctor told my I could only take panadol. I wasn't allowed to take anything stronger or any anti-inflamatories. (Another doctor I saw said it might be okay to take Codapain Forte... but whenever I took that I threw up... which did even more damage to my back. When my usual doctor found out I had been taking it he told me to stop taking it immediately.)

I you haven't done too much damage and your back feels better soon.

**Myztik** · 03-10-2009 20:44

Thanks for that jingle jangles

I am actually quite worried it is a disc. I had a bulging disc before and ended up needing surgery to remove part of it and the pain I am having now is quite similar (except there's no sciatic pain this time thank god). I was fine when I got up this morning but (sorry if tmi) when I went to sit down to go to the toilet my lower back just locked up and I have barely been able to move since. If I twist or bend a certain way I get shooting pain across my lower back. Brings tears to the eyes and I have a high pain threshold.

I didn't know about the heat making inflammation worse though

hope I haven't been making it worse all afternoon (using the wheat bag)..

**boysrgr8** · 03-10-2009 20:50

I am pretty sure that the only one the chemist said to use was the light tiger balm.
I think there is a chemical in other relief that isn't healthy for pregnant women.
I hth and I am sorry that you are in so much pain.

**Jinglejangles** · 03-10-2009 20:56

Mine is in my upper back but I took feel the pain more when I'm on the toilet. (Which isn't fun when combined with pregnancy constipation!

It's horrible isn't it. I've had so many sleepless nights. It doesn't matter how I sit or lay down, I just can't get comfortable. My pain actually shoots down my right arm and 2 of my fingers are numb.

My doctor told me to ask my Ob if I'm able to have an MRI (since it's done with magnets and radio waves). So I asked my Ob the other day and he had no idea! He said no-one has ever asked him that before.

I'm here if you ever want to chat about it or need someone to sympathise with you.

Guest · 03-10-2009 21:01

Heat or ice always confused me! When my husband did his back, he was told to use ice by a chiro, then at the hospital was told to use heat, then at the physio she also told him to use heat (and was the only one who fixed it, so physio is always the go, chiro was a complete waste of money imo!!)
Obviously he wasn't pg but they gave him some medication and panadeine forte and it did wonders, he was stuck on the floor at one point.
I think heat is for muscle tension because it relaxes it, but ice for injury so it takes the inflammation away, ice can make the tension worse, and heat can make the inflammation worse. Not sure about disk injury though, best to stop using either till you know, if it gets really bad, a visit to the hospy won't be bad, they'll know what to give you.. We had to call an ambulance dh cause he couldn't move and was almost crying of pain, and he's a big 6ft 115kg man!!!

**Myztik** · 03-10-2009 21:04

That must be hard, I've never had major pain in my upper back, always in the lower.

You'd think I'd be used to it. I lived with the bulging disc impinging my sciatic nerve for approx. 9mnths and then dealt with the post Op pain for 8wks. I think I am just freaking out that I'll have to go through it all again (it started when I was 6mnth pg with my DS2 last time).

Do you know if yours will require surgery or will it go away with the physio?

I wouldn't wish back pain on my worst enemy so I totally empathise

feel free to vent/whinge/cry to me too!