Back Pain After IUI: Causes And Treatment Options

Back pain is a common yet distressing condition that comes uninvited into our lives. At some point of time in your life, you too will experience back pain. Normally, general wear and tear, bad posture, and herniated discs cause the condition. But, have you heard of back pain after IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)? If you are infertile and planning to consult a fertility expert to get treatments like IUI done, then you should know that it comes with an array of side effects such as non-ending back pain. 

You might have heard people talk about back pain after a C-section. Since people do not talk much about infertility and its treatments, you are less likely to know the side effects such as back pain after IUI. Many women may experience light discomfort after IUI, but it is not necessary for everyone to go through the same. Many factors, including their medical history, pain-bearing capacity, and others, decide whether you will have to go through the pain. In this article, we are going to discuss every aspect of back pain after IUI. 

What To Expect In IUI? 

Intrauterine Insemination is a fertility treatment that is less invasive and inexpensive when compared to other fertility treatments like In Vitro Fertilization. Typically, IUI is recommended for couples who are unable to conceive through the natural method. Doctors usually recommend IUI to women who are suffering from minor endometriosis, issues within the cervical mucus, ovulatory disorders, unexplained infertility, and men who are experiencing male impotence, semen allergy, and unexplained infertility. 

We collect sperm during IUI either from the male partner or from a sperm donor. Sperm is washed and inserted into the woman’s uterus using a catheter. Once the sperm is injected, it is expected to fertilize the egg to form an embryo. It takes 3-5 days for the embryo to implant in the uterus. If the treatment is successful, you will get to experience implantation symptoms such as spotting or bleeding and minor cramps 13 days after IUI. 

You will certainly be excited about IUI because it may help you attain parenthood. But, before getting the treatment, you are supposed to get a better understanding of the problems that it may follow. 

Back Pain After IUI

Doctors often tell their patients to carefully observe the changes in their bodies after getting fertility treatments as every little sign is of major significance. Back pain is one of the common symptoms of implantation and since it is associated with implantation, you cannot always call it a side effect. It is more feasible to assume that women after IUI would be mentally relieved when they get back pain, as it is a common indication of pregnancy. Usually, the pain caused by implantation is initially felt in the abdominal and pelvic region, but they get spread to the lower back causing back pain. 

Causes Of Back Pain After IUI

While implantation is one of the common causes of back pain after IUI, this may not be the case always. There can be several reasons behind your back pain and some of them are as follows: 

• Uterine Contradictions-  After IUI, your uterine is more likely to contract causing pain in the lower back. This may not cause severe pain, but only mild. 
• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome- Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is a condition that is commonly identified in women taking fertility treatments. It usually causes their ovaries to swell up and fill up with fluid.
• Ovulation Induction Medications- Before fertility treatments like IUI, doctors recommend taking ovulation induction medication that helps ovaries produce multiple eggs in a month. Although it increases the chances of conception, you can expect back pain, somewhere more severe than that you experience before or during your periods.
• Ovarian Cysts- For women with ovarian cysts, periods itself is quite painful. So, it is needless to mention what they will likely experience after an IUI. If you do not have ovarian cysts, the chances of getting one are higher when taking fertility medications. 
• Excessive Exercise- Usually, doctors recommend doing mild exercises every day after the procedure. Overdoing them can cause back pain and you might feel relief as soon as you stop doing them aggressively.  
• Lifting Heavy Objects- Lifting heavy objects immediately after IUI can cause back pain. Not only back pain, but sometimes it can also lead to unsuccessful IUI or a miscarriage. 
• Bending- Doctors often tell you not to bend too much after IUI, because it is one of the common reasons for back pain after IUI. 

Now that you have understood the relationship between back pain and IUI, and its causes, it would be better if you also spend some time learning about the treatment options available to cure the back pain after IUI. 

Read More:- What Happens After IUI Day By Day?

Treatment Options For Back Pain After IUI

Whenever you treat a condition, you have to address the underlying cause first, and the same goes for back pain after IUI. The treatment varies from person to person and some of the common treatment methods of back pain are as follows: 

• Pain-Relieving Medicines- If you are looking for an instant recovery from the pain, you better take over-the-counter pain relievers. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the common pain-relieving medications recommended by doctors. 
• Heat Therapy- Heat therapy is a traditional method of finding relief from pain. It involves applying a heating pad to the affected area. You can expect drastic results after attending a couple of heat therapy sessions. 
• Rest- Taking an appropriate amount of rest after IUI can distance you from getting back pain. This can also help attain relief from back pain if you start taking plenty of rest today.

When Should You Approach A Doctor? 

Back pain after IUI is common, but if it is extreme, then you better consult a doctor because it could be due to an abnormality. The sooner you consult your doctor, the faster shall you attain relief. However, do not try to treat the condition by yourself. If it is anything serious, then waiting to heal by itself would be a bad idea. Instead, you should at least try to know the cause so that you can understand if immediate treatment is necessary or not. If there is nothing serious, then you can try resting to see if it takes away your pain. If this doesn’t work, you may take some medical assistance. 

What Are The Other Risks Of IUI? 

IUI does not lead to any potential danger, but it does have certain side effects other than back pain. Here are the common risks of IUI: 

• Spotting- Spotting is often seen immediately after the procedure and this is common after IUI. It is typically due to the insertion of a catheter or sometimes it might cause irritation in the uterus. This might often result in light spotting. However, spotting after IUI is not a serious complication. 
• Infection – Even though the instruments are sterile, hygiene compromises can cause infections.
• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome – It’s a condition that happens after women take fertility pills. These medicines push your ovaries to release multiple matured eggs at the same time. This might cause swelling in your ovaries leading to severe pain. This is a medical emergency, so get treated right away.
• Multiple Pregnancies- Sometimes, the use of ovulation induction medications leads to multiple gestations. In these cases, you will be pregnant with multiple babies. 

Read More:- Understanding Ovary Pain After IUI: Causes And Management Tips.

Conclusion

So to conclude, back pain after IUI doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously, especially if it is experienced after 13 days of the procedure because it is often an indication for implantation. But in other cases, you may pay proper attention and visit your fertility expert if the condition worsens. Taking proper rest, maintaining a good eating habits, and taking medicines appropriately as per recommended by the doctors are the few things that you can do to reduce the intensity of back pain after IUI. 

If you are the male partner, make sure your woman is not stressed at all. This might increase the chances of conception. After all, you would anyway know how responsible you should be while taking infertility treatments. Hopefully, it will make your dream of experiencing parenthood come true.