Hip Pain During Pregnancy: Understanding Sciatica & Relief

Question
Hi my name is Amy. I have a Question about this psin in my hip. I am not sure of what it is. I am pregnant with twins and I am about 29-30 weeks along. This pain has been here for at least 1-2 months and my doctor says that it is a ciactic nerve. It starts in my left hip and moves down my left leg. It gets to the point to where when I lye down in bed i can't move my left leg at all. If you can tell me more about this and what might have caused it I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.  

Answer
The sciatic nerve runs along your back. When the uterus containing the babies presses on this nerve, it fires causing a shoting pain that radiates around to your hip and then moves down the outside of your leg towards your ankle. It is really uncomfortable. You can try a heating pad, some tylenol, a warm shower, or massage. There is nothing else to do to alleviate the discomfort. It will resolve after the babies are born. Try also wearing shoes with good support, no heels, and, perhaps, support hose.