Back pain is one of the most common issues affecting pregnant women, with 50% to 80% of surveyed pregnant women reporting pregnancy-related back pain (according to NLM). Other targeted areas include leg cramping, hip pain, sciatica, and pelvic pain.
What should all pregnant women know?
There are real benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. It’s a non-invasive solution for relieving pain, restoring alignment, improving mobility, and promoting healthy posture in pregnant women.
Discover even more advantages of prenatal chiropractic care in this helpful guide.
Pain Relief for Multiple Targeted Areas
Pregnant women experience pain in several areas, with lower back pain being the most prevalent. A chiropractor can apply gentle techniques to fix alignment and posture issues caused by pregnancy. These techniques also reduce tension in women’s soft tissues and muscles.
Many women also experience headache relief after receiving chiropractic pregnancy care. Pregnancy often comes with a lot of general discomfort, including nausea, something a chiropractor can also help with.
Chiropractic care relieves pain and improves mood, essential for healthy sleep patterns in pregnant women. It also helps release mood-boosting endorphins, which help ease the stress of pregnancy. These combined benefits may improve the birthing experience and post-pregnancy recovery.
Bone Health Benefits for Pregnancy
Pregnant women may experience an increase in energy after routine visits to the chiropractor. More exercise improves alignment, including alignment of the fetus. Women might also experience decreased stress and fewer physical health issues with regular exercise, fresh air, and targeted stretching.
Exercise makes pregnant women’s bones stronger and denser. It stimulates healthy bone cell reproduction. Eating calcium-rich foods, hydrating, and taking doctor-recommended prenatal vitamins also manage bone health during pregnancy.
Both pregnant women and women in post-pregnancy recovery may lower the risk of osteoporosis with continued chiropractic care. Women still comprise the highest percentage of osteoporosis cases at 80%, according to data from the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.
Maternal Health Care Benefits for the Nervous System
Pregnant women need a healthy nervous system during pregnancy. Nervous systems change significantly during this time. For example, the body’s “fight or flight” fear responses are heightened which impacts mood and mental health.
These nervous system changes are coupled with increases in estrogen and progesterone levels, leading to hormonal fluctuations. Non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care, yoga, nutrition, and meditation can help calm symptoms and improve mental and physical wellness.
The sympathetic nervous system is more active in pregnant women. This change raises a woman’s blood pressure and heart rate. The right chiropractic techniques can deliver the relief needed to calm and stabilize.
Alignment corrections also take pressure off the spine, relieving nerve pain. Pregnancy can cause these nerves to compress and pinch. Chiropractic methods can restore proper nerve flow, leading to quicker healing in the body.
Improve Pregnancy Wellness by Reducing Inflammation
The same nerve pressure relief pregnant women experience after chiropractic adjustments also reduces inflammation in the body. Inflammation is one of the most common health issues for pregnant women. Chiropractic care, non-inflammatory foods, pregnancy vitamins, and light exercise all work to lower inflammation.
Lowering inflammation levels improves immune system response by balancing the nervous system. This leads to improved nerve signals and communications in a pregnant woman’s body. The right prenatal chiropractic adjustments reduce levels of a protein called cytokine; this protein regulates immune system cells.
Chiropractic treatment also lowers neuropeptide levels, a chemical that increases inflammation through pain signals.
Types of Chiropractic Adjustments for Pregnant Women
Chiropractors apply techniques designed for a pregnant woman’s body, delivering pain relief to targeted areas. Most pregnant women report the highest pain in the lower back region, followed by the pelvis, ligaments, neck, and joints.
A chiropractor may start with a “Webster” technique designed to align the spine, side posture, and pelvis. This method is considered the most common prenatal chiropractic adjustment. Pregnant women should discuss all techniques with a licensed and experienced chiropractor first.
With the Webster technique, a chiropractor will use a special drop table to support a pregnant woman’s belly during the session. Adjustments help correct misalignments in the pelvic and sacral regions. Additionally, this minimizes tension to improve the fetal positioning in the belly while increasing neural flow for both mother and child.
Side posture adjustments help relieve pain while aligning a woman’s torso and legs. This technique helps relieve tension, pain, and misalignment in the lower spine. Rest assured, prenatal chiropractic techniques do not apply pressure to a woman’s abdomen.
Targeted spinal and pelvic adjustments help increase blood flow and oxygen to the fetus while relieving the mother’s back, joint, and neck pain. Talk to a chiropractor about the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy to see if it’s the right labor preparation. Many pregnant women feel improvements in their birthing experience and recovery.
Discuss the Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
Pregnant women should talk to a general physician, chiropractor, or OB-GYN about chiropractic care before starting a treatment plan. This treatment may help supplement pregnancy wellness tips for vitamins, nutrition, mood health, and fitness. Pregnant women should get plenty of rest and sleep during this time which can improve adjustment results.
Bring comfortable clothes to chiropractic sessions, including bottled water and nutritious snacks. Comfortable chiropractic accessories are also available to improve the experience for pregnant women.
Think about post-session relief tips like maintaining good posture. Doing so helps maintain the alignment. Pregnant women may also apply ice to adjusted areas or take soothing Epsom salt baths which calms the body and mind.
Boost Your Holistic Pregnancy Health Plan
Prenatal chiropractic care is part of a complete non-invasive treatment routine for pregnant women. Discuss all options with care providers first, including other holistic regimens like hydration, pregnancy exercises, and nutrition for pregnant women. Consistency is key for chiropractic care results.
The team at Innovative Nerve and Joint Centers is here to discuss all the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Learn more about our methods, view our facilities, and meet our experienced doctors to discover peace of mind during this important time.
We believe that pain shouldn’t limit your life. Whether you’re pregnant or recovering from childbirth, we have a treatment plan for you. Contact us today to learn more!
