Chiropractic Treatment and Pregnancy
While pregnancy is a natural and beautiful life process, carrying a child for 9 months is not easy. A mother’s body undergoes serious physical changes that leave her uncomfortable, in pain, and worried for the health of her unborn child. Getting a chiropractic adjustment, by a chiropractor with years of experience, while pregnant is a well-known natural treatment to help women deal with the stresses of pregnancy.
While pregnant, a women’s spine increases it’s lumbar curve (lordosis) due to pressure from the growing abdomen. Changes also occur in pelvic positioning to prepare the body for labor. As a result, the spine and pelvis can become misaligned. This causes pain and can even effect child labor. Chiropractic helps to ensure a proper natural labor occurs. It is also known to maintain a healthy spine alignment and to relieve pain for a woman during pregnancy.
Don’t Use Painkillers During Pregnancy
While it is easy to use pharmaceutical painkillers to deal with spinal discomfort, such drugs can cause harm to an unborn child. The use of painkillers during pregnancy can cause problems such as early labor, or abnormalities in the child’s development. A woman is deeply physically connected to her child. Whatever substance she consumes, the child consumes through the placenta. Therefore, if a pregnant woman becomes dependent on painkillers in her third trimester, it is possible her child will be born with the same dependency. This is not to say that women can’t safely take painkillers during pregnancy once in a while, however the strength and amount of medication needed to deal with the spinal pain a woman experiences would be harmful to the child’s health.
Why Chiropractic for Pregnant Women
Chiropractic adjustments have been known to successfully relieve back pains for pregnant women and is a great safe alternative to medications. This practice can benefit a mother in multiple ways, as back pains are not the only issue an expecting mother has to deal with. As nerves are all connected to the spinal cord, relieving pressure from the spine can also help women with migraines during pregnancy. Furthermore, the discomfort in the pelvis during pregnancy can often cause sacroiliac joint dysfunction. This is the joint in the lower back on either side of your sacrum. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction can easily be treated though chiropractic practices. By adjusting the spine, pressure can be reduced around the lower spine and sacroiliac joints. This can help treat and even prevent sacroiliac joint issues for expecting mothers.
While the idea of someone adjusting your spine with their bare hands can be intimidating, it should be noted that chiropractic adjustments are completely safe for women and their unborn children. Chiropractors all undergo intense training to treat pregnant women specifically for their back pains, headaches, sacroiliac joint issues, and more. Women should all consider chiropractic adjustment during pregnancy, as it is a safe and completely natural alternative to harsh chemical medications that can harm both you and your child’s body. It not only helps to deal with the stresses of carrying a child, but it can ensure a healthy, comfortable pregnancy and childbirth.
I’ve been safely treating pregnant women with back pain and headaches since 1982. If you’d like to make an appointment with me, call my office at 860-583-4346 or click here to complete an online form.
See my other article about Chiropractic and Pregnancy here.
Read about the safety of chiropractic while you’re pregnant here.
Dr David M. Spitz is the founder and clinic director of the Chiropractic Health Center of Bristol, located in Bristol, CT. Since 1982, he has treated thousands of patients for various conditions ranging from neck and back pain, to migraine headaches. He specializes in treating patients who have suffered whiplash injuries and/or back injuries in a motor vehicle accident.
Dr Spitz was a volunteer EMT-I and a lieutenant for several years at the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department. He has lectured throughout CT on various topics including, chiropractic, stress management, headaches and preventing back injury in the workplace.
