Aches and pains of varying degrees, particularly in the hips and lower back region, are everyday experiences for pregnant women. According to a study, almost 76 percent of pregnant women have some back pain. Chiropractic care, which can provide pain relief and many other health benefits, is one of the available treatment options.
How Risky Is It for Pregnant Women to Get Chiropractic Treatment?
Fundamentally speaking, chiropractic treatment is the care and maintenance of a healthy spinal column and the manipulation of specific pressure points to realign joints that are out of place. The method does not include any surgery or the consumption of any drugs. Some chiropractors focus primarily on providing prenatal and postnatal care for their patients, despite the fact that all chiropractors receive training to assist pregnant patients. In spite of the fact that chiropractic treatment is risk-free, expectant mothers should never go to a chiropractor without first receiving clearance from their primary care physician. Having said all of this, let’s take a look at the benefits that going to a chiropractor while pregnant can bring to a woman and her unborn child.
Chiropractic Care Offers a Number of Advantages to Expectant Mothers
1. Lessens the Effects of In-Vitro Constraints
During pregnancy, a woman’s body goes through a number of changes, one of which is an increase in the production of a hormone known as relaxin. This change is just one of many that take place. Its function can be deduced from its name: it helps relax the body’s ligaments to ensure that the baby remains in the appropriate position even when the mother is moving around.
Pregnant women can suffer from a condition known as subluxation, which restricts the motions of the pelvis. This condition can be very painful. This, in turn, can induce in-utero constraint, which occurs when the stress imposed on the ligaments is so significant that they cannot relax and allow the baby to adjust its position in the uterus.
Chiropractic treatment effectively prevents and treats this condition because it relieves strain on the mother’s body and, as a result, makes it easier for the baby to move about. In addition, the baby can practice turning its head down, which prepares it for the moment when it will be delivered.
2. Reduced Length of Labor Periods
Because chiropractic therapy helps to prepare the mother’s body for giving birth by ensuring that the joints and spine are properly aligned, labor times can be shortened, making it possible to have babies in shorter amounts of time. When a person’s posture is improved, the link between the mother’s nervous system and the body is strengthened, which makes the labor and delivery process go more smoothly.
A statistical analysis of past data revealed that, on average, pregnant women who sought chiropractic care had labors that were 31% shorter than those of patients who did not receive chiropractic care. In addition, the “Textbook on Chiropractic and Pregnancy,” written by Joan Fallon, states that women who received chiropractic care throughout pregnancy experienced labor that was 25 percent shorter. Despite the statistics, the figures look very good, particularly for first-time mothers, for whom even a slight reduction in the amount of time spent in labor is a blessing.
3. Alleviates Discomfort in the Lower Back
Because of the additional weight that they have to carry, lower back discomfort is one of the most common symptoms that pregnant women suffer from. In the beginning, we mentioned that this is one of the symptoms caused by the pregnancy itself. This is because the spine goes through a series of alterations to make room for the baby as a result of the greater load that it must bear.
These alterations, in turn, almost always end up causing some discomfort in the lower back. Moreover, the discomfort only gets greater as the baby continues to develop in size. Treatment with chiropractic adjustments can assist in correcting the posture of the spine as it is developing in the newborn, thereby preserving the spine’s normal, intended curve.
4. Chiropractic Care May Ease Some of the Symptoms of Pregnancy
In addition to pain in the lower back and misaligned areas of the pelvis, other frequent symptoms of pregnancy that a woman may encounter include nausea and vomiting. Treatment with chiropractic adjustments can be quite helpful in reducing the symptoms of morning sickness. In the event that the dizziness and nausea are brought on by the nerves being compressed or the vertebrae being misaligned, chiropractic care is specifically designed to address both of these problems and bring relief. The changes, as well as the careful, hands-on care, will bring everything back to its proper place.
5. Improves Postpartum Recovery
In conclusion, chiropractic care is beneficial in many ways, well beyond the confines of pregnancy and into the postpartum period. Adjustments, both before and especially after the baby’s delivery, will assist the body in recovering from the labor and delivery process more quickly. This is because physical therapy improves the alignment of the woman’s spine and her flexibility, and it also stimulates the neurological system, assisting it in remaining functioning, balanced, and healthy.
Conclusion
It is safe for pregnant women to receive chiropractic treatment. It is also suggested to treat some of the more frequent symptoms connected with this phase of pregnancy, such as lower back problems and morning nausea. In addition, the time it takes to deliver the baby is cut down by a stunning 30 percent, and the postpartum recovery process is sped up as a result. This benefit adds to the already extensive list of advantages.
Seeking chiropractic care is a great way to make your pregnancy much more enjoyable; however, before going to a chiropractor, you should make sure to consult with your primary care physician. Your health and well-being can be restored with chiropractic care. Contact Atlas Total Health Chiropractic by calling (866) 668-0108 or contacting us online to schedule your consultation. Discover what we can do for you to assist you with feeling better and restore you to optimal health.
