Pregnancy

Although pregnancy is a beautiful thing to experience, it can create a great amount of strain on your body. At least 50% of women will experience back, neck, hip and knee pain at some point in their pregnancy journey.

At the Chiropractic Wellness Centre, we can help to relieve pain or tension that may have built up by improving spinal biomechanical function.

What causes back pain during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, there are a multitude of reasons as to why you can experience back pain.

Weight gain – During pregnancy your spine has to support the extra weight of your growing baby. The added pressure caused by the development of the fetus, uterus on the spinal nerves, and surrounding blood vessels can cause persistent lower back pain.

Posture changes – The added weight also adjusts your centre of gravity which over time changes your posture. This can cause tension on the spine, again contributing to back and neck pain.  We commonly see cases where patients have come in with protruding abdomen and increased back curves.

Hormone changes. The ligaments in your body become soft and stretch due to a hormone called relaxin which prepares you for labour. A downside of this is that it can cause the ligaments that support the spine to loosen resulting in lower back pain.

Muscle separation. As the uterus expands, two parallel sheets of muscles which run from the rib cage to the pubic bone can separate along the center seam. This can worsen back pain.

Stress – Emotional stress during pregnancy can cause back pain, muscle tightness, tension headaches, fatigue, and neck pain. Releasing the tension in the spine can help relieve most of these symptoms.

What are the benefits of chiropractic care while you are pregnant?

Chiropractic care can help manage certain issues caused by pregnancy in a safe and gentle way by primarily releasing pressure on the spine. This can help to:

Relieve long or short-term neck, hip, knee, and back pain caused by the added pressure of the unborn baby and uterus;

Improve posture;

Help with sciatica which is caused by trapped nerves;

Reduces tension in the neck and shoulders which contributes to neck stiffness, soreness, and neck  and shoulder pain;

Reduces muscle spasms;

Reduces joint pain;

Helps to relieve tension and help you to relax for an enjoyable pregnancy;

Create pelvic balance which may help during labour.

How can the Chiropractic Wellness Centre accommodate your pregnancy?

Over the years we have carried out many treatments on pregnant women.

Here at the Chiropractic Wellness Centre we will use a combination of joint manipulation, mobilisation movements and techniques to aid you in your recovery. Chiropractors can also show you effective stretches for relieving tension and easing discomfort. We offer a free consultation with one of our chiropractors who will inform you about the different techniques needed to reach your specific goal.

During your treatment we aim to keep our pregnant patients as comfortable as possible by using adjusting tables and cushions which adjust with the growing bellies. Our chiropractors make sure not to use techniques which apply pressure on the abdomen.

Can chiropractic care harm your unborn baby?

Chiropractic care is usually a safe, effective practice during pregnancy. If you have any queries, please get in touch.