It comes as no surprise that pregnancy brings with it a number of health-related complaints. Whether it be nausea or back pain, many women think these are simply more crosses to bear—but they don’t have to be!
If you, like many other women, are looking for relief, then read on to learn how a licensed chiropractor can help to reduce your lower back pain in the early stages of pregnancy.
Causes of Lower Back Pain in Pregnancy
Pain in the lumbar region is one of many pregnancy symptoms and often presents itself between the fifth and seventh months of gestation.
The causes of lower back pain in pregnancy have a number of explanations. It is primarily associated with maternal weight gain and biochemical changes in the spine. The release of “relaxin” in particular might cause problems; relaxin is a hormone the body produces to soften the muscles and joints in preparation for delivery.
Posture change can furthermore contribute to pain—a growing baby shifts your center of gravity forward, and to compensate for this, you might find yourself leaning back; this places stress on your lumbar region.
What is Chiropractic Care?
A chiropractor can improve joint mobility and reduce pain resulting from accidents, sports injuries, muscle strains, and poor posture. They use hands-on spinal manipulation to achieve this and can recommend stretches, exercise plans, and nutritional counselling to ensure results are long-lasting.
Adjustments, however, are the core of chiropractic care; it is believed that proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, enables the body to heal itself without the need for medication or surgery.
The primary use of chiropractic treatment is to relieve back and joint pain and muscle aches. It can furthermore be used in alliance with conventional medical treatments.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help?
The Canadian Chiropractic Association reports that 50% of pregnant women experience lumbar pain, and of those, 10% experience pain that’s acute enough to disrupt their everyday activities. Luckily, chiropractic care has been proven to be a safe and effective way to relieve this issue.
A professional chiropractor can safely manipulate the spine of a pregnant woman, as well as mobilize joints and make use of soft tissue therapy—a targeted clinical massage—to reduce pain and improve mobility.
Chiropractors can furthermore recommend safe exercise regimens for pregnant women, allowing them to readjust their posture and prepare for childbirth. Over the course of your pregnancy, receiving this type of treatment can in fact pave the way for a quicker recovery following delivery, as well as address any post-natal muscle and ligament complaints you may have.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of this treatment is the fact that it is drug-free. You can go into the care of a chiropractor knowing it’s safe, gentle, and won’t require you to take medication that may otherwise compromise your pregnancy.
Find Relief Today!
Don’t suffer through your pregnancy! With your doctor’s consent, you can undergo chiropractic care to relieve any lower back pain you may be experiencing.
Located in Calgary, AB, Intrinsi offers the services of trained professionals who can put you on the path toward relief. You can book an appointment by calling us at 403-229-9214 or visiting us online.