Did you know that according to WebMD most women experience back pain during pregnancy. The pain usually starts during the second trimester. Babycenter.com put the frequency of women with back pain at two thirds and that some women actually continue to feel pain after delivery.
The main cause of the lower back pain is mechanical in that the amount of weight on your joints is increasing, while at the same time how you carry that weight is also changing. You carry your weight differently because as the baby grows and your abdomen gets larger you begin to lean backwards to counterbalance the tummy. The posture of leaning backwards puts increased pressure on joints in the back part of your spine which can generate pain. This is all further complicated by the secretion of the hormone relaxin which causes the ligaments in the body to loosen to prepare the pelvis for birth. This can also result in some instability that could cause pain according to WebMD.
The most common treatment for pain in this country is over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (OTC NSAIDS). Most mothers want to avoid taking any medication during pregnancy, which leaves a short list of treatment options. Physical therapists can only use exercises because other devices like ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation and similar machines can’t be used during pregnancy. Since the pain is mechanical in nature, treatments that address the problem mechanically are going to be the most successful. Chiropractic care addresses those mechanical problems. There are over 30 different techniques in Chiropractic meaning there are many different ways to treat the patient. From the most common manual methods where you hear the popping noises to very gentle low force methods where she would merely lay on some foam wedges placed strategically under her pelvis to take out the twisting. Big tummies are not a problem because we have adjusted women up to the day of delivery.
Our office uses tables with an abdominal section that drops down so that it is the only place pregnant moms can actually lie on their tummy. The table can actually be moved in ways that lower the legs to take pressure off of her lower back. It is so exciting to see the look of relief on her face when she gets off of the table.
As mentioned earlier the hormone relaxin is secreted to loosen ligaments to prepare the pelvis for birth, by enabling it to move better. Unfortunately sometimes the joints are so locked up that relaxin is not enough. Therefore by gently improving movement in the pelvis you are better preparing your body for a healthy birth.
We tend to focus on back pain but headaches are a big problem with pregnancy also because relaxin affects the whole body and not just the pelvis. This results in a problem known as cervicogenic headache which is a headache that is caused by a problem in the neck. Chiropractic is incredibly effective for this problem.
You can now appreciate why Moms get adjusted throughout their pregnancy to reduce the frequency of these and other problems. They love that they don’t need to take as much if any pain medications and have expressed that they feel that their deliveries are easier when they are well adjusted. Click here for a complimentary consultation.