During pregnancy many women experience discomfort in the back of the pelvic area. Gentle, safe chiropractic care can be utilized to gain relief of pelvic back pain during pregnancy. This article will discuss why pelvic pain occurs during pregnancy and what can be done to give relief of back pain.
Two thirds of expecting mothers will experience back pain during their pregnancy. One in five will experience pain in the pelvis. These maladies can significantly impact a woman’s quality of life during this important time. It may hinder her ability to work, take care of chores around the home, sleep well and to enjoy the experience of her pregnancy.
During pregnancy many wonder what the cause of pelvic and back pain is exactly. The growing fetus shifts the center of gravity forward in a woman’s body. This places stress and strain on the spine and the pelvic joints which are also called the sacroiliac joints. The sacroiliac joints are on either side of the tailbone area. If one were to point to the center of the rear pockets of your blue jeans that would be where the sacroiliac joints are located. If biomechanical stress from the expectant mother’s posture causes misalignment or improper movement of the sacroiliac joints, pelvic pain can occur.
Chiropractic care has been shown to help with this discomfort. On the initial visit a chiropractor will perform an evaluation to determine if the sacroiliac joints are the source of the problem. This is done by looking at the woman’s posture, evaluating how she bends and moves and by gently palpating or feeling the muscles and pelvic joint alignment. If there is misalignment or improper motion of the sacroiliac joints safe, gentle chiropractic care can be given to give pain relief.
In a scientific research study in 2014, 115 pregnant women received chiropractic care for lower back and pelvic pain. Amazingly, 52% reported improvement after one week of care. Interestingly, the study showed that those women who had back pain before their pregnancy tended to do have higher pain scores during their pregnancy than those expectant mothers who experienced no pain before they were pregnant.
Chiropractors use a variety of methods to treat women with pregnancy related pelvic and back pain. One method that is popular in treating pregnant females is called the Webster Technique. The Webster Technique utilizes certain methods of care to realign the pelvis and lower spine of the expecting mother and has been successful in helping thousands of women gain relief of pain of the back. It is also common after the baby has been delivered for women to see a chiropractor for any back pain that may be existing and to make sure the pelvis maintains proper alignment postpartum.
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