People usually think of chiropractic as something that helps only with joint pain or tight muscles. While that’s true, chiropractic can do much more. One of the common things we help patients with at our chiropractic clinic in Arlington Heights is the discomforts of pregnancy.
Many pregnant women face issues like back pain, pelvic pain, and postural changes. Proper chiropractic care has proven to help expecting mothers with these issues and get them to feel their best.
Common Aches & Pains Related to Pregnancy
A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy, and these changes can lead to discomfort. One of the most common complaints we receive is low back pain. The reason for such pain is the strain on the spine caused by the growing baby.
Another common complaint is posterior pelvic pain. This makes walking and even turning in bed difficult for most women. Many women also experience sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy. This is due to the expanding uterus pressing on the sciatic nerve, causing sharp, radiating discomfort down the legs.
Other common discomforts include round ligament pain caused by stretching ligaments to accommodate the growing belly.
One thing that can contribute to the discomforts of pregnancy is if the pregnant woman is overweight. As we reported earlier in our blog, about 17.08% of pregnant women in Arlington Heights reported being obese before pregnancy. So, this issue is rather common.
These pains, combined with postural imbalances and loosened joints, can easily make everyday movements challenging. They can disrupt sleep, limit mobility, and affect the overall quality of life.
At our chiropractic clinic, we understand why these problems occur and address them at their root without any invasive treatments.
Why Do These Pains Happen?
The discomforts we described above do not occur randomly. They are a natural result of dramatic anatomical and hormonal changes.
The hormone ‘relaxin’, loosens the ligaments and joints to help prepare the body for childbirth. This can also lead to instability and misalignment in the pelvis and spine.
On the other hand, as the uterus expands, it shifts the mother’s center of gravity forward. This increases the curvature of the lower back and places extra strain on the spinal muscles and discs. This postural shift often leads to issues like muscle tension, pinched nerves, etc. These are usually the culprits behind lower back pain and pelvic pain.
While these changes are biologically necessary, they don’t mean that a pregnant woman should be in constant pain. Chiropractic care focuses on restoring balance to the musculoskeletal system, easing strain, and helping the body adapt.
How Chiropractic Care Helps During Pregnancy?
Chiropractic offers a holistic way of treating the common discomforts of pregnancy that we described above. It does so by restoring proper alignment and function to the spine and pelvis. Chiropractors address the root causes of the pain and optimize overall maternal health.
Pain Relief Through Proper Alignment
As the baby grows, the body undergoes dramatic postural changes that strain the spine and pelvis. Chiropractors use gentle, pregnancy-safe adjustments to relieve pressure on joints and nerves. This significantly reduces back pain, sciatica, and pelvic pain.
Chiropractic care isn’t like pain medications that simply mask symptoms. Rather, it addresses the root causes of pregnancy discomfort and helps the body adapt naturally to pregnancy changes.
Supporting The Nervous System
In addition to relieving pain, chiropractic adjustments also enhance the overall nervous system. An improved nervous system may also help regulate pregnancy-related hormonal fluctuations that contribute to pain and instability.
Many pregnant women report improved sleep, reduced stress, and better overall well-being with regular chiropractic care.
Safety and Effectiveness
Our chiropractic clinic prioritizes safety for both the mother and the baby. We have helped several pregnant women, and their positive experiences are a testament to the effectiveness of our treatments.
Numerous studies also confirm that chiropractic care is not only safe during pregnancy but also highly effective.
Conclusion
Pregnancy doesn’t have to mean enduring constant discomfort. By addressing structural imbalances and supporting the body’s natural adaptability, chiropractic care helps women experience pregnancy with greater comfort and confidence.
Regular chiropractic adjustments from an experienced chiropractor help maintain proper posture as the belly grows. This prevents excessive strain on the spine and supporting muscles.
At Foundation Sport & Spine, we have helped several expecting mothers find natural relief from back pain, pelvic pressure, and sciatica through gentle chiropractic care.