How a chiropractor can help during pregnancy
Firstly, congratulations on your special news! We understand there are many paths to get to this point, some easy and some difficult, but we are excited to help you on this pregnancy journey. Our role as pregnancy-trained chiropractors is to support you in feeling comfortable in your body and preparing you for birth.
During pregnancy, the body undergoes various physiological changes to support your baby's growth and prepare for birth. Unfortunately, some normal pregnancy changes may cause discomfort or pain.
Many women experience
Low back pain
Pelvic girdle pain
Hip pain
Intercostal neuralgia
Pubic symphysis separation
Sciatica
Leg cramps
Carpal tunnel
…and more
A chiropractor can help relieve the discomfort that pregnancy can bring. Safe, non-invasive and suitable for all stages of pregnancy, chiropractic care from our experienced chiropractors, Dr Cherie and Dr Shelley, may make a big difference to your well-being and comfort. Here are the three most common changes caused by pregnancy we see that can cause discomfort and how a chiropractor can help.
Lax ligaments and Sacroiliac joint pain
Pregnancy is characterised by several hormonal changes. Increases in the hormones progesterone and relaxin result in alterations to the elasticity of collagen fibres in the body (1)(2). Collagen is present in ligaments, tendons and the connective tissues between joints, and an increase in joint elasticity is a normal pregnancy change intended to allow the bones of the pelvis to flex sufficiently to enable successful labour and birth of your baby. The increase in elasticity occurs throughout the body. This means pregnant women are more at risk of joint problems and pain.
One of the most common sources of pain for pregnant women is the sacroiliac joint. These joints — there are two of them — are located at the back of the pelvis. SI joint pain often affects the back of your pelvis and hips and can run down your legs.
We understand that sacroiliac joint pain can be debilitating and extremely painful, but a pregnancy-trained chiropractor can often successfully reduce this pain by performing gentle adjustments to realign joints, alleviating the inflammatory changes that accompany joint trauma(3). Postural advice and recommended strengthening exercises, and aids such as pregnancy belts, may minimise the risk of further joint problems. Chiropractic techniques may reduce discomfort while ensuring the joint surfaces are correctly aligned to optimise function during the birth process(4).
Postural changes
As the pregnancy progresses, women carry progressively more weight in the abdominal area. This shifts the body's centre of gravity and may cause undesirable compensatory changes in posture and gait. Backaches, aching in the shoulders and neck, hip pain and headaches may result.
Chiropractic adjustments, alongside advice on correct posture during pregnancy, can bring relief from the mechanical stress that pregnancy puts on the body(5).
Soft tissue changes
As the baby grows, it gradually compresses organs and soft tissues in the body. The baby's position during pregnancy may press on nerves, leading to painful sciatica, hip pain or back pain. Compression of soft tissues and the lymph vessels also leads to swelling in the lower limbs, which can be uncomfortable and disabling.
According to a 2008 review, studies showed that chiropractic care is associated with improved outcomes in pregnancy-related lower back pain (6). Pregnancy massage can also help relieve aches and pains if you want a more relaxing treatment.
Visit a pregnancy chiropractor in Perth
We recommend having a pregnancy-trained chiropractor on your support team so you can best prepare your body for birth. Visit the caring pregnancy chiropractors in Perth at Canning Healthcare. We can help support your pregnancy journey and relieve pain and discomfort so you can enjoy this special time. Our advice goes beyond the physical, and we have a strong referral network that includes hypnobirthing, pregnancy yoga, and pilates instructors that can help with the transition. Learn more about how we help support women’s health, or book an appointment today!
-
(1)Marnach ML, Ramin KD, Ramsey PS, Song SW, Stensland JJ, An KN. Characterization of the relationship between joint laxity and maternal hormones in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Feb;101(2):331-5. doi: 10.1016/s0029-7844(02)02447-x. PMID: 12576258.
(2) Chu SR, Boyer EH, Beynnon B, Segal NA. Pregnancy Results in Lasting Changes in Knee Joint Laxity. PM R. 2019 Feb;11(2):117-124. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2018.06.012. Epub 2019 Feb 14. PMID: 29964215; PMCID: PMC6320712.
(3) Borggren CL. Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. J Chiropr Med. 2007 Jun;6(2):70-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jcme.2007.04.004. PMID: 19674697; PMCID: PMC2647084.
(4) Belogolovsky I, Katzman W, Christopherson N, Rivera M, Allen DD. The effectiveness of exercise in treatment of pregnancy-related lumbar and pelvic girdle pain. J Womens Health Phys Therap. 2015; 39:(2)53-64
(5) Hall H, Cramer H, Sundberg T The effectiveness of complementary manual therapies for pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95:(38)
(6) Stuber KJ, Smith DL. Chiropractic treatment of pregnancy-related low back pain: a systematic review of the evidence. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Jul-Aug;31(6):447-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.06.009. PMID: 18722200.
Katonis P, Kampouroglou A, Aggelopoulos A, Kakavelakis K, Lykoudis S, Makrigiannakis A, Alpantaki K. Pregnancy-related low back pain. Hippokratia. 2011 Jul;15(3):205-10. PMID: 22435016; PMCID: PMC3306025.
Oswald C, Higgins CC, Assimakopoulos D. Optimizing pain relief during pregnancy using manual therapy. Can Fam Physician. 2013 Aug;59(8):841-2. PMID: 23946024; PMCID: PMC3743693.