Pregnancy, Low Back Pain & Chiropractic
Why Chiropractic Care When You Are Pregnant?
At first glance, many people do not see the opportunity that chiropractic care provides for women suffering back pain during their pregnancy. Many women just assume that the low back pain is a “normal” part of having a baby and just suffer through it. This is sad, because in most cases, chiropractic care can provide much wanted relief.
When a woman is pregnant her body obviously goes through a transformational process as the baby grows and her pelvis prepares for the delivery. It is during this process, that the spine and pelvis can undergo structural pressure or distortion that can affect the alignment of the bones and joints resulting in low back or hip pain.
Probably the most obvious change is as the baby grows, the mother-to-be develops a protruding abdomen and an increased curve in the low back or, a sway back. This posture can begin to jam on the small, sensitive, joints in the low back, causing irritation and pain. Sometimes it can be so severe it affects the sciatic nerve that runs from the low back down the back of the leg. 
Another very common structural problem involved the sacro-iliac joints of the pelvis. These joints are formed where the hip bones (ilium) join with the tailbone (sacrum) and are the two major weight bearing joints when the woman is standing upright.
Towards the end of the pregnancy, the woman’s body secretes a hormone called relaxin which purpose is to cause a relaxing of various organs and tissue in preparation for delivery.
One of the structures affected are the ligaments that hold the S-I joints tight. Due to the relaxin, these joints become loose so the pelvis can expand, allowing the baby to pass through the birth canal. It is not uncommon for women to seek our care in their last trimester due to back or pelvic pain. We find that during this time, the relaxin has allowed a subtle misalignment of the S-I joints, which become inflamed and painful due to the postural changes.
Chiropractic care is safe and effective in providing relief for the back pain of pregnancy. Through various forms of gentle manipulation called adjustments, the Doctor of Chiropractic seeks to restore the normal alignment and motion of the affected joints. This relieves the stress and irritation in the joints, decreasing the inflammation and thus decreasing or eliminating the pain.
Another plus: unlike medication – there are no side effects to worry about with chiropractic care!
Your Next Step
- If you are pregnant, call today and schedule an appointment for evaluation – why not prevent the low back pain?
- If you are pregnant and experiencing back pain – call (314) 731-4383 immediately and set up an appointment!
- If you know someone who is pregnant, please share this with them.