Can Pregnant Women See a Chiropractor?
Chiropractor in Rockville, MD
Pregnancy can strain a woman’s body, making the simplest movements painful and exhausting. As a chiropractor in Rockville, MD from a practitioner’s office like Pain Arthritis Relief Center can explain, women who see a chiropractor during their pregnancies have fewer discomforts and obtain other benefits.
What Conditions Does Chiropractic Care Address?
Pregnant women can see a chiropractor with the approval of their obstetricians as early as their first trimester to treat symptoms, including:
- Nausea
- Sciatica
- Urinary Incontinence
- Muscle strain
- Misalignment
Pregnant women also experience faster labors with few complications when they receive adjustments that align the pelvis with the birth canal. The unborn child also benefits from chiropractic care which provides clear passage through the birth canal and can reduce breech positions.
How Often Can Pregnant Women See a Chiropractor?
Pregnant women can benefit from seeing a chiropractor as early as their first trimester. Initial visits can occur once per month and increase to twice per month during the second trimester when the weight of the fetus begins to affect pelvic balance. By the final trimester, weekly visits can address the dramatic changes to a woman’s alignment. These changes cause excessive strain on the back, neck, and pelvic muscles, which can strain to support the growing fetus.
As the fetus grows, a woman’s center of balance also continues to fluctuate, causing pressure on her joints and interrupting the way messages travel through her nervous system. A chiropractor can continue to make adjustments to accommodate the changes a woman’s body undergoes.
What Techniques Can a Chiropractor Apply?
Most chiropractors receive some training that enables them to treat pregnant women. Others devote their practices to treating specific conditions relating to pregnancy. For example, hot and cold compresses with manual massage effectively reduce the discomfort of a fetus pressing on the mother’s sciatic nerve.
Most chiropractors who specialize in treating pregnant women practice the Webster Technique. This method involves opening the nervous system pathways by reducing sacral subluxations through adjustments and massage to loosen muscles and ligaments. In addition to improving the alignment of the uterus with the pelvis to promote efficient delivery, this technique opens the uterine space to accommodate the fetus better. Chiropractors are always careful not to place excessive pressure on a pregnant woman’s abdomen.
Chiropractic treatment can relax the muscles along the birthing path and provide sufficient space in the uterus for the baby to properly position itself for birth. Women who obtain routine chiropractic care during pregnancy may experience shorter labor and are less likely to require a cesarean procedure.
Speak with your obstetrician to find out more about how chiropractic care can benefit your pregnancy.
