Are you pregnant?
Having back pain?
Most women consider back discomfort as an inevitable part of pregnancy and do not seek treatment from a health care professional. Though 50-80% of women report experiencing back pain during pregnancy,[i],[ii] only about 21% of pregnant women with back or pelvic pain seek consultation with their physician.[iii],[iv]
Despite how common it is, back pain during pregnancy should be taken seriously. Pain or discomfort during pregnancy can be due to a combination of mechanical, hormonal, circulatory, and psychosocial factors. The most obvious physical changes will begin to occur during the second trimester. Hip and lower back pain in pregnancy is generally ascribed to the many changes in load and body mechanics that occur. As the uterus grows to accommodate the fetus, the lumbar curve of the spine will increase to account for the stomach protruding further forward. Resulting changes in posture could lead to sciatica and edema.
Your abdominal muscles will also stretch to accommodate your expanding uterus. As they stretch, they lose their ability to perform the function of maintaining body posture, requiring your lower back to support the majority of the increased weight of the torso. Changes are not isolated to your back and pelvis, but may also affect your knees, ankles, and feet.
The majority of pain management strategies center on prevention. Treatment options for pain associated with pregnancy consist mostly of postural education and rest. At Divine Spine Yorba Linda in Orange County, California, we offer a unique chiropractic treatment that is performed through electronic vertebral alignment (EVA). Our practitioners utilize the EVA system to help your body heal more quickly, stabilize, regenerate, and achieve optimal health, wellness, and performance levels. Our method is designed to achieve maximum safety and comfort, while being highly effective, making it safe for both mother and unborn child.
Our adjustment is a non-invasive procedure consisting of a precise directed movement to help relieve pain and discomfort and restore range of motion in the spine.[v] Not only can routine chiropractic care help manage pain in your back, hips, head, and joints, it can also establish pelvic balance.[vi] 72% of women who visited their chiropractors during pregnancy found it helpful for pain relief and management.[vii]
Chiropractic adjustments for pregnant women will most likely target the lumbar spine and the sacroiliac joint, in order to shift the vertebrae back into alignment. This should help relieve lower back pain. Adjustments to these joints may also relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and help patients sleep more soundly at night. Swelling and pain in the knees, ankles and feet can also be addressed with adjustments.
A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the unborn baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. Breech and posterior positions can interfere with the natural ease of labor and lead to interventions such as C-sections. Our safe, professional adjustments may help re-establish pelvic balance and alignment, reducing the time of labor and delivery.[viii]
Although typically it is safe to perform adjustments on a pregnant patient, caution should always be exercised.[ix] It’s important that a chiropractor be very gentle and make sure the pregnant woman is properly supported as adjustments are performed.
Find out why we are different at Divine Spine Yorba Linda and why we have the ultimate chiropractic and spine therapy program for pregnant women. Get an initial complimentary consultation to find out what your options are HERE
[i] Fast A, Shapiro D, Ducommun EJ, Friedmann LW, Bouklas T, Floman Y. Low back pain in pregnancy. Spine 1987; 12: 368–71.
[ii] Mogren IM, Pohjanen AI. Low back pain and pelvic pain during pregnancy: prevalence and risk factors. Spine 2005; 30(8): 983–91.
[iii] Diakow P.R.P., Gadsby T.A., Gadsby J.B., Gleddie J.G., Leprich D.J., Scales A.M. Back pain during pregnancy and labor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1991;14(2):116–118.
[iv] Fast A., Shapiro D., Ducommun E.J., Friedmann L.W., Bouklas T., Flowman Y. Low back pain in pregnancy. Spine. 1987; 12: 368.
[v] https://yorbalinda-chiropractor.com/our-philosophy/
[vi] Lisi, AJ. Chiropractic spinal manipulation for low back pain of pregnancy: a retrospective case series. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2006 Jan-Feb; 51(1):e7-10.
[vii] Christensen M.G., Kollasch M.W. Job analysis of chiropractic. National Board of Chiropractic Examiners; Greeley (Colo): 2005. p. 116.
[viii] https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/chiropractic-care-during-pregnancy/
[ix] Shaw G. When to adjust: chiropractic and pregnancy. J Am Chiropr Assoc. 2003;40(11):8–16.