Lower back pain is a common complaint among pregnant women. Studies estimate that lower back pain affects half of all pregnant women, and in some cases gets so severe that quality of life dwindles. The good news is that many aches and pains can be safely dealt with through chiropractic and massage.
Here at Davis Family Chiropractic, we specialize in prenatal massage and chiropractic care! Just schedule an appointment today to see how we can find you relief from the everyday aches and pains of pregnancy.
Benefits
Chiropractic adjustments designed to re-establish balance and alignment to your pelvis and spine will help you feel better and can be beneficial to your baby too. In some cases, a pelvis that is out of alignment can make it more difficult for the baby to move around into an optimal position for childbirth. There have also been reports of improved outcomes during childbirth (like reducing the length of time you’re in labor) by women who receive regular chiropractic care. Regular chiropractic care can help you maintain a healthier, more comfortable pregnancy, relieve back, hip, neck and joint pain, and help to control symptoms of nausea.
Established patients at Davis Family Chiropractic are able to schedule massage and chiropractic on the same day for a discounted price!
Massage can also help during pregnancy in many of the same ways as chiropractic. Reduced anxiety, decreased symptoms of depression, relief from muscle aches and joint pains, even improved labor outcomes and newborn health have been reported when prenatal massage is exercised regularly over the course of a woman’s pregnancy.
If you are experiencing blood clots or are still within the first trimester, please refrain from scheduling a prenatal massage with Davis Family Chiropractic.
Hormone Regulation
According to the American Pregnancy Association studies done in the past 10 years have shown that hormone levels associated with relaxation and stress are significantly altered when massage therapy is introduced to women’s prenatal care. This leads to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health.
In women who received bi-weekly massages for only five weeks, hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol (hormones associated with stress) were reduced, and dopamine and serotonin levels were increased (low levels of these hormones are associated with depression).
These changes in hormone levels also led to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight. The evidence strongly suggests there are maternal and newborn health benefits when therapeutic massage is incorporated into regular prenatal care.
Reducing Swelling
Reduced circulation and increased pressure on major blood vessels during pregnancy often leads to edema, or swelling of the joints. Prenatal massage helps stimulate soft tissues reducing the collection of fluids in your joints.
Improve nerve pain
Later in pregnancy, many women experience sciatic nerve pain from the uterus resting on the muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. Massage therapy will address this issue by relieving tension in the muscles.
If you are outside of your first trimester (12 weeks), we would love to see you for a prenatal massage or chiropractic visit. Please visit our online scheduler.
