With the rapid changes that the female body goes through during the 9 months of pregnancy, it is no wonder that so many women experience lower back or sciatica-pain shooting down the legs- pain. It is estimated that approximately 50% of women will experience debilitating back and sciatic pain during the course of their pregnancy, and the appropriate chiropractic care is the best way to help ease a woman through this.

The body makes some miraculous changes during those 9 months to help deal with the stresses that pregnancy places on a woman. Since it is normal to gain about 20-30 pounds, sometimes more, expecting mothers will experience a shift in their center of balance and increased pressure on most of the joints in the body, including the vertebrae of the spine. Hormones released during pregnancy will help to increase flexibility in the ligaments and pad the joints, but for many pregnant women this is not enough to prevent debilitating back pain on top of the other stresses of going through a pregnancy.

One of the best things an expecting mother can do to alleviate this back pain is to see a chiropractor who specializes in prenatal or neonatal care for the mother. Traditional chiropractic care, while useful for back pain suffers, can in many ways place undue stress on the placenta and the unborn child. It is very important that your chiropractic professional knows that you are pregnant and can properly treat your pain. The techniques used for alleviating pain and pressure on the joints of the body of a pregnant woman can be very different to many if the techniques used to work with general range of motion amongst common chiropractic patients.

Chiropractic care can and usually does involve more than just the cracking of spines. Many people enjoy a relaxing and invigorating massage with their treatments, and treatment during pregnancy is no different. With the proper use of massage during pregnancy the benefits are much farther reaching than just the relief of pain and pressure on the spine. The massage can also greatly benefit both mother and baby by increasing the flow of blood, and therefore nutrients, to the unborn child. Both treatments can also help to regulate some of the hormonal changes in the body to lessen some of the other issues with pregnancy such as cravings or mood swings.

The proper use of both massage and chiropractic care can very much ease some of the more painful parts of the pregnancy, by properly treating the body during the pregnancy women experience less post pregnancy long term pain and shifts in the body. Undoubtedly good care can help ease both the expecting mother and the unborn child through the amazing yet traumatic experience that pregnancy can be to both individuals.

Click the link to see how Clearwater Chiropractic can help during pregnancy.