Chiropractic Care
Regular chiropractic care is an integral part of the prenatal and postpartum care during pregnancy. It helps keep mom feeling good and assists her in coping with the physical stresses of an ever changing body.
Neuromuscular and Biochemical Changes During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, most women experience a number of neuromuscular and biochemical problems which respond favorably to gentle, safe, noninvasive chiropractic care. These include:
- release of the hormone relaxin causes muscle and ligament relaxation
- allows joints to more easily misalign
- allows joints to more easily misalign
- increased weight gain
- increased demand and fatigue on spinal and pelvic muscles
- increased stress on spinal and pelvic ligaments
- increase in lumbar and thoracic spinal curves which further increase the above
- increased joint stress and thus occurrence of vertebral and sacroiliac joint misalignments
- change in weight distribution
- increased demand and fatigue on spinal and pelvic muscles
- increased stress on spinal and pelvic ligaments
- increase in lumbar and thoracic spinal curves which further increase the above
- increased joint stress and thus occurrence of vertebral and sacroiliac joint misalignments
The above changes primarily affect the pelvic and spinal ligaments, muscles, joints and other supportive soft tissues. These changes cause sprain/strains of pelvic and spinal structures, as well as alteration of the normal spinal curvatures and spinal biomechanics. The result is an increased stress on the body leading to pain and discomfort.
Doctors of chiropractic can alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms arising from the muscular, ligamentous, and biomechanical stresses encountered during pregnancy. We accomplish this through the use of a number of highly specialized procedures and techniques.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy is safe for both mother and fetus. Spinal adjustments are especially gentle during pregnancy as far less force is required to correct subluxations. This is due to the increase in hormones causing significant muscle and ligamentous relaxation. Special "adjustive" positions are also used to provide comfort and safety for both mom and fetus.