The aches and pains that you have on a regular basis, such as back pain, sciatic pain, or pain with joints and ligaments can become excruciating during pregnancy. A shifting center of gravity combined with hormonal and chemical changes that actually loosen your ligaments can make normal aches feel like the end of the world. For many women, seeing a chiropractor is the answer. The good news is that there are no known problems with seeing a chiropractor during your pregnancy.
Chiropractic care refers to the care and maintenance of the spinal column, discs, nerves and bones without the use of surgery or drugs. Chiropractors readjust the joints of the body that are misaligned. In particular, chiropractors tend ot work on the spine, the area that tends to create the most nerve stress.
The changes to the body during pregnancy that can cause pain that a chiropractor might be able to help with are several. Your protruding abdomen will increase the curve of your back. Changes to your pelvis can cause pain. Changing your posture to accommodate your shifting weight can cause spinal pain as well. Getting your chiropractor to work on you during pregnancy can help to establish the alignment and balance of the pelvis. This can actually create more room in your pelvis for your growing baby, and can help avoid your baby being in a bad position for delivery.
Establishing pelvic balance and alignment is another reason to obtain chiropractic care during pregnancy. When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint. A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery.
Certified chiropractors are trained to work with pregnant women. Still, if you have a chiropractor before you become pregnant, you should check with her after becoming pregnant to make sure that she is willing to work with you, and to find out whether or not she has worked with pregnant patients before. A chiropractor who has worked with pregnant women before may be able to provide references, as well.