Pregnancy and Back Pain

Is Chiropractic Safe?

Yes, it is very safe and a smart idea to get your spine checked while you are pregnant. If your pregnant, youve probably noticed that your body is going through a variety of changes, and these alterations will continue as the pregnancy progresses.

One change that goes basically unnoticed is the bodys increased production of the hormone elastin. This hormone is designed to relax the tendons in the pelvis, giving it more flexibility during the birthing process to make delivering the baby easier.

This process, despite the fact that its function is to assist the mother during labor, can create a lot of back pain in the months leading up to the birth. Elastin is being released in larger amounts as the months go on, which allows the pelvis to become increasingly unstable. Add to that the gradual increase in the size of the baby and uterus, and you have the formula for severe low back pain.

One side benefit of having your spine and pelvis checked by a chiropractor regularly during your pregnancy is that it often actually decreases labor time. How is that? Simply put, if the pelvis is properly aligned, the muscles contracting during the labor process are more efficient because they dont have to fight misaligned joints.

To summarize, chiropractic is both beneficial and safe to both mother and baby in helping to relieve many of the discomforts of pregnancy. This can make expectant mothers feel a lot more comfortable during pregnancy, and make the labor process easier.