Understanding Chiropractic Care For Pregnant Women
For too many pregnant women, back pain is seen as an inevitable part of being pregnant, and leads to not seeking treatment for subsequent, unnecessary suffering. The fact of the matter is that whether pregnant or not, living with debilitating pain that prevents enjoyment of normal daily activities is never normal and treatment should be sought out immediately.
One reason many pregnant women don’t seek out help for their chronic back is due to a responsible instinct to avoid becoming unduly over medicated, as most general physicians will simply subscribe habit forming pain killers to treat back pain. While this intention is good, it overlooks the drug-free, non-invasive forms of treatment that can help to relieve musculoskeletal pains associated with pregnancy, like chiropractic care. Research supports evidence that chiropractic care is a reliable source of therapy for pregnant women seeking safety and effective treatment for their chronic aches and pains.
A recent study looked at 115 pregnant patients who complained of lower pain or pelvic pain. They were treated with chiropractic care and after one week, 52 percent reportedly experienced significant improvements. After a month of treatment the number jumped up to 70 percent with a final figure of 85 percent after three months of regular treatment. Not only was pain reduced for these patients but that ability to perform daily tasks was restored, as measured by testing procedures.
The benefits didn’t only apply to the women studied during pregnancy, however. A followup of the study performed one year after the study’s final period found that 88 percent of the women who participated reported that their back pain improvements remained stable post pregnancy. This applied to pelvic pain as well. Researchers were able to conclude from these findings that attending to musculoskeletal health during pregnancy has long lasting benefits that carry over into other stages of life.
This study wasn’t alone in its findings. Another study from last year also concluded that chiropractic therapy has beneficial results for pregnant women. The research was designed around back pain experienced during the 24-28 period of gestation. One group of women were assigned to chiropractic care while the other received standard medical care. At the 33rd week of pregnancy the women who received chiropractic care were found to have a higher reduction of pain and disability than those who received medical care. A survey of women who received chiropractic care while pregnant revealed that the majority were satisfied with the gentle, low-force adjustments.
