Pregnancy brings about sudden and drastic physiological changes to the body of the mother. Along with these changes, abdominal pain and back pain also creeps in. With the uterus constantly expanding, the ligaments stretch and the belly comes out of the pelvic cavity. Along with that, there are realignments in the body like increased heart beat, increased oxygen demand to meet the needs of the fetus, placenta and uterus, displacement of the stomach and intestines to accommodate the uterus and increased levels of estrogen and progesterone. To balance the protruding belly, the spine alters its alignment and it curves more than the normal spine curvature. This is a very common cause of back pain.
The Primary Causes of Pregnancy Pain are:
- Cramping in the abdomen from the expansion of the uterus.
- Round ligament pain which is due to the expansion of the ligament supporting the uterus.
- Realignment of the spine to balance the protruding belly causing back pain.
- Weight gain during pregnancy results in added pressure on the spine causing pain the back.
- Weight gain during pregnancy results in added pressure on the spine causing pain the back.
- To ease the pain during pregnancy, body releases relaxin hormone, which causes muscles in the joints to loosen up. It often causes relaxation of the joints of the vertebral column and leads to instability and pain.
- With the expanding uterus, the rectal abdominis muscles running from the rib cage to the pubic bone, separates and causes back pain.
- Emotional stress during pregnancy causes tension in the back and shoulder muscles causing spasms and pain.
The Signs to look out for:
It is very common to experience abdominal and backpain during pregnancy, but certain symptoms should not be ignored.
- Pinching pain that exists for a long time.
- Vomiting, fever, and excruciating pain in the head.
- Blurred or impaired vision.
- Swelling of hands, legs and face.
- Blood coming out with urine. Difficulty in urination.
Importance of Proper Treatment
It is common knowledge that pregnancy brings about several changes in a woman’s body and often these changes cause abdominal as well as back pain. But, is the abovementioned symptoms are observed in a pregnant woman, it should never be ignored. Pain normally associated with pregnancy is not temporary and persists for not more than a few minutes. Such pain is effectively cured by chiropractic care. Persistent and severe pain is indication of complications such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, placenta abruption, and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) that require immediate medical attention. Ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, placenta abruption, and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) are some major pregnancy complications that require medical help.
Scientific Chiropractic Treatment
As the uterus expands with the growing child during pregnancy, the spine bends to align itself into a new balance for supporting the weight. This realignment puts the lower back into added stress. Moreover, the weight of the growing fetus is also incumbent upon the spine. Due to all this pressure, the spine bends and the muscles in the lower back come under added strain. Such pain in the lower back is inevitable, but in such conditions, the best cure is offered by chiropractics. The Sigma Adjuster is a modern computerized instrument used by chiropractors to accurately locate the areas where the spine of the pregnant patient has bent beyond the permissible limit. Its piezoelectric sensor allows the practitioner to locate the misalignments of dislocations by putting pressure on the joints. With successful identification of the problem area, the adjuster is used by the practitioner to put controlled pressure on the misaligned spine and put it back into place. This not only gets rid of the pain, nut sorts out the problem from its roots. It is a very gentle yet effective treatment for back, shoulder and neck-pain during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Amid the joy of pregnancy- the act of bringing new life, back and abdominal pain associated with it is also inevitable. Since drastic changes occur in the body of a pregnant woman, no kind of discomfort, no matter how common, should ever be ignored. Our Chiropractors at PPHC have successfully treated many pregnant patients with their spine problems and given them a safe and effective sure. In case the condition is more serious than spinal misalignment and beyond the scope of chiropractics, we refer the patient to appropriate facilities. Contact us to get yourself checked and rid yourself of pregnancy associated back pain.
