Pregnancy & Chiropractic Care
Is chiropractic safe during pregnancy? Charleston chiropractor, Dr. Sarah K. Wharton, treats patients during pregnancy to increase function, decrease discomfort, and possibly shorten labor times.
The main goal of chiropractic care is to optimize and increase the function of the nervous system by eliminating any barriers that get in the way. The barriers are known as subluxations. Subluxations are misalignments in the spine or any joint in the body that puts pressure on the nervous system creating a barrier. The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and the peripheral nerves that exit the vertebral column from the spinal cord, and feed information to every single cell, organ, and body part. It makes you the living, breathing, and thriving human being that you are.
During pregnancy, there are 2 nervous systems involved. There is the nervous system of the mother who is, without even thinking about it, in the process of developing a life within her womb, and, there is the nervous system of the the developing unborn child. So, hopefully you can imagine that chiropractic care, which its main purpose is to increase the function of the nervous system by eliminating any barriers, would be extremely important during the 9 months of gestation. This is first and foremost reason in pointing out the benefit for chiropractic care during pregnancy.
Now lets talk a little bit about the how chiropractic can help the mechanical side things: Yes, it is a miracle, that the nervous system enables a woman’s body to gestate a baby, but during that process women are carrying 25-35 extra pounds. While the female sacrum is deep enough to carry, the extra weight is a major change to the usual load distribution on the rest of her body, and it will add stress to the sacroiliac joints in the pelvis. This may not only create some hip and spinal dysfunction, discomfort, and pain, but it can increase tension in the baby’s space and inhibit them from getting into the proper birthing position (more about this in the Webster Technique section).
In an article from the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, Pregnancy & Chiropractic: A Narrative Review of the Literature, it describes that the “structural adaptation” in pregnant patients is the main source of back pain due to the load distribution changes that pull the sacrum forward causing an increased anterior tilt of the pelvis, lumbar lordosis, and an added external rotation of the hip joints to compensate. Also, the higher production of the hormone relaxin (especially in the 3rd trimester), which creates ligamentous hyper-mobility to prepare for birth, can create anterior translation of the cervical spine adding an extension of the occiput leading to headaches.
The article reported that 50% of women have some sort of back pain during pregnancy due to these changes. The good news is that 84% of woman reported a decrease in their pain in just 1-2 chiropractic appointments! Aside from back pain, what’s even more interesting and exciting to mention is that primigravida women (women pregnant for the first time) who received chiropractic care throughout gestation had a shorter labor by 25% and multiparous women (women who have had multiple births and pregnancies) had an average of a 31% shorter labor times. As there always will be, further studies are needed, however this data heavily supports that chiropractic care is safe and beneficial on multiple levels!
Adjusting protocols and safety of chiropractic care: The adjustive procedures of a pregnant patient are to accommodate the structural and biochemical changes safely and effectively. Due to the hormonal changes that increase ligament laxity, Dr. Wharton will provide pregnant patients with gentle and minimal force adjustments. Also, because it is uncomfortable to lay face-down for the pregnant patient, Dr. Wharton incorporates her Elite table that includes an abdominal “break-away” piece, as well as specially-made chiropractic pregnancy pillows that allow for a women, through all stages of pregnancy, to lay face-down and receive the gentle adjustments that are needed comfortably.
Webster Technique: The Webster technique was developed over 30 years ago by Dr. Larry Webster. It involves specific sacral analysis, a diversified adjustment, and a soft tissue release. Due to the outcomes of women who were presenting with breech fetal pregnancies that were resolved and corrected, it was described as the “Breech Turning Technique,” by both patients and chiropractors. The nickname was removed from the language because chiropractic adjustments treat the subluxations to restore normal nerve function, rather than treating a condition.
Dr. Wharton provides Webster Technique, with the use of her gentle hands, her Elite chiropractic table, and special pregnancy pillows. She will safely and effectively treat subluxations in pregnant women during all stages of pregnancy so that gestation and labor can potentially be less painful and stressful, but more comfortable, optimal, and easy.
If you are currently pregnant or if you know of someone who is that may be experiencing some discomfort, dysfunction, and “dis-ease,” inform them of the potential to improve their health through chiropractic care OR, make an appointment today at Cypress Chiropractic & Wellness, located downtown Charleston, SC.