“Should I get a chiropractic adjustment while pregnant?” Millions of women ask this question every year. On the one hand, a pregnancy involves several physiological changes in a woman’s body, which often come with aches, pains, and discomfort that chiropractic care could alleviate or at least lessen significantly. But on the other hand, is chiropractic care during pregnancy safe?
The short answer is yes, chiropractic adjustments before, during, and after pregnancy are completely safe, and there are several reasons why an expecting mother would want to receive chiropractic adjustments.
There are Many Benefits of Chiropractic Adjustments During Pregnancy
There are many reasons why expecting mothers would want to receive a chiropractic adjustment. Such adjustments can provide a safe, effective way to manage discomfort associated with pregnancy or with preexisting conditions that a pregnancy may exacerbate.
Every patient’s health condition during pregnancy is unique to them, so their chiropractic treatment and the benefits they derive from it will also be different. That being said, the most common benefits women report experiencing as a result of receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy are as follows:
- Pain Relief. The most common and most obvious benefit of chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy is pain relief. During a pregnancy, it isn’t uncommon for the woman’s spinal column and other musculoskeletal systems to go out of alignment or to become cramped, pushed, or pulled. That can cause discomfort and varying degrees of pain. Chiropractic care can not only relieves this pain so that the patient doesn’t have to resort to painkillers, but the adjustments can also realign the patient’s body in a way that is beneficial for her and for her fetus too.
- Pelvic Alignment. Chiropractors are trained to utilize the Webster Technique, a specific chiropractic diagnosis and treatment method tailored specifically for pregnant women. The technique focuses on reducing pelvic and sacral misalignments that may occur throughout the pregnancy term. The technique enhances nervous system function, reduces tension on the ligaments and soft tissues surrounding the uterus, and helps align the fetus in the correct position for birth.
- Improved Labor Outcomes. There is some evidence suggesting that women who receive regular chiropractic care throughout their pregnancy experience better outcomes, including shorter labor times, less painful labor, and a reduced likelihood of needing to undergo cesarean section surgery. Quoting the literature, “Chiropractic evaluation and treatment during pregnancy may be considered a safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal symptoms that affect pregnant patients.”[1]
- Better Nervous System Function. Chiropractic care aims to realign the spine and reduce subluxations (misalignments of the vertebrae), thereby improving nervous system function. Proper nervous system function is essential to a healthy pregnancy, as the nervous system sends signals throughout the woman’s body that carefully orchestrate fetal development.
- Proper Posture and Easier Delivery. Receiving chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can help improve the patient’s posture as her body undergoes the changes associated with 40 weeks of pregnancy. Additionally, by addressing musculoskeletal imbalances and aligning the pelvic structure throughout pregnancy, chiropractic care may improve the delivery process and its outcomes.
- A Better Pregnancy Without Pain Medication. Many women choose to forgo pain medication in their prenatal and postnatal stages, as they don’t wish to expose pain medication to their fetus or newborn. Chiropractic care is a way for them to experience natural pain relief and treatment of pregnancy-associated discomfort. Additionally, their chiropractor can offer guidance on posture, exercises, sleep, and sitting positions, as well as other methods to make the pregnancy smoother and more comfortable.
- Improved Recovery. The changes a woman’s body goes through after pregnancy are almost as significant as the ones she experiences during pregnancy. Continuing to receive chiropractic care after a woman gives birth helps support her recovery and the essential realignment of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones that occur following a birth.
What to Expect During a Chiropractic Visit While Pregnant
Professional chiropractic care for pregnant women involves a highly specialized, tailored approach to treatment. That means pregnant patients will be treated on an individual basis, with treatment plans designed for each patient’s exact needs.
Chiropractic care for pregnant patients in Nashville and throughout Middle Tennessee should include the following:
- Professional chiropractic care for pregnant women involves a highly specialized, tailored approach to treatment. That means pregnant patients will be treated on a highly specialized, individual basis, with treatment plans tailored in such a way that they create the best possible outcomes for the patient.
- Specialized chiropractic techniques for pregnant patients. A chiropractor providing chiropractic adjustments for pregnant women will use specific methods and techniques, such as the Webster Technique, designed to help the chiropractor make life easier for the pregnant patient.
- A personalized chiropractic plan for pregnancy. Pregnant patients require specialized chiropractic care that is unique to their bodies and the changes they’re going through during pregnancy. That means each patient will receive a customized chiropractic care plan tailored to their pregnancy.
- Chiropractic postpartum care for better recovery. Chiropractic treatment for pregnant patients doesn’t just include the 40 weeks of pregnancy. It’s just as important for the patient to continue receiving care during the postpartum stage, as such treatments will help the patient recover from the pregnancy.
Science Backs Chiropractic Care for Pregnant Patients
Scientific journals only recently began studying the benefits of chiropractic care for pregnant patients (such studies began in the early 2000s). However, the scientific evidence is now clear: tailored, specific chiropractic treatment for pregnancy can provide a range of benefits that increase the patient’s quality of life throughout the pregnancy, improve pregnancy outcomes, and support recovery.
Quoting the study cited earlier:
- “Although chiropractic care typically includes the care of pregnant patients, the research literature is sparse. Biomechanical changes and stress to the neuromusculoskeletal system are present during and immediately after pregnancy. Chiropractic evaluation and treatment during this period may be warranted and considered a safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal symptoms that many pregnant patients encounter. The published evidence even suggests that regular chiropractic care may improve the probability of successful natural parturition [the act of giving birth, childbirth].”
How to Tell if Chiropractic for Pregnancy is Right for You
For those seeking a more comfortable, holistic pregnancy experience in Nashville or Franklin, Cool Springs Chiropractic is the premier chiropractic care provider for pregnant women in Middle Tennessee.
Establishing a doctor-patient relationship built on trust and delivering effective chiropractic care in Cool Springs is the cornerstone of Cool Springs Chiropractic. Only by utilizing this approach can the team and their pregnant patients develop a proper patient care plan and identify the chiropractic treatments necessary to create and maintain a pleasant, rewarding, and stress-free holistic pregnancy experience.
Our top chiropractors in Franklin consistently deliver exemplary service and are recognized for their expertise, including in the care of pregnant patients through chiropractic adjustments. Quoting Franklin’s award-winning chiropractor, Dr. Hinz:
- “At Cool Springs Chiropractic, our expert team provides tailored chiropractic care to address our patients’ unique health needs, including the development of an effective treatment plan for our pregnant patients. Whether expecting mothers are looking to relieve pain, improve mobility, enhance their overall wellness, or treat an acute and immediate malady, like a spinal misalignment due to pregnancy, we’re here to help them achieve their goals through a patient-centered approach. The result? Our pregnant patients leave our office feeling pain-free, healthier, happier, and more mobile.”
Schedule an appointment by calling (615) 503-9900 or using our online system to access our limited-time $49 New Patient Special. Our office is located at 3252 Aspen Grove Drive, Suite 13, in Franklin, Tennessee. For information or to ask a question, email us at info@coolspringschiropractic.com.
Sources:
[1] NIH. “Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature.” National Institutes of Health, 2007. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
