How Chiropractic Care Can Help With Pain During and After Pregnancy

 By Dr. Elaine Leung (B.ChiroSc, M.Chiro) 

Chiropractic care may help some women with back and pelvic pain during and after pregnancy. The research so far is limited. Treatment usually includes gentle hands-on techniques for the joints and muscles, plus exercises and advice, to ease pain and help you move more comfortably. In this article, we look at how chiropractic care may help with pain and discomfort before, during and after pregnancy. 

Before pregnancy 

If you are planning a pregnancy and have back or joint pain, chiropractic care may help you manage it before you conceive.

During pregnancy 

During pregnancy, chiropractic care focuses on easing back and pelvic pain and helping you stay active. Hands-on treatment may help ease back pain in pregnancy for some women. If your baby is breech (bottom or feet first) late in pregnancy, your doctor or midwife will talk you through your options. From 36 weeks this usually means being offered an external cephalic version (ECV), where a specialist tries to turn the baby head down by pressing on your tummy.

Some small studies have looked at chiropractic care for back pain in pregnancy, but better quality research is needed.

In one practice-based study of pregnant women having chiropractic care, most said they were very satisfied and reported less pain. The study had no comparison group, so it cannot show that the care caused the improvement.

Contact your doctor or midwife straight away if you have back pain in your second or third trimester, as it can be a sign of early labour, or if you also have a fever, bleeding from your vagina, pain when you pee or pain in your side under your ribs. Call 999 or go to A&E if you lose feeling in one or both legs, your bottom or your genitals.

After the birth 

After the birth, chiropractic care focuses on easing back and pelvic pain and helping you get back to everyday activities. Postnatal depression is common and treatable. If you feel low, anxious or unable to cope after the birth, speak to your doctor or midwife as soon as you can. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, get help straight away: call 999 or go to A&E. Colic is common and usually gets better on its own by 3 to 4 months. If you are worried about your baby’s crying, or it carries on after 4 months, see your doctor. Call 999 or go to A&E if your baby has a weak or high-pitched cry, or their cry does not sound like their normal cry. 

If you are thinking about chiropractic care in pregnancy, choose a registered chiropractor with experience in pregnancy care, and let your doctor or midwife know. Chiropractors with extra training in pregnancy and postnatal care know how to adapt treatment so it is comfortable and suitable for you. 

Conclusion 

Chiropractic care may help some women with pain during and after pregnancy. It may help ease back and pelvic pain during pregnancy and help you move more comfortably after the birth. If you are pregnant or have recently had a baby and have back or pelvic pain, a registered chiropractor with experience in pregnancy care can assess you. Let your doctor or midwife know too. 

Need help with this? Our chiropractors in Hong Kong can assess you and start treatment in your first session at our Central clinic. Message us on WhatsApp to book.