Pregnancy and the Effect on Your Spine

• What causes spine-related pains in pregnancy?

  There are several causes for the spine-related pains that a woman may feel throughout her pregnancy. In most cases, the problems are assumed to be from changes in weight and posture. Indeed, while pregnant, you are carrying the weight of your baby and your body is changing. These changes can affect how you carry yourself, and such postural alterations—even small ones—can create bad habits that lead to back and neck pain.

  However, posture and weight gain are only parts of the equation. In fact, changing hormone levels may be a significant contributor to pregnancy-related spinal issues.

• Do hormone levels affect the spine?

  During pregnancy, the body releases a slew of different hormones. One of these hormones, relaxin, relaxes your body’s supporting tissues, including muscles and ligaments.

  This hormone is important because it helps prepare your body for the painful birthing process. However, the pelvic and uterine muscles are not the only parts of your body that feel the effects of relaxin. Relaxin also impacts the rest of your body’s muscles—including the back and neck. As a result, these muscles may not be doing their job stabilising and supporting your spine, worsening posture and heightening back pain.

• Do I need a referral from my GP or Obstetrician to see you?

  No, you do not need a referral from your GP or Obstetrician to book a chiropractic consultation.

• Should I schedule regular Chiropractic appointments throughout my pregnancy?

  For effective recovery and rehabilitation from most injuries and ailments, treatment is often a process of “dose over time”.  Your chiropractor will advise what type of individualised care is required.

• Back Pain During Pregnancy: Inevitable or Avoidable?

  Back pain can tend to be a struggle for women during pregnancy. In fact, many health care professionals will tell pregnant women that back pain is simply a normal part of pregnancy and is, therefore, not a cause for alarm.

  • While pregnancy-related back pain is rarely a medical emergency, for those that suffer it, it can be significantly debilitating and lead to further complications.
  • It doesn’t have to be inevitable.
  • Letting back and neck pain (or other related issues, like rib pain, abdominal pain, groin pain or sciatica) go untreated can make a pregnancy more painful and stressful than it needs to be.

• How Will I Benefit From Pregnancy Chiropractic?

  Move better, Feel better, Recover better

  Working with a pregnancy chiropractor in Brisbane can help to improve mobility, posture and pain. Using safe and appropriate chiropractic techniques, we can assist pregnant women in improving their posture and achieving greater bodily alignment. Improved spinal and pelvic alignment, in turn, can:

  • improve your mobility,
  • diminish chronic pain and stiffness as you progress through your pregnancy
  • assist your musculoskeletal recovery after giving birth

  In addition to affecting comfort and pain, spinal alignment also impacts your nervous system. A spine that is “out of whack” can disturb the nervous system in obvious ways, leading to increased stress, difficulty sleeping and other unwelcome symptoms. By working with a chiropractor experienced in pregnancy in Brisbane, you can monitor the health of your spine and get the minor adjustments you need to remain happy, healthy and comfortable throughout your pregnancy.