Chiropractic Care And Women’s Special Health Needs.

Women have special needs, from menstruation to pregnancy to menopause.  Chiropractic care can help women deal with these life changes.  Chiropractors are doctors with over seven years of university level education in the science and art of hands-on-healing.

Menstrual Cramps:

During menses, women discover that they not only experience cramping in the lower abdominal region but also lower back pain.  Pressure on the nerves leading to the uterus can be relieved through specific spinal adjustments during menses, diminishing or eliminating pain in both

regions.

Therefore, by receiving chiropractic adjustments, during the menstrual period, you can eliminate the need for many pain killers (such as Advil®), Panadol, many of which have serious side effects.

Pre-and Post Natal Needs:

Pregnancy:

When a woman undergoes a pregnancy, her body endures tremendous physiological and endocrinological changes that are necessary for the developing baby.  The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joint:

• Center of gravity shifts forward to the front of the pelvis
• Protruding abdomen and increased back curve, and as a result,
• Extra stress is placed on the spinal disks
• Pelvic changes due to displaced weight
• Compensatory increase in the curvature of the upper spine
• Postural adaptation/imbalances, leading to
• Increased occurrences of awkward trips and falls¹.

Benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:

• Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
• Controlling symptoms of nausea
• Reducing the time of labor and delivery
• Relieving back, neck or joint pain
• Prevent a possible cesarean section

An interesting study done in 1992 by J Fallon found that women who received chiropractic care from at least the tenth week of pregnancy on through delivery had shorter labor times than national averages. First time mothers had 24% shorter labor while those who had previously borne children had 39% shorter labor.  That study also indicated that the women reported less back pain as a result of their chiropractic care ranging from 25% to 100%².

Abnormal Fetal Positioning:

Many women discover that the baby is in an improper position, breech (feet first) or transverse lie.  After the seventh month of gestation, if a fetus is in this type of abnormal position, it can be subject to biomechanical stress leading to vertebral subluxations, which may cause abnormal development of cartilage structures.  The Webster protocol is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/SI joint dysfunction. In so doing neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated³.  A Chiropractor trained in the Webster Technique is qualified in evaluating and treating pregnant women for abnormal fetal positioning and can adjust the patient with good results as successful as 97%.  When the fetus is in a normal position, its chance of developing properly in the uterus greatly increases. 

Post Natal Needs:

Due to the abnormal stress that the mother’s body goes through childbirth, frequently the upper back muscles become tight, interfering with proper nerve flow to the breasts.

By adjusting the spine following delivery, can allow the breast milk to flow properly, decreasing frustration for the mother and increasing breast milk for flowing to the baby.  The baby has an opportunity to receive natural immunities from their mother, allowing them to experience improved health.  Regular chiropractic adjustments in new mothers can relieve back discomfort associated with reduced sleep and lifting the new baby¹.

Reference: 

1. American Chiropractic Association: http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=85
2. J. Fallon, “The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Pregnancy and Labor: A Comprehensive Study,” Abstract of the Proceedings of the 1991World Federation of Chiropractic, Nov./Dec. 1992, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Vol. 15, No. 9, p. 614.
3. Webster Technique https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Pregnancy-Birth/for-many-pregnant-moms-webster-technique-is-the-key-to-a-safer-birth.html
4. Variations of the breech position. http://www.womenfitness.net/preg_breech_presentation.htm

Find your nearest Chiropractor in your community and start discovering the endless rewards of proper health and wellness!   Remember, your health is important!  God bless you!

Your Doctor in health,

Dr. Catherine W. Njogu. D.C,

Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Health Centre