Chiropractic Lessens Back Pain for Expecting Mothers

With pregnancy comes many delights as you prepare for the birth of your new child. However, sometimes it comes with discomfort as well—particularly back pain. The good news is, a recent study reveals that chiropractic care is a reliable way to soothe back pain throughout pregnancy. And the beneficial effects occur not just throughout pregnancy, but for a long time after you have delivered.

Researchers recruited 115 pregnant women who were (1) dealing with aches and pains in their back or pelvic region, (2) had not engaged in chiropractic treatment during the previous 3 months, and (3) were not restricted from participation. Each woman then engaged in chiropractic care, with the frequency of sessions and methods of manipulation solely established based on the advice of the chiropractor for each individual expecting mother.

Data was compiled at one week, one month, 3 months, six months, and the first year past the initial chiropractic visit to understand what improvement, if any, the women felt with regards to their back pain. What they discovered is that the level of improvement in pain increased the more time went on.

For example, when asked after the first week of treatments if the women felt a reduction in their degree of pain, over half said yes. That amount increased to 70 percent after the first month of treatment, then to 85 percent being happy with the results after only 3 months of chiropractic care. At the 6 month mark, 90% said that they noticed diminished discomfort in their back region, and the results continued, with 88% noting favorable effects one year after the first session.

If you're expecting and you suffer from back pain, give Dr. Ernst a call at (360) 659-8464 to learn more about how chiropractic care can help reduce your symptoms. We'd love to help you have a healthy, natural pregnancy!

Peterson CK, Mühlemann D, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies 2014;22(1):15.