Low Back Pain During Pregnancy
According to a study published in the journal SPINE, the prevalence of back pain in pregnant moms over a 9-month period was 49%.
As you know, your body during pregnancy changes quickly. All of these changes and redistributions of weight contribute to tension in muscles, strain on ligaments and often strain on joints that is typical but excessive on joints.
Back pain during pregnancy is not necessary. There are solutions that will make your pregnancy better. Dr. Lou is a perinatal chiropractic specialist. Call Dr. Lou today to end the pain and improve your body’s function. Call now! (207) 774-6251
With your baby growing, your low back muscles have to work harder to maintain your upright posture as your belly pulls you forward. This puts strain on your low back muscles – which may lead to muscle pain. The harder your muscles pull you back, the more compressed the joints of your low back become. This may lead to joint pain.
To compensate for the new posture of the low back, your mid back (thoracic spine) arcs more, or hunches. The more it hunches, the more deconditioned the muscles of the mid back become and the tighter the muscles of your chest become. This may lead to mid back and upper back pain.
As you hunch further forward, the more your head sticks out forward. This makes your head effectively weigh more and puts great strain on your neck and upper back, often leading to tension headaches.
Your low back is the primary contractile region of muscle and spine that holds you upright during pregnancy. With over 20 joints alone in the lumbar spine, there’s a lot of room for failure in the moving parts. In fact, there’s a 49% chance.
What about drugs? Everyone knows that drugs are not safe. Some sources say that over 100,000 people in the U.S. die every year from properly prescribed medications. Over the counter painkillers kill about 16,500 people a year in hospitals. The numbers are staggering. if there were no other solutions, maybe it would be worth the risk. BUT, chiropractic works, it’s safe, drug free and it addresses the problem at the root of the cause. Additionally, perinatal chiropractic care preps you for labor and delivery, it also makes your pregnancy more enjoyable. Its a total win.
Dr. Lou Jacobs is a perinatal and pediatric chiropractic specialist in Portland, Maine. You can find him on twitter at @drloujacobs. Dr. Lou’s YOUTUBE channel has an abundance of videos to help you and your baby. For immediate help with your low back pain during pregnancy, call (207) 774-6251.