Chiropractic care for the whole family, part 1.

Part 1 Pregnancy:


Our office has always promoted chiropractic care for the whole family; from birth to late in life. In this post I am going to describe why chiropractic care can be an important part of care during pregnancy.  There are some, mostly outside of the chiropractic profession who try to dissuade pregnant women from seeing a chiropractor.  This is usually due to a miss-understanding of how chiropractic care can benefit a woman during pregnancy.  With this post I will show that there is substantial evidence to justify chiropractic care during pregnancy and little risk for mother or baby.

The argument for chiropractic care for pregnant women comes first and foremost from the fact that there is not much traditional medical care and do for mom.  Due to the risk for the baby there is little the medical profession can do for a pregnant woman suffering from lower back pain.  Most drug therapies can have an effect the baby and may influence its development.  Surgical therapies are only used in extreme and emergency cases where the back pain is due to a complex condition that can have a big negative effect on the mother.  Exercises can be a big help for limiting back pain, but I have found that it is most beneficial before mom is pregnant.

Chiropractic care has been found to be safe and effective for treating low back pain during pregnancy.  A recent study published June 2009 in the journal Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey reviewed all the literature on chiropractic care for low back pain during pregnancy and found it to be effective.  The authors found that since there is little else a pregnant woman can do for low back pain, chiropractic care may be the best course they should take.  A paper published in JMPT in 2008 found a similar conclusion.  A paper published in the journal Current Opinion in Anesthesiology in 2003 by a researcher in the Yale University College of Medicine found utilization of chiropractic by pregnant women for back pain to be common and effective.  There is other evidence that points to chiropractic care being effective for headache and neck pain during pregnancy, as well as other techniques that can help turn a baby before birth.

During my search of peer reviewed journals at Pub Med I found little evidence of any adverse effects or injuries, or miscarriages due to chiropractic care.  I only was able to find two cases of adverse effects and one of them was a very rare occurrence and not life threatening and the other was due to the moms medical doctor adjusting her spine, not chiropractor.  That is evidence to not have anyone but your chiropractor adjust your spine.  We know how to take care of all patients including pregnant women who require a delicate approach.    

The best way to take care of your spine during pregnancy is to first take care of it before pregnancy.  If you are considering having a baby, prepare by eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting your spine checked out.

Part 2 will detail why its important for your children to get their spine checked from birth.