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While many adults routinely visit the chiropractor, or make an appointment after injury, many people are unaware that chiropractic care can have a positive impact on women who are pregnant, children, and infants. Sadly, not knowing that a chiropractor is trained to help in all stages of life can tend to cause those who may benefit from treatment the most to stray away even though chiropractic could very well be the best option for their pain and/or discomfort.
Chiropractic care is the science and art of realigning misaligned joints, and it’s backed up by science. Your spine is a central point of your nervous system and houses an abundance of nerves which all extend throughout the rest of your body. When the spine is out of tune and misaligned, it can cause issues not just in your back, but all throughout your body! For instance, the source of your shoulder or leg pain might actually be coming from your spinal column. Chiropractic care helps reset the misalignments, discs, and nerves with conservative, non-drug related treatment.
Benefits for women who are pregnant
It is apparent that a woman experiences significant changes in her body both during and after pregnancy. As the pelvis slowly prepares for delivery, the spine shifts with your center of gravity, and your hips, spine and the body’s lower extremities must bear the additional weight. Misalignments are bound to happen and chiropractic care can actually benefit a pregnancy in many ways.
Women who are pregnant might refrain from chiropractic care out of fear that the force applied during adjustments can complicate pregnancy. However, it’s important to note that chiropractors take special care with their expecting patients and utilize different techniques to avoid applying pressure onto the abdomen. In addition, chiropractors also use specialized tables that also removes most pressure off of the abdomen during the realignment process.
Spinal adjustments during pregnancy can alleviate lower back pain, realign your spine, and take a tremendous amount of pressure off your hips. This, coupled with pelvic realignments—such as the Webster technique—can help with moms comfort level AND assist with your baby-to-be shift into proper birthing position. This can reduce your risk of pregnancy and birthing complications, and can potentially speed up labor as well.
Benefits for children
Chiropractors know a child’s frame is more fragile than adults, and that their bones are not fully solidified and their cartilage and growth plates are still soft and developing. On one hand, the cartilage is more susceptible to damage but, on the other, misaligned joints and bones can become problematic when they solidify. When you take into account the incredible amount of growth that children experience and their seemingly endless activity levels, misalignments are bound to happen.
So, it bears repeating – chiropractors know children aren’t little adults! This means that they use significantly less force, if any, to realign a child. In fact, misalignments can be fixed by mobilizing the area, placing the child in a relaxing position and letting the joint reset itself. Fixing these misalignments can help your child move easier and help prevent future problems.
Benefits for infants
Like children, parents might stray away from taking their infant to the chiropractor because of the assumed force involved. As they do with children, chiropractors know that infants are delicate and utilize techniques that are safe, effective and utilize practically no force whatsoever.
An infant can experience multiple benefits from a visit to the chiropractor. The womb is not exactly a spacious place, misalignments can happen as the baby shifts into the birthing position, and the birthing process itself can cause unforeseen issues as well. Also, you might notice your baby favoring one side or the other while learning early motor skills. This could be a sign of favoring a certain side due to an immobility caused by their rapid growth or even everyday activities.
If you are still unsure whether or not to your child or infant to the chiropractor, or scared it may harm your pregnancy, please don’t hesitate to consult with your doctor, chiropractor, or your child’s pediatrician.