As Chicagoans finally are enjoying summer with various street fests, festivals, and concerts, people who live here know what makes Chicago a great city! As the pandemic lingers with discussions about any new variants, couples are either starting a family or adding to their current family. As women become pregnant, some may encounter pain during their pregnancy. Common complaints women experience during pregnancy include, but are not limited to….middle back, lower back pain, hip pain, and carpal tunnel (not all at once, but you may experience 1 or a few of these injuries). It is important to note that chiropractic care is quite safe when you are pregnant to deal with your pain as a women’s body changes throughout her pregnancy. Chiropractic treatment does not harm the unborn or the pregnant woman.

Often, women who experience spinal pain and/or carpal tunnel (due to a great deal of swelling in her hands) cannot take meds consistently as most medical doctors do not recommend it. With a women’s body going through a great deal of change in her 2nd and 3rd trimesters, seeking out a chiropractor when her back and/or hands hurt will help to curb her discomfort that will likely plague her until her baby is born. Chiropractic manipulation will improve movement in her joints, reduce inflammation, and ease the pressure in certain parts of her body as her unborn child continues to develop in utero.

Stretching one’s muscles and tendons will help too as these often contribute to back pain during pregnancy. The increase in estrogen as a women progresses through her pregnancy stiffens and tightens up her body in her spine, hips, and pelvis. Active Release Techniques (ART) providers can, and often, reduce tension in one’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments to decrease pain, improve flexibility, and function. Stretching on your own is necessary too due to the tension one will likely experience.

Finally, Kinesiotape can ease swelling, pain, and improve function while pregnant to support the affected tissues that are contributing and/or causing one’s pain. There are certain taping protocols that chiropractors utilize to help pregnant women handle their pain so they can get to the finish line to bring their new special person into the world. Kinesiotape can be utilized all throughout the pregnancy depending on the women’s needs and her pain.

Using these measures will help a woman manage her pregnancy with more ease. Fortunately, pregnancies don’t last longer than 9 months, so once the baby arrives, many of these issues will hopefully disappear.