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By William L. Hill, D.C.
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The following articles are brought to you as a community service by Hill Chiropractic. |
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CHIROPRACTIC DURING PREGNANCY
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Pregnancy can be a joyous time in a woman’s life. But it also puts its particular demands on a woman’s body. As the baby grows and mother gains weight, one of those demands is an ever-shifting center of gravity that forces many parts of the body to adjust. Among those parts is the lower back, which is always working to keep us balanced and stable. So lower, or lumbar, back pain is a relatively common occurrence during pregnancy. It’s not something though, that you’d want to bring into the delivery room with you. Here are some tips to keep in mind during your pregnancy:
Follow your doctor’s recommendations on nutrition to keep weight under control. The more weight you gain, the more stress on your body.
Don’t sleep flat on your back. Sleep on your side. Pillows between the knees will help you stay comfortable.
Put fashion aside and wear sturdy, supportive shoes. Slip-ons will spare you having to bend over.
If persistent back pain is still a problem, visit a chiropractor. Chiropractic treatment during pregnancy is both safe and effective.
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THE RIGHT MATTRESS
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We know that sleep is essential to living a healthy lifestyle and that a good mattress is essential to sound sleep. Here are some facts about mattresses from the American Chiropractic Association:
If you’re waking up uncomfortable every morning, it may be time for a new mattress. There’s no set life span for a mattress. If you’re not in a position to buy a new mattress, there are some temporary fixes. If your mattress is too soft, you could firm it up by putting a sheet of plywood under it. If it’s too hard, you could put a 1 to 2 inch padding on top of it. Pads are generally available at mattress and bedding stores. These should be temporary solutions until you can get a new mattress. To prevent body indentations from becoming permanent, turn your mattress clockwise, or turn it over, every three or four months.
Lifestyle changes can dictate whether it’s time to get a new mattress. Dramatic change in weight, for instance, a medical condition that has forced a change in sleeping habits or, perhaps, a new partner might be reasons for change. Keeping your body supported properly at night is as important as maintaining good posture during the day. Talk with your chiropractor about ways to make sleep time as good as it can be.
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CHIROPRACTIC MAINTENANCE
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It may be pain – back pain, most likely – that first sends you to a chiropractor. Even after the pain is gone, however, you should continue with periodic visits to maintain your well-being. You take your car for regular maintenance, don’t you? So a chiropractic tune-up is a good idea, even if you’re feeling fine. The fact is that through the rigors of daily living – from coming through the birth canal, to childhood tumbles, to an adulthood of sitting at a desk – we put strain on our body, including the spine. Add the chemicals and pollutants we’re exposed to through food and the environment, and it’s not surprising that our systems start to gum up as we age.
The nerves that pass through the spine do not only control the operation of you limbs; they also have a bearing on our organs. So a digestive or urinary problem could be caused or exacerbated by a subluxation in the spine. The spine has 24 joints consisting of bones – vertebrae – and discs through which nerves pass. A subluxation is a misalignment of one or more of the vertebrae. That misalignment could be affecting a nerve that’s causing a problem for you. So even if you’re feeling good, you should still consider visiting a chiropractor regularly to keep it that way.
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