MANHATTAN, Kan., June 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Manhattan chiropractor is educating patients about how certain types of chiropractic care can help expectant mothers enjoy healthier pregnancies. According to Dr. Sam Beugelsdijk, MS, DC of Nichols Chiropractic, a method known as the Webster Technique can provide significant health benefits to parent and child alike. "While traditional spinal adjustments can relieve some of the common symptoms associated with pregnancy, the Webster Technique actually optimizes the fetus's position in the womb, which can relieve pelvic and back pain for the mother while also allowing an easier, healthier delivery for the baby," says Dr. Beugelsdijk.
The Manhattan chiropractor, who is a Certified Webster Technique Practitioner, notes that a woman's body undergoes drastic changes over the months of pregnancy, especially as the fetus grows and the body begins to change shape. "The weight distribution of the musculoskeletal system throws the entire body out of balance," he explains. "This shift can cause back pain, neck pain, pelvic girdle pain and headaches." He adds that many pregnant women also experience leg and buttock pain as the result of sciatica, a painful impingement of the sciatic nerve.
In addition to these musculoskeletal and nerve stresses, these individual typically suffer from swelling of the extremities and general aches from hormonal changes and fluid retention. "Perhaps most significantly, imbalances in the pelvis not only make the mother uncomfortable, but they also pose a threat to the baby," says the practitioner. "Late in pregnancy, a fetus must shift into the correct position for healthy delivery, and a pelvic imbalance can make that impossible, necessitating a Cesarean section."
Dr. Beugelsdijk states that chiropractors trained in the Webster Technique use it to restore correct pelvic balance in expectant mothers who present a possible breech birth, beginning in the eighth month of pregnancy. "We can reduce the strain on ligaments and muscles around the uterus so that the baby is able to 'turn vertex,' or reposition itself for a healthy birth," he says. "This form of chiropractic care enjoys an 82 percent success rate, and that's a lot of major surgery that we're helping pregnant women avoid. A balanced pelvis can also make the delivery itself significantly easier."
Nichols Chiropractic also employs other natural pain management therapies to help their pregnant patients feel better, sleep more soundly and experience fewer health issues. "Many of our patients respond well to pre-natal massage," says Dr. Beugelsdijk. "This gentle massage technique complements chiropractic care by relieving swelling and inflammation in various part of the body. It's also good for relieving back pain and relaxing tight muscles taxed by the body's structural changes." He encourages pregnant women to seek out these and other natural wellness therapies.
In addition to the Webster Technique and general pregnancy care, Nichols Chiropractic uses a variety of non-invasive techniques to treat sports injuries, personal injuries, headaches/migraines and other health problems.