Osteopathy for Mums to be 

Common Symptoms during Pregnancy

Low back pain and pelvic pain are common in pregnancy. Figures showing complaints by pregnant women vary from as low as 25% in one study compared to as high as 80% in another. Obviously we don’t treat the actual pregnancy, but we make proper allowance for it – just because you are pregnant, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a stiff neck, tennis elbow or a painful knee. 

Some common treatments for musculoskeletal problems, such as some drugs, some physiotherapy approaches and exercises are not always suitable for pregnant women. Osteopathy can offer a gentle way of treating  many muscle and joint problems at this time.

Examination and treatment

Every patient undergoes a unique examination process. This begins with an extensive case history and an obstetric case history to see if you are suitable for treatment in this way. We are happy to try to work with what you feel comfortable with, eg during pregnancy, some people may prefer to see one of our female osteopaths.

Following examination, the patient may be offered manual therapy to address not only the tissues causing the symptoms but why they are there in the first place. Once the pain begins to subside the patient may also be offered maintenance treatment to treat the areas of the body and spine that are going to change during the coming months. We would hope that this might help to lessen discomfort throughout the pregnancy.

We have treated some women the day before labour and some only 1 day after. We have also had women who have a history of back problems come to us before they start to try to get  pregnant so as to try to get their back in a better shape before pregnancy. 

The patient will often be offered a post-natal check at perhaps around six weeks after she has been discharged from the obstetrician or midwife to assess that mechanically, things are returning to normal.

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