Do Chiropractors Treat Pregnancy Related Pain? Is Chiropractic Safe with Surgical Rods?
The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published an unusual study on March 23, 2017, documenting the case of a pregnant woman with lower back pain being helped by chiropractic. What makes this case unusual is that the woman had previous spinal surgery and had Harrington rods inserted into her spine.
According to Wikipedia, the Harrington rod is a stainless steel surgical device that was implanted along the spinal column to treat curvatures of the spine, or scoliosis. Up to one million people had Harrington rods implanted for scoliosis between the early 1960s and the late 1990s.
The study begins by noting that chiropractic care for pregnant women has been a popular occurrence for much of the chiropractic profession’s history. Commonly, women seek chiropractic care to address physical complaints such as pregnancy-related musculoskeletal complaints. However, many pregnant women seek chiropractic for wellness care and to improve the birth experience.
In this case, a 28-year-old woman who was in her 21st week of pregnancy, sought chiropractic care with a chief complaint of shoulder and neck pain, which she attributed to her scoliosis. She had surgery seven years prior for a moderate scoliosis. Harrington rods were inserted into her spine from her second thoracic to her second lumbar vertebrae.
She rated her constant pain as 6 out of 10, with 10 being the worst. She recalled that this episode started when she was lying on her left side and she felt a muscle tightened so tightly that it was pulling on the rods from her scoliosis surgery. Her pain was worse at night and was too painful for her to get a massage. Her left shoulder was restricted and she claimed that she could not lift anything with her left arm. Additionally, she reported that she occasionally suffered with headaches and sinus congestion.
A chiropractic examination was performed, and it was determined that subluxations were present. A series of specific chiropractic adjustments were begun to address the woman’s subluxations. After each adjustment the patient reported a decrease in her pain.
After 13 weeks of chiropractic care, it was reported that the woman’s pain had significantly decreased and was now only a 2 out of 10. Additionally, her posture had improved as had her spinal range of motion. A week later, the patient suffered a fall which caused a minimal increase in her symptoms. Care was continued and she continued to improve in most areas. She delivered a seven pound girl vaginally with minimal assistance.
The complexity of this case, due to the patient’s spinal surgery history, contributed to variations in her symptoms as care was given. Overall, the quality of her life was improved and she was able to deliver a healthy baby. In their conclusion, the study authors summed up this unusual case by stating, “This case report provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy and in particular, pregnant women with surgical rods to address scoliosis.”
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The study begins by noting that chiropractic care has been involved in the care of pregnant women since the early days of the profession over a century ago. The authors note that over 76% of practicing chiropractors report that the care of pregnant women is a part of their practices. This care is rendered for both musculoskeletal issues related to pregnancy as well as care for overall wellness during pregnancy.
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The study begins by noting that infertility affects approximately 11% of reproductive-age women, which accounts for approximately 6.7 million individuals. Many different mechanisms have been attributed to female infertility including hormonal issues, cysts, and ovarian dysfunction.
The study authors note that women suffering with lumbopelvic pain only see care in about 25% of the cases because many believe that the pain is normal during pregnancy. Those who do not gain relief are more likely to continue to have pain after their pregnancy. A previous randomized chiropractic clinical trial showed that chiropractic care given in conjunction with the normal obstetric care was more effective in eliminating pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain than just obstetric care by itself.
The study begins by noting that about 85% of couples attempting to conceive are successful in the first year. Therefore, a timeframe longer than one year is classified as infertility. It is estimated that 6 million couples are struggling with infertility in the United States.
The usage of chiropractic care by women who are pregnant has been increasing. The most common reason that woman seek chiropractic is for musculoskeletal pain, specifically back pain. However, more women are turning to chiropractic with breech pregnancies after reading information about a chiropractic procedure known as the “Webster Technique.”
The study begins by reporting that, “The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for women and particularly for women of childbearing years and during pregnancy is substantial.” Chiropractic is one of the most widely utilized forms of CAM. The authors note that about a third of all pregnant woman use some form of CAM, but only half of them disclose this information to their medical practitioner.