Complications of Pregnancy

• Complications During Pregnancy
  • Brachial Neuralgia
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Coccydynia
  • Headaches
  • Intercostal Neuralgia
  • Meralgia Paresthetica
  • Sciatica Neuralgia

Complications During Pregnancy

Brachial Neuralgia

A large collection of nerves, the brachial plexus, from the cervical spine descend into each arm to provide sensory and motor innervation. Again, due to increases in hormonal factors, parts of the nerve plexus may become impinged or irritated. This results in radiating arm pain and may also be associated with neck pain or stiffness. Restoration of cervical biomechanics is performed by the chiropractor to eliminate cervical stress and radicular symptoms.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome, commonly associated with repetitive wrist movements, is also increased during pregnancy. This is because of hormonal changes which increases water retention, leading to increased pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the 'carpal tunnel' in the wrist, hence the name. Symptoms include numbness and tingling of the hand and fingers as well as achiness in the forearm and neck. Chiropractic adjustments applied to the cervical and wrist regions may help eliminate inflammation and quicken resolution. Additionally, vitamin B6 supplements have been shown to assist in eliminating the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

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Coccydynia

This condition simply refers to a painful coccyx. The coccyx bone is located on the end of your sacrum or tailbone and can become irritated and painful in pregnancy. This is especially evident in the final trimester due to the position of the baby and the lack of room for the baby to maneuver. Manual adjustment of the coccyx is often required and can be safely and successfully performed by the chiropractor.

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Headaches

Most headaches experienced during pregnancy are muscle tension headaches. These headaches are soft tissue and biomechanical in nature and respond excellently to chiropractic care. Fortunately for migraine headache sufferers, migraines are rare during pregnancy as hormones released counteract the processes involved that normally cause migraines.

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Intercostal Neuralgia

Hormonal changes during pregnancy lead to the relaxation of ligaments and joint capsule which include the joints of the ribs. Additionally, increased weight gain increases the pressure on the rib cage. These two factors lead to increased rib misalignments and increased in intercostal nerve irritation. Chiropractors adjust the rib heads to alleviate nerve irritation and restore normal positioning of the rib heads.

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Meralgia Paresthetica

This condition is a result of pressure on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve which provides sensation to the skin of the upper lateral thigh. Increased abdominal weight and pressure as well as an increased lumbar curvature tend to place additional pressure in the area of the nerve which leads to pain, numbness and tingling in the area of the lateral upper thigh. Chiropractors commonly use adjustments and soft tissue therapy to release pressure on the nerve.

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Sciatic Neuralgia

This common condition is a result of increased pressure on the large collection of nerves in the lower back. Symptoms include back pain with symptoms of pain, numbness and/or tingling radiating down the buttock and leg(s). There are also other causes of this condition which include sacroiliac joint dysfunction, lumbar disc syndrome, lumbar facet joint irritation, and spinal misalignments. Chiropractic care may be especially effective in alleviating sciatic neuralgia as the adjustment is directly aimed at addressing the cause.

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