Stop Sciatica & Back Pain

All of these health tips are a good reminder and remember your back health follows your overall health. 

• Eat plenty of raw vegetables and fruit, particularly berries which are high in antioxidants.
• Stay off junky processed foods
• Cut down on alcohol and coffee, and drink at least one litre of water a day.
• Meditate - even a few minutes a day helps.
• Exercise daily; walking, swimming, yoga, t’ai chi and gentle jogging are all great for you.
• Do specific back stretching and strengthening exercises - especially for your “core stability muscles”

Live well!

Many expectant mothers experience low back pain during their pregnancies, but unfortunately, the majority of them don’t know there are safe and effective, non-drug treatments available.

Pregnant women who experience back pain or sciatica due so partly because of their weight increase; the average expectant mother gains between 25 and 35 pounds.

There are other changes to the pregnant woman’s body. As the baby grows, it can put pressure on the nerves, muscles and ligaments of the mother’s back and pelvis.

Pressure is increased as the baby grows even larger and descends in the uterus, and as the baby grows, the mother-to-be may overcompensate for the extra weight by leaning back.

To try and prevent back pain, pregnant women can exercise, especially if they were active before becoming pregnant. Walking, swimming and other gentle exercises are safe, even for first-timers, but they should check with their obstetrician first.

They also should wear flat shoes, because heels tip the pelvis forward, making pregnant women overcompensate by leaning backward.

Pregnant women are rightly concerned about taking medications, even over-the-counter ones, because they may damage the baby or cause birth defects.

Chiropractic care is an effective, alternative treatment that is safe for both the mother and the baby. A chiropractor can adjust the pregnant woman’s back either manually or with an FDA-approved handheld adjustment tool that delivers a gentle tap without twisting or cracking of the nerves, muscles or ligaments.

It is also worth considering the Webster Technique. This provides a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nerve system and facilitates biomechanical balance in pelvic structures, muscles and ligaments.

This technique has been shown to reduce the effects of intrauterine constraint, and allows the baby to get into the best possible position for birth.

In layman’s terms, it’s a safe technique chiropractors can perform that reduces strain on the uterus, letting it return to its normal state and giving the baby a chance to turn naturally.