Chiropractor for Pregnancy Sciatica
Pregnancy Sciatica Treatment Options
Author: Dr. Paula Basilio (Chiropractor) B.Chiro.Sci (Macq), M.Chiro (Macq)
Welcome to My Back Relief Clinic! There are a few approaches to help relieve sciatica in pregnancy including chiropractic care, soft tissue massage, modified stretches, applying heat and exercise. For help with sciatica in pregnancy, get in touch with our clinic today.
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What Causes Sciatica in Pregnancy?
Sciatica in pregnancy is typically caused when your growing baby and expanding uterus push up against your sciatic nerve. This may compress the sciatic nerve or place pressure on the nerve, which can cause inflammation, irritation, and pain.
Other causes of sciatica and sciatic nerve pain:
- Bone spurs
- Vertebrae fracture or trauma injury
- Piriformis syndrome
- Lumbar herniated disc
- Direct compression of the sciatic nerve
- Tissue degeneration
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
The above-mentioned conditions may place pressure on the sciatic nerve or compress the nerve resulting in sciatica, and may be amplified during pregnancy.
Pregnancy Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy can vary from mild to severe. Along with the pain and discomfort, women may also experience tingling or numbness in the leg and foot as a result of the irritation.
Standing or sitting for a long time may also exacerbate the pain and discomfort.
Sciatica Pain Relief in Pregnancy
There are a few approaches to help relieve sciatica in pregnancy including chiropractic care, soft tissue massage, modified stretches, applying heat and other forms of manual therapy and exercise.
Sciatica Pregnancy Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic care for sciatica in pregnancy involves relieving pain, increasing joint range of motion, helping to balance posture and improve biomechanics.
If your sciatic nerve is being impacted, we want to try and reduce the interference, which in turn reduces feelings of pain.
Our team of fully qualified and government registered chiropractors can assist you with a variety of treatment options. Our hands-on methods include gentlier and modified adjustment techniques, soft tissue therapy, dry needling, and more.
Additional care options may also include advice on activities and appropriate movement, specific exercises to strengthen important muscle groups, including the lower back and pelvic floor.
Pregnancy Sciatica FAQs
For most women, yes. Your first visit includes a thorough history and examination to make sure chiropractic care is suitable for you and your pregnancy. At My Back Relief Clinic, we use comfortable pregnancy pillows so you never need to lie on your belly, along with gentler, modified adjustment techniques. We’re always happy to work alongside your obstetrician, midwife or GP.
Chiropractic care may help ease sciatic pain for some women during pregnancy. As your body changes, your pelvis, lower back and hips take on extra load, which can irritate the sciatic nerve. Care focuses on improving how these joints move, easing muscle tension, and giving you practical advice to stay comfortable as your pregnancy progresses.
They can feel similar, but they’re not the same. True sciatica comes from irritation of the sciatic nerve and often causes pain, tingling or numbness running down the back of the leg. Pelvic girdle pain is very common in pregnancy and is usually felt around the buttocks, hips, pubic bone or lower back. It can also spread into the thigh. A proper assessment helps work out which one you have, because they’re managed differently.
We start with a detailed history and examination of your lower back, pelvis and hips. Treatment is done in comfortable positions using pregnancy pillows, often lying on your side or back. Care may include gentle adjustments or mobilisation, soft tissue work, and simple exercises and stretches you can do at home. We’ll explain what we found and your care options in your Health Action Plan.
You can see a chiropractor at any stage of pregnancy. Treatment is adapted as your body changes in each trimester. Many women also continue care after birth, because feeding, lifting and carrying a baby can put new strain on the back and pelvis.
For many women, sciatica and pelvic pain ease significantly in the weeks to months after birth as the body recovers. For some, symptoms linger, especially with the demands of caring for a newborn. If pain continues after birth, it’s worth getting reassessed.
Lying on your side is usually the most comfortable. Placing a pillow between your knees, and another under your belly, helps keep your pelvis and lower back in a more neutral position. A full-length pregnancy pillow can make this easier. Try to keep your knees together when rolling over or getting out of bed, which can reduce strain on the pelvis.
Chiropractor for Pregnancy Sciatica
For help with sciatica in pregnancy, get in touch with our clinic today.