The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Women

Chiropractic is an alternative medicine practice that is beneficial for men and women of any age, seeking to manage and improve their health naturally. This blog post is going to be specific to the benefits of chiropractic care for women, of which there are many. As a woman progresses through the female life cycle, she will experience physical and hormonal changes unique to her health.

Women are more likely to experience chronic pain, injury, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, and other diseases over the course of their lifetime. Add in conditions unique to their menstrual cycle and pregnancy and we can plainly see there is a need to address a woman’s healthcare needs differently than a man’s.

How Chiropractic Care Works for Women’s Health

At its core chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the body and its function. The goal is to assess and correct imbalances in order to allow the body’s natural healing ability to work more efficiently and achieve optimal health. Chiropractors use a variety of tools and techniques to do this, including adjustments, lifestyle assessments, corrective exercise, nutritional therapy, and weight management. We work with nature to heal and that includes taking into consideration what stages of the female life cycle our patients are in and how it is affecting their overall health.

Some Conditions Chiropractic Care Can Help Women With

Menstrual Pain – Among menstruating women, cramps, pelvic, and back pain are common complaints. Some women experience more severe symptoms known as dysmenorrhea that can affect their ability to perform normal daily activities. Proper pelvic alignment can help reduce the pain and discomfort of a women’s menstrual cycle and in some cases eliminate it entirely.

Also, in the days before a woman’s menstrual cycle her body experiences spikes of the protein hormone relaxin. Increased amounts of relaxin have a direct correlation with increased musculoskeletal injuries. Relaxin activates MMPs (matric metalloproteinases) which degrade collagen and gelatin in areas such as the hip capsule and ACL. Regular chiropractic care not only treats injuries but works to prevent injury.

Pregnancy – Prenatal chiropractic care helps the spine and pelvis stay aligned to ensure proper blood flow and optimal nerve function during pregnancy. Extra care is taken during adjustments to reduce back and pelvic pain, support urinary continence, and improve sleep. Proper pelvic alignment helps promote a better birthing position for the baby and a more comfortable birthing process for the mom.

During pregnancy, relaxin levels are again increased in a woman’s body. This is by design to loosen the ligaments between the pelvic bones and allow for greater movement for baby to be born. Sometimes the baby can put pressure on this joint causing pain and discomfort. Chiropractic can help relieve this pain.

Ensuring a mother-to-be is happy, relaxed and pain-free is essential to a healthy pregnancy.

Osteoporosis – Women comprise about 80% of those with osteoporosis in the United States. This is due to the fact that women generally have smaller and thinner bones than men. As women reach menopause the risk of developing osteoporosis increases as the estrogen hormone decreases. Estrogen protects bones and the sharp decrease often causes bone loss. Even women who don’t have osteoporosis develop some loss of bone mass.

Chiropractic care can reduce some of the symptoms of osteoporosis, including spinal compression, and improve joint mobility and range of motion. There is research that suggests chiropractic care stimulates osteoblast production, which are the cells that promote bone replacement in our bodies. It is also essential for women entering menopause to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D and calcium as well as engage in exercises to promote strength and bone density.

Inflammation – Women have been found to have higher rates of inflammation and autoimmune diseases than men. Inflammation is our body’s natural response to injury and infection. Chronic inflammation is when the body’s natural response goes haywire and begins to attack healthy tissue.

Chiropractors are experts at reducing inflammation. Proper spinal alignment and a healthy nervous system reduce the production of neuropeptides which help reduce inflammation.

Chiropractic care combined with an anti-inflammatory diet has been shown in many studies to greatly reduce inflammation and not only reduce pain but relieve other symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

Why Women Should Consider Getting Regular Chiropractic Care

Over half of the patients in my practice are women. Over the years I have often heard how they have reported health-related issues and don’t feel that they have been heard or received the help they needed from conventional medicine visits. As a chiropractor, because we look to leverage the body’s natural healing abilities to improve and maintain our patient’s overall health and wellbeing, we must listen first and foremost.

A woman’s health is shown to greatly improve when a chiropractic care plan is developed to address not only specific symptoms but to heal the body from within through lifestyle changes, stress reduction, physical exercise, weight management, and nutrition and supplement counseling. That may seem like a lot but a woman’s body is designed to do a lot and her health must be supported accordingly.

Chiropractors help treat symptoms common in many women such as back pain, headaches, and sciatica every day. They also help with other conditions like pregnancy-related low back pain, pelvic pain, and menstrual cramping. Chiropractic care can also be used to treat digestive problems and women’s sexual health issues. If you would like to explore how chiropractic can help you, call (845) 592-2237 to schedule an appointment at Dutchess Braincore and Wellness Center.