Is it safe?
There have been no known risk factors seen when women see a chiropractor in Vancouver
while pregnant. All chiropractors are trained to work with a variety of
types of patients, including those who are pregnant. If you have any
concerns, ask your chiropractor for his or her experience in the
subject. You may also ask to see their credentials as some have sought
out more training in a specified filled. Abbreviations to look for are
DACCP: Diplomat with ICPA reflecting highest level of advanced training,
CACCP: Certified with the ICPA reflecting advanced training, Member of
ICPA reflecting special interest, Webster Certified : trained to work
specifically with pelvic balance in pregnancy. Offices that do have a
number of patients who are pregnant will most often than not have a
table specifically made for the pregnant body so that not to put too
much unnecessary pressure on the abdomen and baby. Benefits of seeing a chiropractor
Many women find that sometime during their pregnancy they begin to
have back problems. From simple aches and pains to pinched nerves, there
are endless amounts of problems that may arise due to the baby pushing
on the spine and all the nerves. With seeing a chiropractor, you will be
able to relieve more of the pain and perhaps tension and pressure on
your back, control symptoms of nausea by helping to position baby in
another area, reduce the time that labor and delivery takes and can also
prevent a mother from having to have a cesarean delivery. Help for Breech babies
Studies have shown that babies who are in a breech position after 37
weeks, have benefited from their mothers seeing a chiropractor. The
reason being, adjustments help to realign and position the body, thus
while pregnant, a chiropractor would help to readjust the pelvis and
reduce the pressure which allows for the most desirable fetal
positioning.
Chiropractic care is a great way to remain healthy and fit during
pregnancy. It can have significant benefits for the child as well as the
mother. Readjustments can make the baby more comfortable in the womb,
which may result in a birth that is far less complicated.
TMJ stands for “Temporomandibular Joint”. The Area located anteriorly
to your ear and medial to the opening of the ear canal. When you move
your mouth to do things such as open and close it to chew, you can place
your finger on the location stated above and feel a notch moving. That
is where the joint is, connecting the lower jaw to the temporal bone of
the skull. What is the cause of TMD?
There are no definitive reasons that a Temporomandibular Disorder
will occur, however, science shows that the muscles of the jaw and the
other connecting parts of the joint itself are weakened. This could be
caused from accidents such as injuries to the jaw, the temporomandibular
joint itself, or the muscles of the head and neck such as a heavy blow
to the head and neck or whiplash. If you have experienced anything like
this, seek help from a professional as soon as you can.
Other possible causes that are less noticeable or thought of as hazardous to the jaw itself are:
Grinding or clenching of teeth as well as stress causing pressure to build up on the joint
Dislocation of the ball and socket joint through force
Arthritis or osteoarthritis due to the fact that your joints become inflamed and will then shy away from the proper location Signs and symptoms
Pain or tenderness in the face, joint area, neck and shoulders
Pain in the ear or around it when chewing, speaking, or opening up your mouth too wide
Jaws that get “stuck” or “lock” in the open- or closed-mouth position
Unusual sounds in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth which may be accompanied with pain
Unusual sounds when chewing, such as a popping noise
The feeling as though the upper and lower teeth are not fitting
together properly, like your jaw is out of line. Most common if you have
had a blow to the face like in high impact sports.
Swelling, especially near the joint on the side of the face near the ear
Other symptoms may include toothaches, headaches, neck aches,
dizziness, earaches, hearing problems, upper shoulder pain and tinnitus
which is the ringing you hear in your ears. Prevention
Other than taking precautionary measures while playing high impact
sports, there is not much you can do to prevent the disorder from
happening. If you know that you grind your teeth, you may want to talk
to your dentist about ways to control or limit the amount of grinding
and pressure, something as small easy as wearing a mouth guard at night
could be a quick fix.
