Being pregnant is not for cowards. Besides feeling enormous and incredibly uncomfortable, musculoskeletal pain is part and parcel of the whole (beautiful, otherwise) experience. Fortunately, there are a few options that can help one manage this pain in natural, 100% safe ways.
Creating a new human is a most extraordinary event. Still, as with almost all great things in life, it comes with a steep price to pay – and no, we are not talking about the obvious weight gain, but for the avalanche of aches and pains that flood the body as it transforms.
Although no two pregnancies are alike, every woman’s body undergoes transformations during those nine months. These physiological changes are completely normal; however, even women who have never faced joint pain in their lives might find themselves having to deal with newfound ailments. And for those who have been dealing with joint problems, arthritis, or other chronic conditions, they might see their pain worsening.
These musculoskeletal pains might not be caused by pregnancy per se, but their effect is as substantial, as they affect functioning and quality of life. Sometimes increased weight and loosening joints can even make one cry out from back pain, spinal pain, pelvic pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain, neck pain… Not to mention muscle cramps (= pain).
The worst part is, one can’t just take a painkiller: long-term use of painkillers (or taking an contraindicated painkiller even once) during pregnancy may affect the baby’s health.
What if pain could be managed safely and naturally?
Doctors, doulas, and health practitioners recommend various remedies to ease discomfort during pregnancy, and many of these techniques do work. Here, we’ve gathered the crème de la crème of natural pain relievers that can help control and reduce pain during pregnancy, or even make it utterly disappear.
Some of these non-invasive pain relief solutions are familiar to everyone, some are lesser known, and some can completely transform the way pain is experienced in the future.
Let’s take a look.
1. CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Although the safety of manipulation of the spine during pregnancy has been controversial among practitioners, chiropractic care is generally considered a safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal symptoms during pregnancy. Certified chiropractors are able to identify problems that affect the musculoskeletal system and help relieve pain through an array of manual adjustments, spinal realignment, stretching, and massage. This way they can reduce joint restrictions or misalignments, thus alleviating the discomfort. Ideally, one should look for a chiropractor experienced in treating pregnant women.
2. PRENATAL YOGA
Not surprisingly, yoga is very popular among pregnant women, as it can improve balance, flexibility, and posture as the belly grows. But there’s another, relatively underrated advantage in its multidimensional approach: The combination of conscious breathing, meditation, and movement has been proved beneficial in musculoskeletal pain management during pregnancy. Gentle yoga exercises (“gentle” being the key word) increase the release of endorphins, reduce inflammation, and help relax tight muscles which contribute to pain. As long as there’s proper supervision, yoga is perfectly safe and very beneficial for mothers-to-be.
3. PELVIC FLOOR PHYSIOTHERAPY
For pelvic pain during pregnancy, or pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), it is often recommended to undergo physiotherapy by a professional who specializes in obstetric pelvic joint problems. Physiotherapy aims to ease the symptoms of pain and discomfort caused by stiffness of the pelvic joints, as well as improve the pelvic joint position and stability. Treatment includes exercises, water workouts, advice and suggestions for positions for sex during pregnancy, labor, and birth, and even TENS therapy (see below).
4. TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION (TENS)
TENS therapy involves a small device delivering low-voltage electric currents at or near nerves to block or alter the perception of pain and discomfort. It is widely available in hospital settings and considered effective as a means of reducing pain in labor, while women use it during pregnancy as well. Although results from research in regard to its effectiveness have not been consistent, if applied correctly, the use of TENS is completely safe, without any side effects to the expectant mother or the baby.
5. ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese treatment that has been around for centuries, although the West started embracing it as an alternative, natural pain treatment only in the 70s. It is based on the theory that every organ is represented on someone’s skin by a specific meridian, i.e. an energy pathway or channel that runs through the body and has several acupuncture points along its path. The practice involves a trained health professional stimulating a few or a combination of acupuncture points with ultra-thin needles in order to alleviate pain. While more data is needed to strengthen the existing evidence that acupuncture is both safe and effective as an option for pain management, most studies confirm it has a very low rate of negative side effects (such as fatigue) and there’s meaningful pain reduction following treatment during pregnancy.
6. FREQUENCY THERAPY
Frequency therapy is the practice of introducing subtle electromagnetic fields into an area of damaged soft tissue (i.e. where an injury or strain took place). An advanced and innovative form of frequency therapy is Vital Fields. This is where it gets interesting: research indicates that by mimicking Vital Fields with advanced, computer-controlled algorithms, health practitioners can alleviate pain and promote general vitality and regeneration. And because we’re living in the 2020s, people are now able to do this by themselves, without having to visit a scientist’s secret lab and know the magic word to enter. Vitalfield’s FrequenCell is a wearable device made by a patented EMF material that can retain and emit Vital Fields for at least 6 months, targeting the source of pain, not just the sensation; and thus supporting a less pain-filled life the natural and safe way. Clinical studies confirm that frequency therapy is completely safe during pregnancy: the groundbreaking technology of the Vitalfield FrequenCell was made possible by major scientific breakthroughs over thirty years of research and development in co-operation with over 2,800 clinics in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Apart from the rate of negative side-effects (zero), it’s everything pregnant women are looking for when it comes to pain management solutions: non-chemical and non-invasive. For those who are interested in trying the natural, lab tested pain management solution of frequency therapy in the form of a wearable device and are curious about how it works, click here to watch a video on the clinical trials conducted about the effectiveness of the Vitalfield FrequenCell. And for the ones looking for (another) competitive advantage: this wearable is active and functional for a minimum of six months, which means that it won’t break the bank and expectant mothers will be able to afford that fancy stroller they have been eyeing since their pregnancy test turned positive.
New Approaches For Different Results
One of the best ways to cope with pain during pregnancy is to take part in managing it. Taking control during this extremely important period is essential to a smooth, successful pregnancy where the mother-to-be feels confident and happy.
Being open to trying new pain relievers, as long as they’re both non-invasive and safe, is key. Education, consulting a doctor, and choosing the safest route ensures both the expectant mother’s and her baby’s health and wellbeing.
