Pregnancy can come with many challenges; as a result of all the changes that occur in your body, adverse symptoms like muscle pain, nausea, headaches, and stress can emerge. Acupuncture offers a drug-free approach to treatment for these symptoms along with many others conditions. With the help of your acupuncturist, you can tackle problem areas, receive induction treatments for babies that want to come a little late, and get your breech baby turned around.
Acupuncture can be used as a drug-free alternative treatment for many different problems that can be experienced during pregnancy. A few of the common reasons that pregnant women come in to see a TCM doctor/acupuncturist for treatment include:
- Pain
- Induction
- Birth Prep
- Breech baby
- Digestive issues (constipation, diarrhea, heartburn)
- Headaches
- Morning sickness
- Fatigue
- Stress/Anxiety management
Many women feel at a loss during pregnancy when their regular practitioners refuse to treat or prescribe them anything to help with the various problems that can come up during pregnancy, telling them that they need to accept whatever issue until after the baby is born. Acupuncture can offer a safe drug-free alternative treatment for many of these problems.
Let’s look at one common example: headaches.
Headaches during pregnancy can be caused by a variety of things–dehydration, hormonal fluctuations, change in blood volume, stress levels, change in posture, blood sugar levels, and more.
It is generally discouraged to take common pain killers during pregnancy. Of course, it is also recommended to try and drink more water, eat more balanced meals, try meditation, and to watch your posture. But what if you have done all of these things and have had no change in headache frequency or duration?
Acupuncture can help to lower stress levels, balance hormones, and regulate circulation. Also, an acupuncturist will further diagnose your headache according to its location, frequency, and pain quality to better treat you. Treatment is likely to include a few acupuncture points in the hands, feet, and maybe the face using small painless needles that remain in the skin for about 20-30 minutes. Relief is often felt instantly and can last anywhere from a few days to weeks so treatment frequency can vary depending on individual results.
For information on other ailments that acupuncture can treat during pregnancy, you can browse the other articles in Cheryl’s Acupuncture Blog, you can email Dr. Lee if you’d prefer that, or you can book a free 15 min Meet and Greet with her by calling the clinic at 403-452-0029 or by booking online.