In this blog we will highlight some of the main ways pregnancy massage at Wandsworth Town Osteopathy can help with the most common physical complaints during pregnancy.
Massage helps increase circulation and lymph drainage, as well as importantly helping aid iron uptake. Iron deficiency is a common problem during pregnancy due to the increase in demands on the body, and can cause Anaemia and result in tiredness. The increase in circulation stimulates haemoglobin production and reduces these symptoms.
During pregnancy your posture changes greatly and this puts stresses and strains on the muscles supporting you and your bump. Pregnancy massage helps relive tension build up in tight muscles especially around the postural muscles which can cause upper back pain, lower back pain, and hip pain. Contracted tissue in the upper back can also result in tension headaches and don’t forget pregnancy itself can be a stressful time! Massage can help in a therapeutic way by reducing anxiety and and stress in the body, increasing blood flow, targeting migraines and tension headaches as a result.
Sciatica during pregnancy is also common due to the uterus putting pressure on the nerve as a result of the growing baby inside. Massage may help release pressure off the sciatic nerve making everything a lot more comfortable!
Discomfort from muscular pain is common during pregnancy. The hormone Relaxin is released especially during the third trimester in order to ‘relax’ ligaments in the body ready for childbirth.
The relaxation of ligaments and tendons has an effect throughout the body and can result in an increase in the likelihood of muscle strains, especially around the pelvis. This can lead to Pelvic Girdle Pain PGP or Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction SPD, as well as in the issues in the larger postural muscles resulting in back pain. Massage has shown to release endorphhins and oxytocin into the blood stream, both these hormones are proven to provide a natural pain relief to the body thus preventing the indirect side effects of Relaxin.
As the body changes and the abdomen grows outward stretch marks can appear on the skin, massage is able to smooth the skin and potentially reduce the aesthetic impact of lasting stretch marks.
Swelling and cramping, especially in the lower legs and ankles, can be a symptom of late stage pregnancy as the circulatory system is working doubly as hard. Massage helps reduce the swelling by increasing lymph drainage and encouraging circulation as well as removing toxins.