Finding Relief From Menstrual Pain With Chiropractic Care
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Most women experience varying degrees of menstrual cycle pain referred to as dysmenorrhea and sometimes pre-menstrual cycle pains or PMS. Dysmenorrhea is characterized by sharp and intense pains paired with headaches, back pain, nausea, and gastrointestinal problems. While women experience different levels of pain, finding relief can be difficult for all. Menstrual pain is accepted as an inevitability, but there are alternative treatment options that can help.
When over-the-counter and prescription medications have failed to alleviate menstrual pain, chiropractic treatment, as well as massage and acupuncture therapy, can be a complementary and holistic approach to menstrual pain care. Chiropractic treatment can fix asymmetries in the spine, relieve pinched nerves, and ultimately create a balanced internal environment in the body for it to thrive and stave off menstrual pain.
Side Effects of Traditional Medications
Many women who suffer from mild to moderate cases of menstrual pain opt to reduce symptoms with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) including painkillers, aspirin, and ibuprofen. While NSAIDS can help reduce the intensity of cramps, prolonged use of these anti-inflammatory drugs can lead to gastrointestinal disorders including internal bleeding, gastric ulcers, and an increased risk of heart attack.
Women who suffer from moderate to severe menstrual pain also treat their symptoms with birth control prescriptions. These prescriptions help relieve extreme cases of menstrual cramps but aren’t without side effects. Prolonged use can result in blood clots in the brain, lungs, legs, and heart which can increase the risk of heart attack and weaken the immune system.
Spine Health and Menstrual Pain
All organs, including sexual organs, receive a supply of nerves from the spine. The lower spinal column can be out of place and lead to menstrual pain, cramps, and other symptoms. When the nerves from the spine connected to the reproductive organs are blocked or restricted, painful symptoms including back pain can appear. A healthy nervous system can be achieved with a proper supply of blood flow to the organs. Chiropractors perform lower spine manipulations to improve blood flow and allow communication between organs and brain.
Chiropractic Techniques to Relieve Pain
Alternative therapies including chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture can all be complementary forms of natural and drug-free treatments to relieve menstrual pain. During a visit to the chiropractor, spinal manipulation is performed to correct misaligned vertebrae that interfere with proper nerve communication. These vertebral subluxations, or misalignments, can be fixed using specific spinal alignment techniques including the drop-table technique.
The drop-table technique involves adjustment of the lumbosacral area (lower back and pelvis) that is much gentler than forceful spinal manipulation. Using low-velocity movements and a special chiropractic table, the drop-table technique reduces back pain, abdominal pain, and overall menstrual cycle pains.
Severe pain during menstruation can be relieved with chiropractic care and other natural complementary therapies including acupuncture and soft tissue massage for a holistic approach. Massage therapy, specifically, can relieve tension, cramps, and improve blood flow which can aid in reducing the intensity of painful menstrual cycles. For people looking for an alternative to traditional medications for menstrual pain, chiropractic care is an option.
