Pregnancy Massage Health Benefits
Pregnancy is one of the most trying times in a mother’s life. Not only are you concerned with your health and your baby’s health, you will experience dramatic physical and emotional changes, putting stress on areas of your body that were previously not under the same strain.
One way to help ease the discomfort of pregnancy is to have a pregnancy massage. Not only has this therapy been used for centuries to treat muscle aches and stress, but it can provide some relief to a trying time.
Massage Has Many Health Benefits For Expectant Mothers, Including:
- Edema reduction: Edema, or swelling of the joints, is a common symptom during pregnancy because of the slowdown in circulation, but increase in blood volume. Massage can stimulate the circulation and soft tissues while reduction pockets of fluid within the joints.
- Sciatica: One of the most painful conditions that women experience toward the end of pregnancy is sciatica. This is caused by the pressure of the uterus pushing into the lower back, causing the area to swell and the nerves to be put under pressure. Massage can release the tension from the muscles that are putting the nerves under pressure.
- Headaches: Another common symptom of pregnancy is headaches. Headaches can be caused by the increase of blood volume, the hormones, and even just stress. Massage can release the muscles in your head, neck, and shoulders that could be tensing up and causing you the most discomfort, relieving any lingering headache.
- Pain reduction: Let’s be honest. Pregnant women experience weight gain for several reasons, including carrying another human. This sudden change in weight will naturally put pressure on muscles and joints, making it harder to get up and down and even to move around. Massage can focus on the areas of the most discomfort, increasing your mobility and reducing your pain.
- Mental health: Beyond the physical relief that massage can bring, it also can help with mental relief. Stress and anxiety are common during pregnancy for many external reasons, but it can also be caused by the hormonal fluctuations. Massage promotes health circulation and your therapist can hone in on the areas that are holding in the most stress.
Risks
As is the case with any type of therapy, pregnancy message does come with some risks. To begin with, if you are experiencing any medical complications from pregnancy, including preeclampsia, if you are high risk, or you have high blood pressure, you need to clear any massage with your doctor first to make sure that it is safe.
Massage can be performed at any stage during pregnancy, but some doctors recommend avoiding if for the first trimester when miscarriage is still a high possibility. The final weeks of pregnancy should also be cleared with a doctor as in some cases; the prenatal massage can induce labour. This only really applies if you are close to your due date, but it is something that you should keep in mind.
As always, check with your doctor at Flex Sports Physiotherapy if you have any concerns about pregnancy massage. Otherwise, schedule your appointment today.
