Tell Me Where It HURTS

by Madelaine Brauner Landry

Whether you are seeking preventative measures to maintain overall health or treatment for a specific type of musculoskeletal pain, chiropractic care is a recommended option. Addressing health issues before they become painful is beneficial to everyone, at any age.

Chiropractic doctors primarily focus on spinal adjustments. Gentle manipulation of the spine is used to improve joint mobility and posture, as well as to alleviate pain and pressure points. In our stress-inducing lifestyles, headaches, sciatica, muscle aches, tension, poor posture, and limited range of motion affect us all, slowing us down in daily life. The word ‘chiropractic’ comes from the Greek words cheir (meaning ‘hand’) and praktos (meaning ‘done’). “Done by hand” is a manual healing method that dates back to ancient times. However, sources confirm that it was not until the late 19th century that the chiropractic profession in the United States began to take shape.

If a more holistic approach to health appeals to you, chiropractic doctors evaluate patients’ lifestyles and habits before recommending various types of therapeutic care, nutritional changes, and lifestyle modifications. Dr. Laurie Baynard is a SWLA chiropractor who focuses on prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care at her office, Women & Children’s Chiropractic. Dr. Carleigh Chaumont works alongside her.

“Chiropractors assess the spine, alignment, and how the body moves together,” says Dr. Baynard. “Think of the spinal cord as a highway of information feeding into your brain from all over your body. Your spine protects this intricate system and helps you stay upright. Posture plays a significant role in your overall health. When your spine starts to deteriorate, your body will feel the effects. Your posture begins to suffer, communication throughout your body becomes less effective, and you may start to feel pain as arthritis sets in and joints begin to break down.”

Dr. Baynard says muscle imbalances (favoring one side more than the other), improper workout techniques (only targeting certain muscle groups), rapid weight gain during pregnancy (centralized weight gain), and holding babies and children on one hip are all common ways we can unintentionally create muscle imbalances and changes to our spine and posture. “We only get one body in this lifetime, so it is imperative that we take the best care of the one we have!”

Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life. Chiropractic care can assist the body as it undergoes the postural changes throughout those 40 weeks. “Common aches and pains during pregnancy include sciatica, SI joint dysfunction, pelvic girdle pain, round ligament pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and upper back pain, and headaches,” notes Dr. Baynard. “Pregnancy can definitely be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be miserable due to pain.”

Some chiropractic clinics, like Women & Children’s Chiropractic, can provide core rehabilitation to help women carry their growing bump and prepare for birth and postpartum recovery. Pregnancy-safe exercises, combined with gentle chiropractic adjustments to the pelvis and SI joints, help keep the joints aligned, supporting the body as it adapts to the changes of a growing baby. Chiropractic care also aids in preparing a woman’s pelvis for birth.

“The experience is not easy for either mother or baby,” explains Dr. Baynard. “For starters, babies typically don’t have much room in utero, and the space is even tighter during delivery. In their first year, a baby’s spine and brain will double in size, undergoing significant changes. One developmental goal is to help babies become upright and walking by their first birthday.”

For more information, go to drlauriebaynard.com. For over 100 years, chiropractors have been licensed as healthcare professionals in the United States. They must meet stringent educational and competency standards. All fifty states, the District of Columbia, and more than 40 countries regulate the profession and grant licenses to practitioners.