How to Manage Body Aches During Pregnancy

For most women, body aches seem to be part of the journey during those 9 long months of pregnancy. But they don’t have to be.

Muscle and joint pain are a result of the changes your body goes through to prepare for child birth and the uptick in hormones produced. A warm shower or a nap certainly can help, but they only go so far to relieve discomfort. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing and we want you to be as comfortable as possible – here are a few ways to manage pregnancy pain like back, leg and headaches.

Massage Therapy

Hands-on therapy not only relieves body aches by promoting blood flow and relaxing tense muscles, it also reduces stress through touch. Stress as we all know is detrimental on the body but it is especially harmful during pregnancy. Stress causes your muscles to tense and can disturb the natural hormone changes that are occurring within your body.

Massage therapy offers an almost instant reprieve to aches. Many women have integrated this modality into their prenatal care routine.

Chiropractic Care

Studies show that receiving chiropractic care throughout your pregnancy can reduce and even reverse the effects of pregnancy on the body – specifically sore muscles and joints.

One beneficial option is called Active Release treatment. It is especially effective during pregnancy because it’s designed specifically to release tension built up in soft tissue. This reduces stress placed on joints and nerves – which will reduce your pain.

An added benefit of chiropractic care is that women who elect to have chiropractic therapy will typically experience a decrease of 24- 39% in the time they spend in labor.

Light Exercise

More and more we see women reaping the benefits of low intensity exercise like yoga or walking during pregnancy.   Prenatal yoga has shown many benefits in relieving the aches that occur during pregnancy and increasing flexibility in the hips to aid in child birth. A slow, low heat practice will promote blood flow and aid in releasing the tension built up in muscles.

Another great exercise to try during pregnancy is swimming or water aerobics. Lessening the weight on your body while you’re in the water does wonders for your joints and allows your muscles to completely relax.

Hydration & Nutrition

Hydration is extremely important in a healthy pregnancy. The body needs water to help carry nutrients throughout the body and improve the rate at which new tissue is built. Healthy hydration helps reduce the toxins that build up and lead to aches and pains.

We all know that drinking enough water (about 10 cups daily for expecting mothers) is vital – but another great way to stay hydrated is to eat foods that are primarily made of water. Some examples of foods that will not only hydrate you, but give you nutrients your body needs are: watermelon, cucumber, melons and citrus fruits.   Incorporating water dense foods into your diet is a great way to decrease body aches and keep your body going strong during your pregnancy.

The Next Level Wellness chiropractic team of doctors, Vasili Gatsinaris, James Kim, and Adam Abulghualya specialize in chiropractic and wellness care. Our Irvine chiropractic office is located near John Wayne Airport, convenient for people living in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Santa Ana and other surrounding Orange County communities.

To learn more about our variety of services or to schedule an appointment, contact us or call

949-263-9003 today.