Have you had the horror stories regarding the kind back pain you will experience while pregnant? Well, the truth is you will feel some pain and you need to dismiss the discomfort yourself. While it may appear as a simple task, a lot of women struggle to attain the desired results.
Is prenatal massage any beneficial to expectant women? One of the most effective ways of dealing with back pain is by means of therapeutic massage. The body benefits from therapeutic massage in a number of ways. For instance, it brings about mental relaxation and relaxes the muscles.
Many people would want to know whether it is massage is dangerous to expectant women. Well, we want you to know that massage during pregnancy is harmless. It is important to plan even massage with certified therapists like My Home Therapy to lessen back pain and the general discomfort that comes with body changes.
How different is prenatal massage?
Conventionally, an appointment with a therapist would demand a full massage. You would be required to lie on the spine or prone manner and turn halfway through to the reverse position. Within the session, the therapist will offer a shoulder, back and neck massage. Other body parts such as the hand and foot would as well be massaged. The stomach would be a matter of choice. There is a slight difference when it comes to prenatal massage.
Here, you will be required to lay sideways throughout the session. In the course of the first trimester, many people are often more comfortable laying on their backs. If you are also comfortable this way, then do so as therapist work on other body parts.
The massage will help in relaxing your muscles. This will help you feel relaxed as deal with the changes that come with pregnancy. You are most likely to have tight muscles, especially in your lower back and perhaps upper glutes. This is a common thing during pregnancy and therapists help you get the relief that you need.
It is important to acknowledge the fact that you are at high risk during pregnancy. It is upon to seek advice from your physician on whether you can have a prenatal massage. Important to note, it is most recommended that you do not plan a prenatal massage within your first trimester.
Shoulder Massage
From the foregoing, prenatal massage can be quite beneficial. However, questions about specific body parts such as the shoulder and abdomen are very common. Is shoulder massage safe during pregnancy? What do you think? It is important to mention that it is common to have shoulder pain while expecting. In fact, this is one of the many signs of pregnancy. Why should a pregnant woman experience shoulder pain?
Why Shoulder Massage is essential during pregnancy
• During pregnancy, there are so many changes that take place on the shoulder joint. The relaxin hormone in pregnant women stimulates relaxation of ligaments and this along with other body changes results in shoulder pain. For this reason, it is extremely important to be watchful over the health of your shoulders within the prenatal period.
Shoulder pain may also be caused by the adjustments in the sleeping posture, changes in hormones and muscle stiffness. This is where the shoulder massage becomes important. A proper shoulder massage causes relaxation of the shoulder muscles. This makes the muscles more flexible and as a result, lessens stiffness. Besides, physicians have established that shoulder pain responds significantly to stretching.
• In addition, unbalanced too much weight within the abdomen is yet another cause of shoulder pain during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester. The pain often starts in the lower back but extends to other parts, mainly the shoulders and back muscles. If shoulder pain combines with stiffness and tension, the result is a mental strain.
All these conditions can be reversed through massaging. Other physical therapy such as stretching exercise can as well help. The point is, through a proper self-care of regular massage is essential in fighting shoulder pain.
Why shoulder massage may not be appropriate
• You need to only deal with a certified therapist when you need a shoulder massage. Why? For at least two reasons. First, there are a number of acupressure points within the neck and back, and between the spine and shoulder joint. They are used in nearly all shoulder massage. They do not have to be stimulated during pregnancy.
These points can be very problematic more so in the third trimester. Second, there are a lot of oils that physicians do not recommend during pregnancy. It is because of these two reasons that people do not recommend shoulder massage during pregnancy. So avoid shopping centers for massage during pregnancy. If you live within the UK, try professional therapists attend to you at the comfort of your home.
• Besides, a shoulder massage when inappropriately done can prompt premature labor. You may want to avoid it especially if you are dealing with someone who is not certified. Many massage therapists would want to avoid this kind of massage as well as the abdomen mainly because of liability.
Besides, it has been established that a number of midwives use shoulder massage to stimulate labor. Besides, most neck and shoulder massages have resulted in a lot of pain, whether done by professionals.
The Bottom Line
Back to the question raised: is a shoulder massage safe during pregnancy? I hope you have what it takes to respond to this question. For several reasons, such as shoulder pain and poor sleeping posture, a shoulder massage is important. It can help keep your shoulder and neck muscles relaxed as well as reducing stiffness in them.
Nevertheless, there are so many risks involved. For instance, we have mentioned that some acupressure points do not need to be stimulated. Additionally, we have also pointed out that shoulder muscles can be used to induce labor prematurely. So then, which way to go? While I believe you can make an informed decision, the guiding principle is to be careful. This may mean no to shoulder massage or ensuring it is done by a professional therapist with a lot of caution.
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