Benefits of Prenatal Massage

There is no doubt that pregnancy takes a toll on your body. From swelling to back pain, pregnancy brings an onslaught of frustrating symptoms that prevent sleep and make you downright uncomfortable. One of the best, completely natural therapies recommended for common pregnancy symptoms is prenatal massage.

A prenatal massage is a full body massage performed by a certified massage therapist, similar to the common Swedish massage. The massage therapist will ensure the safety of you and the baby by making certain modifications to your positioning and their techniques. Below are the benefits you can expect during and after a prenatal massage.

Note: always talk to your obstetrician before trying prenatal massage, and make sure the massage therapist is licensed and experienced in prenatal massage.

Reduce Swelling

To meet the needs of a growing baby, women’s bodies produce about 50% more blood and body fluids. This causes edema, or swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, face, and hands. Massage therapy can stimulate the soft tissue, promote drainage, and relieve pressure on the major blood vessels, all of which help to reduce swelling. Massage also improves the removal of tissue waste carried by the body’s lymphatic system.

Relieve Sciatic Pain

One of the most popular reasons women try massage during pregnancy is to relieve that unrelenting sciatic nerve pain in the lower back. As the uterus grows, it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. Your weight is also shifting forward, putting even more pressure on the lower back. Pregnancy massage focuses on relieving the tight muscles around the lower back to relieve that pain.

Overall Relaxation

Between the hormonal fluctuations and the sudden life changes, pregnancy is bound to cause stress and anxiety. This stress further prevents sleep and could even cause high blood pressure which opens the door for a slew of other high-risk pregnancy conditions. As difficult as it might be, relaxation is incredibly important during pregnancy, and massage therapy is sure to deliver.

Interested in massage therapy? Arapahoe Chiropractic & Acupuncture is located in Centennial, Colorado, and provides massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture for patients across the south Denver Metro Area. Call us or contact us online to get started!