Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Stop Underarm Sweat - Is Excessive Sweating an Early Sign of Pregnancy?

This is an article aimed at females who have many questions about what to expect when experiencing pregnancy for the first time. With those who have not experienced pregnancy before, there are many symptoms that they are likely to go through and finding out whether it is as a result of pregnancy or not will help greatly in finding out how serious the condition is. One of the most common questions is about excessive sweating and whether or not it is an early sign of pregnancy or whether it is due to other factors. Unfortunately there is no concrete answer as of this date however, there are chances that excessive sweating can be linked to pregnancy. With this in mind, it is also important to not that excessive sweating can also be caused by a number of other factors unrelated to pregnancy. These factors must be ruled out before confirming that it is indeed an early sign of pregnancy.

One of the most common problems that affect recently pregnant women is thyroid problems. These are known to lead to excessive sweating and have affected many people both male and female. Before deciding that it is indeed an early sign of pregnancy, I would advise you to visit the doctor for a check up and do some testing on the thyroid as it could be linked to other causes and factors. Other potential factors responsible for excessive sweating include heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure and only once all of these are crossed off the list can you start confirming that it is due to pregnancy.

One of the main factors that come into play is the hormonal changes that rapidly occur in a recently pregnant woman. Some of these changes are responsible for causing symptoms which may indicate pre menopause regardless of the woman's age. Although they do show the symptoms, this does not necessarily mean that they are going through an early menopause. This case however, is a confirmation for whether excessive perspiration is an early sign of pregnancy and should be compared closely to your situation. This will help you a lot in deciding what the actual underlying cause of your excessive perspiration is.

Overall, the most important point is not to immediately accept that your case of excessive sweating is an early sign of pregnancy, but rather to research the different causes of excessive sweat, all the factors and conditions that are responsible for causing this and see which one fits your situation the most accurately.

For more information click here: Stop Underarm Sweat


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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Understanding Pregnancy Related Back Pain and Chiropractic Care

Back pain is common during pregnancy with research showing between 50-80% of pregnant patients reporting low back pain. It is good for expectant women to be informed about some of the options available to alleviate pain as well as what they can do for themselves to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Some women may feel anxious or unsure about seeking chiropractic care during pregnancy especially if they have never experienced chiropractic before - but they need not be. Let's explore some of the frequently asked questions regarding chiropractic care and pain during pregnancy...

Why is there back pain during pregnancy?
There are many mechanical, postural and hormonal changes that take place in a woman's body during pregnancy. Below are just a few examples of typical changes.

Mechanical and postural changes:
- centre of gravity moves back therefore changing the mechanical stresses on joints, muscles and ligaments
- weight gain results in increased overall stress to joints and muscles
- muscles of low back must work more to counterbalance growing belly
- low back curve often becomes accentuated which pinches the joints of the low back and sacroiliac joints closer together resulting in joint irritation
- along with accentuation of the lumbar curve, the sacrum itself tilts forward at its base
- increased breast size can result in mid-back pain as the muscles and joints of the mid-back must compensate
- often there is a change in neck position with loss of the normal curvature of the neck
- women tend to adopt a wider based stance and gait which affects joint position of ankles, knees and hips resulting in joint/muscle/ligament irritation
- pressure may be exerted on nerves due to muscle tension and water retention resulting in tingling or numbing sensations

Hormonal changes:
- hormonal changes in pregnancy also affect biomechanics of the spine and peripheral joints
- a hormone called relaxin is released which softens and elongates ligaments and other connective tissues which leads to greater joint motion and possible joint irritation

As one can see, there are indeed myriad changes that occur. On top of this, minor pre-existing mechanical issues may be exacerbated during pregnancy due to the weight gain and hormonal effects.

How can chiropractic help?
Through a history and physical examination, chiropractic can identify specific problem areas in the spine and surrounding joints. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore proper motion and alignment of joints. In addition, specific corrective exercises are prescribed to help improve posture such that tight muscles are stretched and relatively weaker muscles are strengthened. Beyond this, chiropractic helps by balancing the nervous system which allows the body to heal optimally. Most pregnant women who experience chiropractic care report relief of symptoms and associated improved mood and sleep. Best of all, chiropractic is completely natural and non-invasive. Chiropractors do not prescribe medications which can be of concern especially during pregnancy.

Is chiropractic treatment safe during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is natural, non-invasive and very safe for both mom and the developing baby. Chiropractors are also trained to identify red flags associated with high risk pregnancy and to refer accordingly.

What else can I do for relief and to ensure a healthy pregnancy?
Maintaining physical fitness through exercise is a great way to promote better health and fewer complications. Regular cardiovascular exercise leads to improved sleep, less pain, less stress, fewer delivery complications and has better birth outcomes for both mother and child. It also reduces the risk for gestational diabetes and pregnancy related hypertension and the associated consequences for both mom and developing baby. A balanced and nutritious diet is also important, ensuring that the fetus has the necessary building blocks for healthy development and mom is healthy too. Other ideas for pain relief include massage and acupuncture.

Following delivery, back pain usually resolves however daily activities such as lifting one's child, bending down to their level, breast feeding and awkward postures associated with raising a child may result in mechanical issues. Thus, some women may choose to continue with chiropractic care during this phase as well to ensure optimal joint mechanics and overall wellness.

Stuber and Smith (2008). Chiropractic for back pain in pregnancy. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics; 31(6):447-454.
Jones, Housman & McAleese (2010). Exercise, nutrition and weight management during pregnancy. American Journal of Health Studies; 25(3):120-126.

Dr. Serbinski, DC, BSc(Hons) graduated Cum Laude with Clinic Honours from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Dr. Serbinski believes in the benefits of chiropractic for pain relief, correction of mechanical problems of the musculoskeletal system and for general wellness. She tries to encourage all her patients to exercise on a regular basis because exercise along with chiropractic, good nutrition, rest and a positive outlook are all important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Serbinski is currently practising chiropractic at Bayview Village Wellness Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Visit her website at http://drserbinski.ca/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Elisabeth_Serbinski

Dr. Elisabeth Serbinski - EzineArticles Expert Author

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