Every woman who has experienced a pregnancy - and the environment around it - can agree that this is an intense period in life. A period with a rollercoaster of emotions, moments of happiness, doubts, fears and annoying pregnancy ailments. And especially with some pregnancy ailments osteopathy can help you! It can reduce symptoms such as back pain and pelvic instability and prepare your body for the birth. Oseowattes? We understand that this is perhaps not a term you know, so we explain you everything in this blog.
What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy focuses on finding and treating functional disorders in the body. Disorders that affect the function of your joints, tissues, organs and movements. Especially in pregnant women, these dysfunctions may occur earlier because of the rapid changes in the body (Pregnancy Portal, 2020). In the nine months of pregnancy, your stature goes through three major changes. These include the curvature of the spine and neck and the change in position of the pelvis. The body therefore needs to be flexible to cope with these changes, only this is not true for every woman. Are you one of them? Then read on.
At the moment when the body changes radically - and your body cannot cope with this - any limitation and pain in moving can get in the way and negatively affect your daily life. Also stress, tense muscles, trauma or blockages can cause pain and blockages. Osteopathy is a healing method that can help with this discomfort and let you move freely again. This is because the treatment focuses on relieving or eliminating physical complaints such as back pain, neck pain, headaches or abdominal pain, allowing you to feel optimally healthy again (Epicentre, 2019). A pregnancy without pain is what we and many other women are signing up for, and this treatment can help you achieve that.
What does an osteopath do?
The osteopath is trained to know which tissues are connected and how they affect each other. Because of this, they are expert in mobilizing movement limitations which will reduce physical complaints and pains (Pregnancy Portal, 2020). The osteopath will examine you well before the treatment to see what kind of care you need. Here he will look for any blockages and problems. This allows you to give your full energy to your little one and calmly prepare for the delivery (Pregnancy Portal, 2020).
Osteopathy and being pregnant
Osteopathy during pregnancy helps to prepare the body for childbirth. The osteopath provides support for physical discomfort and ensures flexibility in the pelvis and pelvic floor for a delivery without too much worry (Osteopathy van Eijck, z.d.). This treatment helps pregnant women to prepare for the dilation, expulsion phase and delivery by mobilizing the pelvis, lower back and hips (Epicenter, 2019).
What does your health insurance cover?
This treatment falls under alternative medicine. This means that it is not covered by the basic insurance and this treatment requires an additional health insurance. Only not all health insurances reimburse this treatment, so always ask your health insurer (Independer, s.d.). Because how nice it is to be well insured to ease the pain!
Sources:
Epicenter. (2019, January 24). Pregnant? This is what the osteopath can do for you. https://www.epicentrum.be/home/2018/01/24/osteopathie-en-zwangerschap/
Independer. (s.d.). Independer. Accessed August 2, 2021, from https://www.independer.nl/zorgverzekering/vergoedingen/osteopathie.aspx
Osteopathy van Eijck. (s.d.). Osteopathy van Eijck | Treatment during pregnancy. Consulted on July 29, 2021, from https://osteopathievaneijck.nl/indicatie/zwangeren/tijdens-de-zwangerschap/#:%7E:text=Osteopathie%20is%20een%20veilige%20behandelmethode,bekkenbodem%20en%20foetus%20te%20optimaliseren.
Pregnancy Portal. (2020). Osteopathy for pregnant women. https://www.zwangerenportaal.nl/zwanger/gezondheid/osteopathie-bij-zwangeren