As women, we’re naturally nurturing. We tend to look after others before considering ourselves. It’s important this week, being Women’s Health Week, to look after numero uno (that’s you, by the way). Because if you aren’t nurturing yourself, you can’t be your best self for others.
Let’s dive into some of the most common issues that we see women deal with at Andersen Chiropractic. Chiropractic care can help alleviate some of the most common issues experienced by women. These are predominantly based on hormonal issues, that can be worsened by trauma, medication or an altered neurological input from the spine.
Common issues for women
Women’s reproductive organs are complex and unfortunately prone to pain! Some hormonal issues include:
Period pain and Endometriosis
Post-natal injury
Incontinence
Poor pelvic floor stability
These issues can be painful enough as is, but likely big contributors to lower back pain, anxiety and depression, increased stress levels, pelvic pain and decreased pelvic tone.
What’s the link?
Hormonal issues can be linked to pain in seemingly unconnected parts of the body. Interestingly, a study conducted by the University of Michigan found a link between the menstrual cycle and knee injuries! Knee injuries often occurred because female athletes were more prone to damage of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) due to a high estrogen level. The researchers believe that hormones estrogen and relaxin have “profound effects on women's neuro-muscular systems and the mechanics of soft tissue such as ligaments and tendons” (University of Michigan, 1997). Therefore, it’s important to remember to look after your muscles and joints around your menstrual cycle.
Chiropractic care has been linked to the improvement of these issues through spinal manipulation. Chiropractors can also help assist the body in gaining pelvic floor strength, which can help with incontinence and pelvic pain. Period pain and endometriosis symptoms can also respond positively to chiropractic treatment. There has even been a study of women with PMS that proved that period pain was improved through the use of chiropractic treatment over a four-month period (Whittler, 1992). Furthermore, lower back pain following pregnancy has also been shown to improve with the use of Chiropractic treatment.
So you can see, we do more than just ‘spines’! Chiropractic care can help alleviate physical symptoms of many issues commonly experienced by women. Even mental clarity has been reported to improve with regular Chiro treatments. So, looking after your physical AND mental health is important this Women’s Health Week.
What’s on this Women’s Health Week?
The week runs from the 2nd to the 6th of September. Each day focuses on an area of women’s health. Let’s have a look!
1. Monday: Mighty movement
Monday kicks off Women’s Health Week with a gentle reminder to stay fit and active. The day focuses on the power of movement, with a focus on staying motivated! What new activity will you discover?
2. Tuesday: Bathroom boss
It’s a thing that we don’t like talking about: Incontinence. Bathroom boss also focuses on bladder and gut health.
3. Wednesday: Reproductive health
This day focuses on the most essential element to being a mother: reproductive health. Whether you’re looking for contraception or experiencing difficulty falling pregnant, the day is about supporting women in such a challenging yet important stage in life.
4. Thursday-: Treasure chest
Look after your chest! The chest can be the ‘heart’ of many issues (see what we did there), so it’s important to be educated on all things respiratory and cardiovascular.
5. Friday: Mastering your mind
Finally, one of our most important assets is our minds. Take care of your mental health, because as we mentioned in this month’s blog post: your mind is an incredibly powerful tool [link to blog post]!
It’s important this Women’s Health Week to educate yourself on all issues related to womanhood. From hormonal issues to post-natal injuries, it’s important to look after yourself and your body. Although menstruation can cause an array of issues, remember it’s the reason we’re all here! Oh, the joys. But we wouldn’t have it any other way, because “who run the world? Girls!” :-D
References
1. Jean Hailes. (2019). Women’s Health Week. Retrieved from: https://www.womenshealthweek.com.au/the-week/
2. Balanced Body Chiropractic (2019). Women’s Health Issues. Retrieved from: http://www.bbchiro.com.au/chiropractic-services/manageable-symptoms-conditions/women-s-health-issues
3. University of Michigan. (1997). Link Found Between Menstrual Cycle And Knee Injuries. Retrieved from: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1997-06/UoM-LFBM-230697.php
4. Wittler, M. (1992). Mantis Database Item # 14915. Retrieved from: https://chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/Chiropractic_Approach_to_Premenstrual.shtml
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