Acupuncture reduces pain in pregnancy

Acupuncture and exercise can help relieve pelvic pain during pregnancy. About 30 per cent of pregnant women suffer from pelvic pain, usually in the back. Doctors aren't sure what causes it, but they suspect that a surge in hormones during pregnancy might affect the muscles and ligaments. Women can wear a pelvic belt or exercise at home to relieve the pain. Stabilising exercises to improve mobility and strength is another therapy. Researchers from the Institute for the Health of Women and Children, in Gothenburg, Sweden found that acupuncture might also help in relieving the pain. The researchers compared standard treatment, stabilising exercises and acupuncture on 386 pregnant women. Those who received acupuncture and did the exercises for six weeks reported less pain than the others. An independent examiner also assessed the pain scale. The findings suggest that acupuncture and stabilising exercises are effective complements to standard treatment for pelvic pain during pregnancy.

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