Pelvic Pain: Can Seeing a Chiropractor Help?

The rigid and strong pelvis, located in the lower part of your trunk, serves many important roles in the human body. Firstly, it transfers weight from your upper body to the lower parts of your appendicular skeleton, particularly during daily weight bearing activities. Secondly, it serves as an attachment for the muscles and ligaments found in this area of your body when making movements. Thirdly, it protects some of your organs such as the reproductive system, bladder, and lower part of your digestive tract. When the pelvis can fulfill these tasks uninterruptedly, your optimal daily function remains intact. However, when you experience pelvic pain, ultimately it can affect your quality of life as well. Today, we will discuss some of the common causes of pelvic pain and how seeing a chiropractor can help you address this health issue.

What Can Cause Pelvic Pain?

When you suffer from pelvic pain, very often it may be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of the pain. This is because the pelvis and the surrounding connective tissues form quite a complex structure within the body. However, there are a wide variety of underlying causes that can initiate the onset of pain in the pelvis. Some of them are pretty obvious, such as a direct injury, while others may be hard to detect as the root cause of the pain. Below you can find a list of potential reasons for your pelvic pain:

• Sustaining a high-impact injury for example, from a fall, a vehicle accident, or sports activities
• A strain on the nervous system, pelvic girdle complex, or surrounding areas secondary to spine or pelvis misalignment
• Hernia
• Bladder disorders
• Kidney infection/stones
• Endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, or other reproductive health concerns for women
• Bladder disorders
• Kidney infection/stones
• Endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, or other reproductive health concerns for women
• Dysfunction of the sacroiliac joints (found between the sacrum and the ilium of hip bones) or the pubic symphysis (found in the front of the pubic bone)
• Weak or strained core muscles
• Pelvis stability issues secondary to being overweight or pregnant

Although in many cases your pain symptoms are caused by poor movement mechanics
and imbalances within your body, if you suspect that your pain in the pelvis might be related to internal organ issues, ask for guidance from your doctor immediately. Some of the symptoms that may indicate that you need immediate medical attention are acute pain, vomiting, nausea, and fever. Make sure to seek help when you experience these symptoms in addition to your pelvic pain. This way, you can prevent the exacerbation of more serious health issues.

How Can Chiropractors Help?

If we take a closer look at the anatomy of the pelvis, we can see that the pelvic girdle complex is basically part of the spine. This is because the sacrum – the lowest 5 fused vertebrae of the spine – connects directly to the large pelvic bones known as the iliums. Because these structures are overlapping, when someone is suffering from pain, it can be hard to detect whether the pain is actually coming from the pelvis or low back.

Fortunately, since chiropractors are trained to treat health issues related to the body’s nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems (particularly the spine), seeing a chiropractor may be beneficial for you when it comes to pelvic pain.

First, your chiropractor would assess your health and look for the underlying cause of your pain symptoms and pelvic dysfunction. Once the diagnosis is made, the real work can begin. Your chiropractor can create a customized treatment plan for you that will help restore the balance within the pelvis. Ultimately, finding your innate balance can contribute to a better healing ability and sustainable pain relief.

Here are a few of the most commonly used chiropractic treatment options:

• Adjustments to the spine and pelvis: Adjustments can help restore proper skeletal alignment and increase your healing potential.
• Modalities for immediate pain relief: These include light therapy, cold-heat therapy, electrical stimulation, etc.
• Manual therapy: It can help relieve your pain and reduce stiffness.
• Posture training: Improving your posture is crucial for better spine alignment and decreasing the risk of chronic pain issues.
• Exercises: The goal is to strengthen your core and promote better coordination.
• Lifestyle modifications: Your chiropractor may recommend some changes regarding your lifestyle such as a healthier diet, more exercise, better sleep habits, stress management, and more. These changes can help improve your overall health.

The Best Care Possible for Your Pelvis

As you can see, one of the best ways to manage pain in the pelvis is by seeking chiropractic care. Chiropractors use a holistic approach when it comes to addressing pelvic pain or other spine-related issues. This means that they look for the root cause of the pain to bring you better, long-lasting results and avoid unnecessary interventions such as injections, medications, or surgery.

If you live in the area of Oakland or Alameda, CA, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Cynthia Boyd and her team at Symmetry Health Center. Dr. Boyd and her whole team are certified in Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP), an evidence-based protocol that helps them give the best care possible for your pelvic pain issues. Regardless of what causes your pain, you can trust them with your health issues, they will do their best to help you feel better.