Hyperemesis Gravidarum – alleviating the symptoms

With the exciting news that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting her first baby, came the distressing headlines about her suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

What is hyperemesis gravidarum?

Morning sickness is quite common amongst pregnant women. Fortunately, for the majority it’s a temporary and minor problem. For others, though, sickness can occur at any time of the day or night and may continue throughout the entire course of the pregnancy.

For women, as with Kate Middleton, with hyperemesis gravidarum, the problem is even worse – and potentially can be quite dangerous. The vomiting is so severe that no food or liquid can be kept down, leading to shocking weight loss and possible hospitalisation.

Unlike morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum does usually persist past the first trimester (third) of pregnancy. It typically subsides by week 21 of pregnancy, but can last much longer.

We asked Stephanie James (pictured right), a Registered Osteopath, and friend of Amoralia, if Osteopathy can help Kate Middleton during her pregnancy?

Stephanie writes:

Osteopathy can help with the symptoms of the Hyperemesis Gravidarum. As experts we believe that hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy can be positively influenced with osteopathic treatment. Since each treatment is tailored to each individual needs, there is not one “magic” recipe, but a few common approaches that could help alleviating some of the symptoms. The whole body would be examined and looked at.  Some example of areas that we would address in such case are:

– Stomach: the organ itself but also its innervation (around the thoracic spine 6 to 9 but also from one of the brain part)

– The “vomiting centre” is located at the base of the 4th ventricle in the brain and can be influenced by gentle cranial osteopathic techniques

– Dehydration: vomiting depletes the body tissues from water.   Connective tissues, membranes are irrigated through cranial osteopathic techniques

– Breathing :  mums-to-be can be stressed and  their breathing impaired with the growing foetus.  A gentle work around the diaphragm as well as around the cervical spine would also be included in the treatment. Such release technique would also be beneficial for equalising the problem of difference of  pressure between the thoracic and abdominal cavities that  can accentuate the symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

–          – Shock of the tissues due to regular violent bursts of vomiting episodes: gentle techniques around  the sympathetic and parasympathics systems situated along the spine would also be considered to calm down the irritated tissues and offer the body a new equilibrium.

Stephanie will be writing more for Amoralia about the benefits of Osteopathy for mums and babies in the new year.

Useful contacts:

http://www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

http://www.sj-osteopathy.co.uk