Pregnancy creates a lot of stress for any mother-to-be. Getting your hair done, having a pedicure, or getting a massage can be great stress relievers.
However, many women wonder if using a massage chair when they are pregnant is safe.
Can the regular use of a Shiatsu massage chair cause harm to the mother or foetus?
What Is a Massage Chair?
A massage chair essentially attempts to emulate the motions and techniques used by massage therapists.
Many of the most effective chairs use Shiatsu or Swedish massage movements.
Shiatsu massage chairs use rotating, rolling, patting, pressing, and sweeping movements, to release tension in various parts of the body.
Swedish chairs use long gliding strokes and kneading motions to foster better circulation in addition to stress relief.
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What Are the Main Components
There are three main components of these chairs: motor, nodes and rollers, and the computer control mechanism.
- The motor powers the movement of the nodes and rollers and chair adjustments.
- The nodes and rollers provide massaging motions at specific points. These components target specific areas of the body and come in various sizes and shapes. Users can adjust the nodes and rollers depending on their
- The computer helps automatically adjust the chair to the user’s height and width and the heating nodes, if present, which is very important when using massage chairs when pregnant.
What Do Doctors Say about Getting a Massage When Pregnant?
The Benefits
Many studies indicate that massage can benefit pregnant women.
The Mayo Clinic reports that massage can help relieve back pain during pregnancy.
Some of the other benefits that massage provides includes:
- Reduction of stress and anxiety
- Helping with digestive problems
- Lessening incidents of insomnia
- Relieving headaches
- Decreasing symptoms related to depression
- Helping with back pain
- Coping with pain associated with fibromyalgia or other conditions.
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Are These Chairs Safe During Pregnancy according to Doctors?
An effortless way for pregnant women to obtain a massage is through using a chair.
As long as you are aware of risks associated with pregnancy chair massages and take appropriate precautions, there is no reason you can’t benefit from these chairs.
Common Misconceptions
The Vibrations Can Harm the Foetus
Many women ask themselves, is it safe to sit in a vibrating massage chair during pregnancy?
They worry the vibrations could damage the foetus or the foetus’ growth.
The chair vibrations are no more jarring than taking a brisk walk. There is no evidence that this sort of vibration harms the foetus in any way.
Getting any Type of Massage Can Cause a Miscarriage
Another common concern is, can a massage chair cause a miscarriage?
As with the vibrations, no scientific evidence demonstrates that prenatal massage chair use causes miscarriages.
The Further Along You Are, the Greater the Risk
The risks to your pregnancy when you get a message are the same at six weeks as they are at 39 weeks.
Apocryphal tales notwithstanding, no scientific study has proven that using a chair that provides you with a massage or getting a massage induces labor.
The Heating Modules are Dangerous
Many believe that if you use the heating modules, this can induce Hyperthermia, which can cause congenital disabilities.
Doctors recommend against saunas or very hot baths for pregnant women, especially in the first trimester.
The heat modules, however, pose little if any risk of inducing Hyperthermia.
The heating modules direct heat to your calves, or back when you sit in the chair.
The amount of heat produced by the chair cannot raise your overall body temperature to the point where you risk overheating.
The Chair’s Electromagnetic Field Can Harm the Baby
Appliances and other electronic devices continuously generate a magnetic field when in use.
Alternative medicine practitioners often incorporate magnetic field therapy for healing purposes.
Some manufacturers sell chairs with magnetic field therapy built explicitly into the chairs.
However, no current study shows a chair’s magnetic field hurts a foetus. Any minuscule effect is countered by the layer of muscle, tissue, and fat surrounding the baby while in vivo.
Are There any Proven Risks Associated with Massages while Pregnant?
Most of the risks associated with obtaining any sort of massage are the same while preggo as they are when you are without child.
You should, however, be careful of your body position while getting a massage. Lying face down is not a good idea.
If you happen to use the chair outdoors during the summer, do not activate the heat modules as this can increase the risk of heat-related problems.
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More Positive Effects of Getting a Massage
Back Pain Relief
One of the most common problems reported by women during pregnancy is back pain. A quality chair, with or without the heat function, can help relieve back pain.
Most women experience pain in the lower back.
Many find the nodes and rollers in the chair, when you correctly position yourself, provide relief.
Mood Enhancement
The aches, pains, and the general feeling of discomfort associated with pregnancy can put anyone in a bad mood.
A few minutes relaxing in the chair can not only relieve some of the aches and pains but can also lift your spirits.
No Lotions
Pregnant women often develop a hyper-sensitive sense of smell. Unlike the creams, oils, or lotions a massage therapist uses at a spa, using a chair does not require you to apply any type of ointment.
Strengthens Your Immune System
Some studies have indicated that using getting a massage can strengthen your immune system.
Massage therapy stimulates your white blood cells and helps produce more lymphocytes, which help defend the body from viruses.
Massage chairs are a great way for pregnant women who love massages to receive all the benefits of a therapeutic massage right in their own homes.
Anytime the aches, pains, or other debilitating symptoms associated with pregnancy become too much to bear, a few minutes relaxing in the comfort of your own home can bring welcome relief.
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