Welcome to

DeMaio Chiropractic Services

According to the American Chiropractic Association………….”As evidence supporting the effectiveness of chiropractic continues to emerge, health care consumers are turning in large numbers to chiropractic care — a form of health care aimed primarily at enhancing a patient's overall health and well-being without the use of drugs or surgery. More than 22 million people visited doctors of chiropractic last year for a variety of conditions, and more and more medical doctors are referring their patients to doctors of chiropractic.”

Chiropractic care is an excellent form of conservative care for many types of injuries and as well as alternative wellness care for many conditions. Chiropractic care has been effectively helping people improve their quality of life as well as increasing function and wellness.

Pregnancy

Often the best time for a new baby to receive chiropractic care is when mom is pregnant. If mom is properly aligned and healthy the baby will benefit as well. Most pregnancy comes with some back, neck and leg pain that can be helped with conservative chiropractic care. Sciatica which is pain down the leg arising from an irritated nerve will usually respond best to chiropractic care when compared to drugs and surgery. Why take a chance during pregnancy when chiropractic provides a safe and effective alternative for the pregnant patient.

What is Sciatica and How Can It Affect Pregnancy?
The sciatic nerve is a long nerve that runs from the lower back to the back of the legs and feet. Typically this nerve allows feeling in the muscles of the legs and feet. There are times however when the sciatic nerve can become inflamed, whether from pressure in the back or injury. When this happens people experience sciatic pain. Sometimes persistent or chronic pressure to the sciatic nerve can result in weakness in the leg or surrounding areas, numbness or even tingling. Some women describe the sensation as similar to the feeling of pins and needles you get when your leg falls asleep.

Many women develop sciatica during pregnancy, though sciatica isn't a result necessarily of being pregnant. Pressure on the sciatic nerve during pregnancy can lead to backache or other discomfort. Some women assume that the baby presses on the sciatic nerve resulting in pain or discomfort. This is not necessarily however the case. Many times sciatic pain during pregnancy results from damage to a disc in the spine. This can cause inflammation in the tissues surrounding the never or result in direct pressure to the nerve (if for example, the disc has slipped out of place and is compressing the nerve). Women who are pregnant are more prone to disc injury, hence the relationship.

Many women will have developed sciatica at some point or another whether pregnant or not. It may be coincidence that they experience pain and discomfort during their pregnancy. Some women will feel pain or tingling in their back and leg while others will only notice discomfort in one or the other area. Some women experience pelvic pain during pregnancy which is sometimes mistaken for sciatic pain.

Typically the symptoms of sciatica in pregnancy include the following:

• Pins and needles in the lower back or leg, possibly the affected foot.
• Shooting or burning in the leg, buttock or lower back.
• Pain in the lower back or back of the pelvis that may extend into the foot.
• Numbness in the leg or feet.

Treating Sciatica During Pregnancy
Many times sciatica pain or discomfort disappears on its own. Sometimes this can take as much as six weeks or more however. Routine visits to a physical therapist may help relieve some of your symptoms. Manual therapy can often help relieve pressure and discomfort associated with pregnancy back pain.

A therapist can also provide you with a list of beneficial exercises to not only improve your comfort but also strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, abdominal muscles and back muscles. These will prove beneficial for labor and delivery, and the time after.

Still others find chiropractic care helpful for relieving sciatica pain. If you do choose to see a chiropractor or other manual therapist, be certain they have experience working with prenatal patients.

Some women find massage therapy helpful for relieving inflammation and symptoms associated with sciatica. A massage can certainly help reduce muscle tension. Some theories suggest that gluteus or psoas muscles that are too tight can help contribute to sciatic pain. Massage therapy may help relieve some of this tightness and reduce the symptoms associated with sciatica

Stress – Tension Headaches

Headache treatment is cause-related. Doctors of chiropractic often treat patients with tension-type headaches and headaches caused by problems with the joints and muscles in the neck, as well. Joint manipulation and mobilization of the neck, along with stretching and strengthening exercises, have been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of this type of headache.

Cervical origin and muscle tension headaches represent about 80% of all headaches. Often referred to

as stress headaches or muscle contraction headaches, the pain comes from irritated or inflamed soft tissues of the neck and head, primarily muscles, nerve endings and their connective tissues than can develop into trigger points. Treatment of these trigger points has been helpful in relieving the pain. When the muscles of the neck and head are involved, there are usually headaches.