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.”

Why consider chiropractic care? Not only is it an excellent form of non-invasive treatment for a wide range of injuries, but also a great alternative option. If you want to enhance your quality of life while ensuring your ability to attain or maintain the best physical performance--even in everyday tasks--consider chiropractic services!

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, providing feeling to the associated extremities' muscles. When this nerve becomes inflamed, due to extreme back pressure or injury, it causes a pain known as sciatic pain. This condition is especially prevalent in pregnant women. Other symptoms of sciatica include:

• Pins and needles tingling sensation in the lower back, leg, and even feet
• Shooting pain or burning sensation in the leg, buttocks, or lower back
• Numbness in legs or feet
• Pain in lower back, back of pelvis, or even foot

It is important to note that although many women develop sciatica during pregnancy, it is not necessarily a result of being pregnant. Many women will have developed sciatica at some point in their lives whether pregnant or not. This is due to the nature of the cause of sciatica, which is not necessarily caused by the baby pressing against the nerve--although this can be the case. Usually, it is caused by a damaged disc, which leads to inflammation of surrounding tissues that in turn, press on the nerve causing pain.

Because every person's body is unique, some women will feel pain or tingling in their back and legs, while others will experience the discomfort in only one location. It is vital that no assumptions are made prior to consulting your doctor, as pelvic pain during pregnancy may not be related to the sciatic nerve at all.

Treating Sciatica During Pregnancy

Sciatica pain can oftentimes disappear with no further intervention. Since this approach may take up to 6 weeks or more, it is highly recommended to make routine visits to a physical therapist to relieve some of the symptoms. Additionally, manual therapy may help with the pain associated with pregnancy.

Others find chiropractic care to be a great solution to sciatica pain. Before choosing a chiropractor, make sure that the therapist has prenatal care experience. Whichever route you choose, ask your therapist for exercises you can do on your own. It is great to supplement your routine visits with exercises done at home that will decrease pain while strengthening your pelvic floor, back and abdominal muscles; these exercises will come in handy for labor and delivery as well!

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

Treatment for headaches is directly linked to the cause. Chiropractors frequently treat patients suffering from tension-type headaches and headaches caused by problems with the joints and muscles in the neck, as well. Treatments such as joint manipulation and mobilization of the neck, in conjunction with muscle stretching and strengthening exercises, have proven to be effective in relieving tension headaches.

About 80% of all headaches have a cervical origin and involve muscle tension. Commonly referred to as "stress headaches" or "muscle contraction headaches," the pain is caused from irritated soft tissues--usually muscles, nerve endings and their connective tissues--of the neck and head that have become inflamed.

Once this inflammation occurs, these tissues create "trigger points," hypersensitive areas on the body. When this inflammation involves muscles of the head and neck, headaches result. Locating and treating these trigger points has been helpful in relieving the pain.