During pregnancy, your body undergoes many changes to help your baby develop and grow properly until he or she is ready to come into the world. Though swollen feet, raging hormones, aches, and pain are common experiences during pregnancy that doesn’t mean there is no relief.

Chiropractic care involves adjusting misaligned vertebrae or joints within the body to reduce the stress placed on the nerves, soft tissues, and muscles surrounding the area. By alleviating pressure and restoring proper alignment, your body can function optimally and work more efficiently to ensure your health. This article will discuss the benefits pregnant women can receive by undergoing chiropractic care during pregnancy.

Chiropractic Care and Pregnancy

We understand that many have concerns about whether chiropractic care is safe during pregnancy. First and foremost, it is always best to ask your doctor and OB-GYN or health professional if chiropractor care is right for you. He or she may have specific reasons for you refraining from chiropractic care or have a list of chiropractors in your area they recommend.

With chiropractic care, no medication or surgery is involved, instead, physical manipulation is used to restore proper alignment within the body and relieve pain and tension within the body. By restoring proper alignment, your body’s systems can function optimally and help to promote health throughout your body. In the case of pregnant women, though all chiropractors receive training related to caring for pregnant women, some also specialize in prenatal or postnatal care and undergo additional training.

As pregnant women have enlarged bellies, chiropractors use adjustable tables to allow for better patient comfort and refrain from using techniques that may place additional pressure on the abdomen to keep you and your baby safe. We can also recommend a variety of exercises and stretches that are safe and beneficial during pregnancy.

The Benefits

As mentioned above, the body undergoes several significant changes in preparation for your baby’s arrival. An enlarged abdomen, increased back curve, pelvic changes, and changes in posture can all place stress on your body, especially the spine, and lead to misaligned joints or vertebrae.

The change in your center of gravity can make it difficult to stand, sit, or sleep comfortably. You may sleep in an unhealthy position for the sake of comfort, which can lead to damaged joints or a misaligned spine that can linger long after your baby’s delivery. Also, if the pelvis is out of alignment, this can limit your baby’s space and may make it difficult for the baby to move into the best position for labor. By establishing pelvic balance and alignment throughout the rest of the body, your nervous system can work more efficiently including your reproductive system. With regular chiropractic care during pregnancy, you can expect a more comfortable pregnancy, pain relief, and better control over symptoms of nausea.

Though morning sickness, aching feet, and peculiar cravings are a part of the experience, you don’t have to be in pain or uncomfortable throughout your pregnancy. If you are interested in finding out how chiropractic care can help you during pregnancy or to schedule a consultation, contact Tuck Chiropractic today.

Chiropractic care can be an excellent alternative treatment option for aches and pain throughout the body. Every year, over 20 million Americans visit chiropractors across the nation for various ailments. If you have been injured recently or experience frequent pain in your lower back, you may be considering visiting a chiropractor and wondering about whether your health insurance covers chiropractic care.

Does my insurance cover chiropractic care?

As stated above, seeking chiropractic care is fairly common. Fortunately, most insurance companies cover chiropractic care but do require a co-payment.

Chiropractic care is included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans such as workers’ compensation, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare. It is often also made available to all active-duty members of the armed forces, eligible veterans, and federal employees.

It is important to note that though these companies cover chiropractic care, their coverage may be limited and come with certain restrictions including:

• A referral from your primary care physician stating that care is medically necessary
• A cap on how many times you can receive treatment within a month or year
• They may make you use in-network or approved chiropractors
• They may require your doctor to create an active care plan and follow it

Most insurance plans will only cover your short-term care during recovery and will not pay for maintenance visits or long-term care plans.

Due to the unique nature of health insurance and state mandates, we always recommend patients check with their insurance company and specific health plans as each will have different requirements, limits to care, and levels of coverage.

Deductibles

Some policies require that you meet your deductible, or a minimum dollar amount before your benefits will kick in. If your insurance does cover chiropractic treatment and you’ve met their specific requirements, you can expect to pay a portion of the cost of treatment, assuming you’ve met your deductible. If you haven’t met your deductible, you will have to pay the full price until you’ve met the minimum dollar amount for your policy.

Deductibles often reset on January 1st, so if you have met your deductible and are still needing treatment, now is the time to receive care to avoid having to begin paying toward your deductible again after the new year.

Why doesn’t health insurance cover maintenance care?

Coverage is often provided when care is part of an active treatment plan, meaning you are receiving care to treat a specific injury and that the treatment is currently improving your condition and symptoms. When significant treatment can no longer be expected from the care, treatment then becomes supportive rather than corrective, becoming maintenance care. Since most insurance companies only cover care for medically necessary treatments, maintenance care is not considered covered and therefore not payable.

What can I do if my health insurance doesn’t cover my care?

If your insurance doesn’t cover your health plan involving chiropractic care, talk to your doctor to see if they can help. They may be able to reach out to your insurance company on your behalf and explain their referral. You can also reach out to the company yourself and explain your story to them. If they do not cover your care, you may have to pay out of pocket for chiropractic care. Remember to discuss payment plans or other discounts you may be eligible for at our office during your consultation. Another option for those whose insurance doesn’t fully cover chiropractic care is supplemental coverage which can be used in addition to the healthcare you currently have.

Our team is always looking for new ways to help our patients receive quality and affordable chiropractic care. Whether you need an exam for an injury, rehabilitation services, or treatment for a chronic condition, we are here for you and happy to schedule an appointment to get the care you need. For more information on our services and how we can help you, please contact Tuck Chiropractic.

Getting enough sleep at night is vital to helping us make it through the next day. As you sleep, your body uses the time to rejuvenate itself, allowing you to feel well-rested in the morning. Having trouble sleeping is one of the most common complaints in adults. As a society, we get far less sleep than we need. This can result in excessive fatigue, poor concentration, and other negative side effects. Though you may not look to a chiropractor for sleep improvement, many patients report immediate sleep improvement after just a single adjustment. What’s even better is that sleep quality tends to improve even more with subsequent treatments.

Benefits of Quality Sleep

People aren’t commonly educated about the benefits and importance of quality sleep. Sleep can have a major impact on your health and overall quality of life as it is instrumental in maintaining a healthy immune system. During our deepest periods of sleep, our body is repaired and rejuvenated. Getting a consistent good night’s rest can lead to a decrease in depression and anxiety, reduction of chronic inflammation, and lower stress levels as well as lowering the risk for heart disease and other illnesses.

Side Effects of Poor Sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body can struggle beyond just being a little drowsy or cranky the following day. Some consequences of chronic sleep deprivation may include:

• Weight gain
• Memory problems
• Poor motor control
• Difficulty focusing
• High blood sugar
• High blood pressure
• Weakened immune system
• Mood swings
• Accelerated aging

We Are Here For You

Sleep issues are rarely an independent occurrence. Though chiropractors are not sleep experts, chiropractors can correct any misalignments that may be keeping you awake at night while restoring proper nerve function throughout the body to reduce any tension or restlessness. Not only can they diagnose and treat any misalignments, but chiropractors can also offer lifestyle recommendations to help you improve your quality of sleep.

How can you improve your quality of sleep tonight? Here are some suggestions to help you get a better night’s rest tonight:

Sleep Position

Many people don’t realize that how you fall asleep and what positions you might find yourself in during the night can affect your quality of sleep. Certain positions can put pressure and strain on parts of your body making you feel restless at night and stiff in the morning. Sleeping on your back or side can help you maintain proper spinal alignment during sleep. Remember to keep your neck and spine aligned with the right number of pillows. Adding pillows between your legs or under the small of your back can also help to reduce stress on the spine while you sleep.

Check Your Mattress

If you have a stiff mattress or one that is too soft, you may have some sleepless nights. Softer mattresses can sag and allow the spine to shift creating strain, while a firm mattress can make your body ache with pressure applied to your joints. Search for mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows that will support your body. Good pillows should keep your head and neck in place while sleeping.

Relax Before Bed

Avoid all electronic devices at least one hour before going to bed. Instead spend the hour winding down with mediation, reading a book, or listening to soft music. Even though exercising regularly is beneficial to helping you sleep better, do not exercise before bed as it will raise your heart rate and make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Restrain from consuming any caffeine or eating a large meal before going to bed.

Create a Restful Environment

Darken the room with blackout curtains or blinds and remove any night lights that may keep you from falling asleep. Close your door and use a white noise machine to reduce any distractions that may keep your mind awake as you try to wind down. Lowering the temperature can also help to provide you with restful slumber.

Make a Schedule

Adults should get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Make a sleep schedule and stick to it. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help your body establish a routine and help you function at your best.

Regular chiropractic care can resolve several problems that may be preventing you from getting the sleep you need. For more information on how chiropractic care can improve your quality of sleep, contact Tuck Chiropractic today.

Tuck Chiropractic doctors are, first and foremost, focused on the health and well-being of our patients, doctors, and staff.

We want to assure you that we are following health and safety guidelines, as prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as local public health departments. We are keeping our employees and patients safe and securing a healthy environment by:

• Screening the health of our employees and patients
• Actively encouraging sick employees to stay home
• Deep cleaning and disinfecting our business including high-touch surfaces

We are available to see patients who are at low-risk, healthy, and not experiencing any flu-like symptoms. We recommend patients follow guidelines issued by the CDC, and if you are feeling unwell, please take steps to safeguard others and remain at home.

We will continue to monitor updates regarding the virus while maintaining the level of patient-center care our patients expect.

Resources:

Follow the links below to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• About Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Steps to Prevent Illness
• Symptoms
• What To Do If You Are Sick
• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Follow the links below to the World Health Organization:

Has your back been bothering you? Do you have a crick in your neck? These are the kind of medical problems many people think of when they hear the word “chiropractor.”
Of course we at Tuck Chiropractic Clinic are specialists in the treatment of back pain and do offer help for ailments like neck pain, but many people don’t realize the wide variety of treatments a chiropractor can provide. In addition to spinal manipulation, or adjustment of the spine, modern chiropractic care can include:

• Nutritional counseling
• Manipulative therapies
• Postural advice
• Exercise education
• Sports injury treatment
• Ergonomic training
• Laser and ultrasound therapies

We often collaborate with primary care doctors, pain specialists, and surgeons to treat our patients. If you’ve always been treated by a traditional doctor and aren’t familiar with chiropractic, you may be wondering just how safe chiropractic treatment is.

Research on Chiropractic

According to a 2015 article released by Harvard Health Publications at Harvard Medical School, research for chiropractic treatment is typically centered on spinal manipulation for back pain. But, other studies have focused on chiropractic care for other problems, including headaches, fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and even asthma. A recent review concluded that chiropractic spinal manipulation may be helpful for migraine, neck and back pain, as well as whiplash. And according to a 2012 study in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, “a growing body of randomized controlled trials provides evidence of the effectiveness and safety of manual therapies.”

Chiropractic Versus Painkillers

The question of chiropractic’s safety goes hand-in-hand with questions of its effectiveness. This is an especially important point when you’re comparing chiropractic care to the use of opioid painkillers.
The increase in opioid abuse and addiction has been a concern for many doctors. The number of opioid prescriptions nearly tripled between 1991 and 2011 and the number of overdoses on painkillers increased along with it. More than 16,000 deaths caused by opioid overdose were reported in 2012. The number of hospitalizations related to painkillers also has increased: In 2010 there were four times as many as in 2007.
With so many concerns about the safety and effectiveness of painkillers, many are looking at other, safer options — like chiropractic. A study in the May 1, 2012, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that patients suffering from acute neck pain did better with chiropractic adjustments and showed a significant advantage over medication after eight, 12, 26, and 52-week follow-up appointments.

Does Chiropractic Cause Strokes?

Some opponents of chiropractic care have asserted that it causes strokes. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a report in 2015 stating that chiropractic care is unlikely to cause stroke. The results of the study, which reviewed 1.1 million Medicare claims from 2006 through 2008, concluded that the rate of stroke is extremely small for seniors under chiropractic care, and spinal manipulation is unlikely to cause stroke in patients with neck pain.

Do Chiropractic Adjustments Cause Injury?

Injuries caused by chiropractic adjustments are also extremely rare. A 1993 study published in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association found 13 documented cerebrovascular accidents occurring in chiropractic patients over a five-year period when some 50 million cervical adjustments were performed. The researchers concluded that the reasonable estimate of injury is very low: Less than one per 3 million neck adjustments. That means it’s a thousand times more likely to get struck by lightning than injured by a chiropractic adjustment.
 

A Safer Alternative

The ultimate goals of chiropractic care are to promote general health, help relieve pain, and help patients better manage their conditions without the use of medication or surgery. While the results of these and other studies are no surprise to the chiropractic community, they serve to further educate the public about the many tools a chiropractor possesses that can help patients.
Chiropractic treatment – from an experienced and trusted doctor of chiropractic – is an extremely safe healthcare option, especially when considering the alternatives: medication or surgery.
Many of the doctors here at Tuck Chiropractic Clinic began practicing chiropractic treatment because they saw that lasting results — living with more freedom and less pain — could be accomplished so safely for our patients — without surgical intervention.
Need help? Contact us to schedule a consultation.