Rib pain during pregnancy can make sitting, sleeping, and simply getting through the day uncomfortable. For Frankie, that discomfort arrived alongside years of jaw tension and popping so loud her husband couldn't help but notice it everytime they sat down for dinner.
Frankie first came to our Maple Grove office in 2024 while pregnant with her first child, George. She was looking for more natural, gentle options for alleviating the rib pain that came with her changing body, and she also brought a longer history of jaw trouble with her.
She has since been under our care through a second pregnancy and the birth of her daughter, Emory, which gave us a rare chance to document the healing process of two pregnancies, side by side!
Key Takeaways
- THE CHALLENGE: Frankie arrived pregnant with her first child, dealing with significant rib pain and daily jaw tension and popping.
- THE CARE APPROACH: Our doctors used gentle, neurologically focused adjustments through pregnancy and postpartum, including work at the upper neck and the base of the skull.
- THE RESULT: Frankie reported far more comfort in her second pregnancy, and her heart rate variability readings showed a strong postpartum rebound.
Pregnancy changes posture, movement, and load through the spine and pelvis, and many expecting mothers are also sitting more than usual. Frankie wanted support that did not rely on twisting or forceful adjusting, which is where our gentle, instrument-assisted approach fits.
Our goal for providing the care she needed was simple: assess what her body was doing, address the areas under the most stress, and support her comfort and mobility through pregnancy and recovery.
Frankie's Care Story at a Glance
| Patient: | Frankie, a mother of two, receiving care at our office since 2024 |
| Location: | Maple Grove, Minnesota |
| Primary Objective: | Support comfort and mobility through pregnancy and recovery with Prenatal Chiropractic Care |
| Core Approach: | Gentle, instrument-assisted adjusting using Torque Release Technique with the Integrator |
| Key Outcome: | Patient-reported relief from rib pain and jaw popping, and a more comfortable second pregnancy |
The Problem: Assessing Rib Pain & Jaw Tension
When Frankie first started receiving chiropractic care with us, two concerns stood out. The rib pain she was dealing with was new and tied to her pregnancy, but she was also experiencing a jaw issue that had been with her much longer. Her jaw popped constantly, and the sound was loud enough to affect how she would eat around her family.
When it came to determining the root causes of her symptoms, our assessment was not to treat her pregnancy as a "condition" to be "managed". Instead, we looked at how her spine was moving, where her nervous system appeared to be carrying the most stress, and how those patterns lined up with what she was feeling day to day, in order to identify the best approach to applying chiropractic treatment.
The Solution: Gentle Adjustments Through Pregnancy & Postpartum
To address her rib pain, our chiropractic care centered on applying specific, gentle adjustments delivered with the Integrator, a handheld instrument that produces an extremely fast, low-force thrust while the spine stays relaxed — no twisting, cracking, or popping.
"I found Restore when I was pregnant with my son and experiencing terrible rib pain. Chiropractic care gave me so much relief and made both of my pregnancies so much more comfortable!" - (Frankie)
For the jaw tension, we never adjusted Frankie's jaw a single time. Instead, our work focused on the upper neck and the occiput (the lower back portion of the skull), because the nerves that supply the muscles around the jaw travel through that region.
HRV scans revealing Frankie's progress of nervous system improvement and increased body comfort. The Results: HRV Scans, Prolonged Progress, & Whole Family Care
At Restore Chiropractic, we use heart rate variability, or HRV (the variation in timing between heartbeats) as one way to look at how the autonomic nervous system is working and how well the body is adapting. A scan taken in July, during the later stages of Frankie's second pregnancy, plotted her toward the sympathetic, or fight-or-flight, side, with an energy reading of 47%. A follow-up scan in August, after delivery, showed that reading at 92% and a shift toward the parasympathetic, rest-and-digest side.
We must note that those readings reflect one patient's individual response and are not a promise of the same result for anyone else. But what Frankie reported matters just as much: the jaw popping stopped, her rib pain eased, her second pregnancy felt far more comfortable than her first, and she no longer reaches for over-the-counter pain relievers nearly every day the way she once did.
Nowadays, Frankie's visits to Restore Chiropractic have become a family routine rather than a clinical errand. She and her children continue under ongoing care, and she describes spending less energy thinking about symptoms and more on enjoying her family. She also told us that our office feels like a place where you hang out with friends instead of going to a doctor, and she can get adjusted while her toddler plays in the reception area.
Her son George has even picked up his own version of one of our office phrases for kids' adjustments! Before we apply any gentle taps or adjustments, we like to say "wiggle wiggle bonk!" to prep the child for care. However, George prefers to call it "boom boom crack!", and loves to chant it from the backseat of every car ride over to our clinic. (We must admit, "boom boom crack" is certainly catchy!)
Get Prenatal Chiropractic Care In Maple Grove With Restore Chiropractic
At Restore Chiropractic, we provide care for expecting and postpartum mothers throughout Maple Grove and the surrounding northwest metro, and both of our doctors are Webster Technique certified. Our approach to prenatal chiropractic care is gentle and instrument-assisted, which many mothers appreciate during pregnancy and recovery.
Are you pregnant, postpartum, or looking for a family chirpractic practice in Maple Grove where your kids are welcome too? Give us a call or book a visit online!
Frequently Asked Questions
What does prenatal chiropractic care in Maple Grove involve?
Care starts with a consultation, health history, and a neurological and physical assessment so we understand what your body is doing. From there we recommend an individualized care plan and, when appropriate, provide gentle adjustments using the Integrator instrument. Nothing involves forceful twisting or cracking, and adjusting tables and positioning are adapted for pregnancy.
Can chiropractic help with jaw tension during pregnancy?
Some patients experience improvement in jaw comfort when we address the upper neck and the base of the skull, because the nerves supplying the muscles around the jaw travel through that area. In Frankie's case, we never adjusted her jaw directly and she reported the popping resolved. Jaw pain can have several contributing factors, so we encourage dental or medical evaluation when it is warranted.
Do mothers continue care after delivery?
Many do, and Frankie is one of them. Postpartum care focuses on mobility, musculoskeletal comfort, and how the body is recovering, and we often continue HRV scans to track how a mother is adapting over time. Many families then move into ongoing wellness visits together, with children adjusted using age-appropriate, gentle techniques.