I have suffered from chronic right shoulder pain for a number of years but I always related it to my history of several auto accidents and a ski injury.  I took NSAIDs until my stomach couldn't tolerate any more, used heat and received regular therapeutic massages, all of which provided only temporary relief.  But the pain always returned.  I also had a history of chronic heartburn, which I finally related to my chronic NSAID use and gallstones.

 

After being frustrated with the traditional medical practitioners telling me to just continue taking antacids I decided it was time to try some other type of medicine.  This was difficult for me as a seasoned RN who always supported conventional medicine.

 

I saw my first naturopathic doctor who referred me to Dr. Ron for Visceral Manipulation for my chronic heartburn after some very different lab tests had revealed a number of food sensitivities.  I was skeptical but made an appointment.

 

I was impressed at the first visit when Dr. Ron was able to tell me where my discomforts were by just a light hands-on exam before we even discussed my symptoms.  He did some deep manipulations and told me I would feel achy and tired later that day but should feel better in the morning.  I had to go to work and by the end of my shift I was so tired and achy all over so I went home, turned up the electric heating blanket and slept heavily.  When I awoke the next morning my shoulder pain was not just better, but it was gone!  The pain was referred pain from my gall bladder and the manipulation eased the congestion.

 

Now I get treatments every 3 or 4 months and this maintains a pain free shoulder."

 

Carol (age 63)

After many years of dysfunctional Gall bladder function and pain in the area of the GB and liver/upper GI tract, I came to visit Dr. Mariotti for help. I had liver stats that would indicate severe issues with the liver (liver enzyme – ALT of 302, AST 77 – normal for both is less than 50) and my primary care physician, despite additional tests, was still stumped as to what the issue was. Feeling really bad and unsure as to what was the problem was both highly frustrating and scary.

 

Dr. Mariotti did an exam and hands on assessment, first thing, when we met for the first time. He wanted to conduct a physical examine before discussing my current medical history. His hands went directly to the very specific area of pain and tenderness which just floored me and gave me confidence, which increased as he discussed his findings and described my probable issues based on his findings.

 

 After working with him for three sessions I have felt renewed energy and less pain and just had my liver stats checked two days ago and my stats have returned to normal (enzyme – ALT and AST are 21). My diet changes supporting better liver health and work with Dr. Mariotti have been some of the most profound experiences for my health that I have ever experienced.

 

I am grateful for his work and would obviously recommend him highly.

 

Carmen (age 50)

A few months ago I visited Dr Mariotti, I hadn't been feeling good for almost a year.  I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome and it had really flared up and was painful.

 

I have never had a doctor ask so many questions at my first appointment, I felt like he was really getting to know me and my body.  I have to admit that my first visceral manipulation appointment was a new experience for me.  It was like getting a massage for my bowels.  He found all of the painful spots and when I left I couldn't believe how the sharp pain in my side felt so much better.  The pinching feeling I felt on my left side had all but dissipated.  My bowel movements were better too.

 

After a few visits, he suggested a DNA stool test to find out what was going on inside of me.  I can't believe all of the things the test told us, I never knew I had an intolerance to gluten and since changing my diet and having the visceral manipulation treatments, along with some herbs, I feel 100% better.  My "bad" days, when I spend most of the day in the bathroom, are fewer and fewer.  I can't tell you how much my life has changed for the better.

 

Dr Mariotti does an amazing, thorough job and has changed my life by helping me feel better.

 

Sheri (age 42)

During the summer of 2014, I was referred to Dr. Mariotti by my naturopathic doctor for relief and treatment of idiopathic gastroparesis.

 

I had been suffering from nausea, intense stomach pain, vomiting, and weight loss for almost three years (since 2011) and had been to many different doctors while living in Chicago and while I was back in Seattle visiting. Originally the doctors in Chicago thought I had a hernia, which led to Novocain shots, steroid injections, and eventually muscle relaxers. None of these treatments provided any relief and the diagnosis was incorrect.

 

Still losing weight, over the summer while I was home in Seattle I decided that I needed to go to a GI Specialist. I had an endoscopy and many blood tests for allergies and autoimmune diseases and still received no definite diagnosis or cause for all my symptoms. I was put on Reglan but did not like the side effects and found it was not doing anything for relief and stopped using it.

 

Finally, the last test that was performed on me was the stomach emptying test which led to my diagnosis of gastroparesis. After receiving the message that there was no cure for gastroparesis or treatment/help for relief of my symptoms by my doctor in Seattle, I researched and learned I needed to change my diet which led me to only being able to have protein shakes in order to help gain back all of the weight I had lost. I went to a GI Specialist in Chicago who put me on Domperidone, which has helped with relief of my symptoms. I also had a SIBO test done, which showed that I had small bacteria overgrowth in my small intestine, which was also causing symptoms. I was on two rounds of antibiotics for the SIBO, which went away after those two rounds.

 

When I moved back to Seattle in the summer of 2014, I went to a naturopath who referred me to Dr.  Mariotti. After the first visit with Dr. Mariotti I felt relief of my symptoms within the first week after the appointment. After the second appointment I realized that he sincerely wanted to make sure that I had relief from my symptoms after my appointments with him. I was less nauseous and my pain level had dropped drastically from what it was before my first appointment. I felt like my stomach and overall GI tract was finally working again and it felt great. Over the last six months, I have found relief and treatment for my symptoms that I had been suffering from for the last three years before I got a diagnosis of gastroparesis. Domperidone, visceral manipulation with Dr. Mariotti, probiotic, and recently a very small dosage of E. E. S. every night starting in November has finally made my symptoms go away and my flare-ups minimal.

 

 

Suzy (age 23)

 

Last January, I thought I had a cold that I couldn’t shake. My voice was frequently hoarse, and I was having trouble breathing as I walked up hills, even though I am a regular exerciser. I was also experiencing loud tinnitus in one ear.

 

A month later, I constantly felt a lump in my throat, was coughing a lot, and my stomach frequently hurt after eating. At night I would wake up to a burning throat. Over the next four months there were few foods I could tolerate, and I lost over 13 pounds, much of it muscle mass.

 

Conventional treatment is to take omeprazole, but I was determined not to take it, having read about the terrible side effects of acid reducing drugs. My naturopathic doctor started me on betaine and enzymes. I began sleeping on a wedge and didn’t eat after 6 pm at night, which reduced my acid reflux while sleeping.  However, during the day I was still coughing, feeling a lump in my throat, and experiencing hoarseness. I read that my symptoms could be airway reflux, and that a diet of low acid foods (pH greater than 5) could reduce these systems. I ate a low acid diet for the next three months, and it helped my throat feel better but I was still constantly burping after eating, getting frequent reflux, and continued to loose weight.

 

I began to wonder if I would ever feel healthy again. Then my acupuncturist suggested I look into visceral manipulation, because it had helped his acid reflux. During my first appointment, Dr. Mariotti felt my abdomen and told me I had a sliding hiatal hernia. He explained that 40% of women my age experience sliding hiatal hernia, and this was likely the root of my chronic symptoms.

 

After the second treatment, my airway reflux was almost gone, and the burping greatly reduced.  Additional treatment resulted in elimination of all my symptoms, even my tinnitus. I was able to start jogging to regain my muscle mass. Nowadays, only a few foods and drinks cause problems, and I know to avoid them to keep feeling good. It is very reassuring to know that if my symptoms do return, I can rely on visceral manipulation to provide relief.

 

Cyrilla (age 59)