What and Who We Treat

Back Pain

Almost everybody suffers with back pain at one time or another. Back pain may vary from a slight niggling ache to sharp debilitating pain that can affect every part of the back and also radiate to other areas of the body.

Some causes of back pain include bad posture, poor seating, unsupportive beds and pillows, incorrect lifting, sedentary lifestyle, stress (both physical and mental), trauma, sports injuries, pregnancy, “wear and tear” the list goes on. Your chiropractor will identify the source of your problem, treat the cause of pain and advise how to best keep it from recurring.

Headaches, Migraine and Dizziness

Headaches are very common. Because they are so common, most people think it is normal to have headaches. It is not! Painkillers might give some relief from your headaches, but they do not address the cause of the problem.

There are many types of headaches. Tension headaches are often associated with our hectic lifestyle and stress. Migraines can be very debilitating and disturbing. Sometimes there is no headache to speak of, but symptoms may include visual and hearing disturbances, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, even vomiting. Dizzy spells can occur as part of migraine symptoms, with headaches or on their own with no other associated symptoms.

After your chiropractor has carefully diagnosed your condition, he can then give you recommendations for care. If yours is not a chiropractic case, you will be referred to the appropriate health care provider.

Shoulder, Arm and Hand Pain

As with leg pain, for arm pain the first and most important thing to do is to determine what is causing it. Your chiropractor has been trained to accurately diagnose the problem and treat accordingly.

Whether the pain is arising from frozen shoulder, tennis/golfers elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injury or radiating from dysfunction in the neck, your chiropractor will explain to you the best course of action.

Neck Pain and Whiplash

Today’s modern lifestyle often causes problems in the neck and shoulder area. Poor work position, repetitive tasks, stress and disuse of the full range of motion of the neck can all cause pain, discomfort and muscle tension in the neck, at the base of the skull and over the top of the shoulders. These problems are often associated with frequent headaches.

Whiplash injuries are common especially as a result of car accidents. Whiplash can occur even at relatively low speed impact and does not necessarily cause any pain at the time of the accident, because of the body’s ability to compensate for injuries. Problems can arise weeks, months or even years later.

“Wear and Tear”, Arthritis and Joint Pain

People often talk about wear and tear of the joints. This can also be called arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondylosis, degeneration, spinal decay or degenerative joint disease. There are many forms of arthritis and it can affect people of all ages. The most common form is osteoarthritis. This means that there are irreversible degenerative changes in the joints. While chiropractic cannot reverse these changes, it can promote healthier joints by improving their function and mobility, decrease pain and discomfort and help slow any further wear and tear.

Chiropractic can also decrease pain and speed up recovery as well as minimize resultant dysfunction with conditions such as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury.

Pregnant Women

Many physical, mental and hormonal changes take place during pregnancy and these can put strain on a woman’s body. Chiropractic treatment is suitable and safe throughout the pregnancy, during labour and after giving birth.

Chiropractic care can help with common problems associated with pregnancy such as pain in the back, pelvis and rib cage, and it can make labour easier through the balancing effect it has on the joints and ligaments.

Children

Children are always getting into trouble and falling or bumping into things. This can cause a child’s spine to misalign, causing problems, which at first might not seem to have anything to do with the spine.

On the other hand misalignment of the child’s spine may not show any symptoms until later in life, so it is a good idea to have the kids checked by a chiropractor.

Babies

People of all ages can benefit from chiropractic care, although treatment techniques of the newborn obviously differ dramatically from those of adults.

It is a good idea to have babies checked soon after birth. Any spinal or joint problems can then be dealt with early on before they cause further health problems.Talk to your chiropractor to find out more.

Sports Injuries

Sports injuries are often problems that arise when increased functional demand is applied to a joint or body part that is not functioning properly in the first place. These might include spinal or pelvic misalignment, muscle imbalance and poor posture to mention but a few. Examples of sports injuries are: Pulled muscles, Tennis elbow, Golfer’s elbow, cartilage dysfunction and tearing and Repetitive Strain Injury.

Your chiropractor can help you recover quicker, with less pain and with minimal resultant dysfunction. More importantly a chiropractor can uncover underlying dysfunction, and by correcting it, help prevent your problem from recurring. Many sportsmen simply wish to maintain their good health with regular chiropractic treatments. Athletes in particular have found a significant improvement in their sport performance through chiropractic care.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a general term describing pain from irritation of the sciatic nerve and its branches. The sciatic nerve is a collection of spinal nerve roots arising from the lower back. These nerves can become aggravated by abnormal functioning of the spinal vertebrae, bulging of the spinal discs (often called “slipped disc”) or even by tight muscles around it.

Sciatic pain can be felt anywhere in the leg and it can even extend to the foot. Even when sciatica originates from the lower part of the spine, low back pain isn’t necessarily present. Your chiropractor will identify the cause of the irritation and provide treatment at the source of the problem.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a general term meaning sideways curvature of the spine. Looking at the ideal spine from the front or the back it would be completely straight. One shoulder or one side of the pelvis being higher than the other may be a sign of scoliosis.

Whether scoliosis can be corrected with chiropractic care depends on the individual case. Scoliosis often develops in early teenage years and the earlier you intervene, the easier it is to treat. When scoliosis has been present for a long time, the sideways curvature may not always be corrected, however the function of the spine can in most cases be improved, thus relieving any pain, discomfort, even breathing difficulties.

Talk to your chiropractor to find out more.