When we come down with the flu or an infection that doesn’t seem to be getting better after a few days it is normally pretty obvious that we need to see a doctor. With neck or back pain, it is less easy to understand if we have simply strained a muscle or it may be a symptom of something worse. We would advise first seeking the assistance of your general practitioner, as issues that can manifest as neck or back pain can sometimes be issues that are best suited to a doctor, especially if you have been involved in a vehicle or workplace accident.
Seeking the help of a professional can dramatically improve one’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Many people think they only need to see a chiropractor when something has gone wrong, or when they can no longer tolerate their pain symptoms. However, a chiropractor is able to help prevent future problems and offer advice to help you limit the damage that you may be doing to your body during your day.
It is a misconception that a chiropractor only treats neck or back pain, chiropractors are experts in the entire musculoskeletal system. Much of the work is focused on the spine and the surrounding tissues, as the spine is intimately related to the good functioning of the whole body. Chiropractors may treat back pain and spasms, sports injuries, headaches, pregnancy pain and much more.
Some of the areas The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic specialise in include:
General, acute and chronic low back pain (including 'lumbago')
Neck pain
Cervicogenic (neck-related) headaches
Prevention of migraine headaches
Joint pains, including hip and knee pain, from osteoarthritis
Sciatica
Shoulder complaints (dysfunction, rotator cuff injuries, disorders and pain)
Elbow pain (including tennis elbow)
Minor sports injuries
Massage Therapy
Acupuncture
And many more
When Do I Need To See A Chiropractor?
If you have been suffering from muscle or joint pain for some time, why let it continue any longer than it needs to? There are many situations that seeing a chiropractor can provide benefits to both your health and emotional wellbeing.
Joint Pain
Pain in the back and spine is one of the most common health complaints that causes the highest number of missed workdays for health reasons. Medications and similar things can cover up the pain and provide temporary relief, however, this doesn’t address the root cause and can only prolong problems that may not heal on their own.
Chiropractic care can help you avoid having to rely on medication, as muscle and joint pain could be due to problems with musculoskeletal alignment. Using spinal manipulations to relieve pain in your joints and muscles, a chiropractor can help to increase blood flow and nerve conductivity to the joints and muscles experiencing pain.
Chronicle Headaches or Migraines
Headaches can be caused by a number of factors, including not getting enough water, vitamins, oxygen deprivation and in some cases, a misalignment in the neck or spine. A chiropractor can help to relieve headaches and improve blood flow, which will increase the amount of oxygen supplied to the brain.
You Are Sat Down All Day
If your job requires you to sit for long periods of time, this can contribute toward poor posture, especially if you are hunched over a keyboard for long periods of time. Poor posture puts unwanted pressure on the upper back, neck and shoulders. Over time this pressure can result in the discs and bones to shift enough to cause problems such as a slipped or herniated disc. A chiropractor can provide you with pain relief without the need for invasive surgery or medication.
Pain Following An Accident
A car crash, motorcycle accident or being hit by a car can cause serious injuries that only an experienced chiropractor can help heal. Whiplash and other impact-related injuries can sometimes not surface until much later, as spinal injuries can cause adjustments in posture and gradually worsen over time. Many chiropractors specialise in vehicle accident-related injuries and are able to diagnose and properly treat a multitude of different injuries, limiting the damage done and ensuring injuries heal correctly.
You Live An Active Lifestyle
Although great for our cardiovascular health, impact sports such as running, playing tennis or high-intensity workouts can have an effect on our joints and bones over time. It is not uncommon for pinched nerves and slipped discs to occur when playing lots of sports, especially competitively. Chiropractors can help with these problems once they happen, but if you are an active person, seeing a chiropractor regularly can help to prevent serious injuries before they occur, as therapies such as a sports massage can help your body to heal properly following high-intensity sports.
Physiotherapy For Sciatica Or Leg Pain
If you are experiencing sharp, shooting pains in your legs, tingling, numbness or weakness, this could be a sign that you are suffering from a trapped nerve or slipped disc.
A herniated disk, bone spur, or spinal stenosis will compress the large sciatic nerve that leaves the spinal column at the lower back and travels under the gluteal muscles, through the pelvis and down the legs. When this large nerve becomes trapped or compressed it can cause numbness and significant pain and really impact your daily life. In most cases, sciatic pain can be treated by a registered chiropractor without the need for invasive surgery. Chiropractors are trained experts when it comes to providing care to the whole length of the spine from the feet and ankles up the way up to the neck.
Limited Mobility Or Flexibility
The spine is responsible for most of the bodies movements. If your spine is out of alignment, then the movement of your other joints can suffer. Stretching the misaligned joints can create temporary change, but correcting the spinal misalignments can be more effective as it solves the root cause of an issue.
Improve Brain Function
A study conducted by the Spinal Research Foundation and published in the Journal of Neural Plasticity shows that chiropractic spinal adjustments significantly increase activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the area of the brain where higher learning and cognition happen.
What Happens During Chiropractic Treatment?
During the initial stages of your consultation, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire of previous medical experience, and provide background information about the symptoms and condition which include:
When and how did the pain start?
Where is the pain felt?
Is it sharp, dull, searing/burning or throbbing? Does it come and go or is it continual?
Did the pain start following an injury?
What activities/circumstances make it better or worse?
A thorough chiropractic exam includes general health tests such as blood pressure, pulse respiration and reflexes.
The chiropractor will then perform an evaluation on the area causing pain, and on the surrounding muscles, joint and bones. The exam may also involve having the patient move in a specific manner, posture analysis, or assessing the motion of the affected body part.
An x-ray study may be necessary if the chiropractor has a good reason to believe that it will provide further information needed to help treat a patients condition. Most chiropractic clinics can perform basic x-rays, but in some cases, such as with soft tissue damage, a more in-depth MRI scan is necessary (as x-rays cannot effectively diagnose tissue damage).
At the end of the initial visit, the chiropractor will explain details such as:
Diagnosed condition
A tailored treatment plan and how this will help
An idea of the length of chiropractic care
If the issue requires seeking additional specialist care (such as with nerve damage etc)
The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic: Physiotherapy & Chiropractic Care In Sheffield
If you are struggling with muscular, joint pain, numbness, a lack of flexibility and even other conditions such as severe migraines, or simply want to ensure you are taking the best care of your bones and muscles, get in touch with us today.
We provide a number of treatments including chiropractic treatments, sports massages, acupuncture and more to accommodate problems and injuries of all types with muscles and joints. Our friendly team will be happy to offer advice and assistance over the phone and at our chiropractic clinic in Sheffield.
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