What we do

What happens when you go to see a chiropractor?

Before beginning treatment, the patient will always be examined thoroughly to decide the problem qualifies for chiropractic treatment and also to make as precise a diagnosis as possible.

The chiropractor will ask questions to get as accurate a picture of the problem as possible.  The patient may be asked about working conditions, previous diseases, operations, medicine taken, as well as general questions about their lifestyle.

The process of injury and treatment for chiropractic care is basically three-fold

• There is the emergency or acute care phase where a patient has just hurt their back, resulting in inflammation of the joint and muscle spasms.
• As the inflammation decreases the patient goes into the sub acute phase which may last a while depending on aggravating factors.
• Then the injury develops into the chronic stage and gives rise to that large group of people who speak about having had a bad back for years, one which never gets better, a back injury which comes and goes usually without care or treatment.

 It is our job as chiropractors to take the patient from the acute, sub acute to chronic stage as quickly as possible so we are able to stabilise the injured area through exercise and treatment.  Once the patient’s condition is stable then that is when maintenance care becomes very important as it enables the patient to maintain their lifestyle without major pain.

What is chiropractic treatment?

Treatment at a chiropractor is not usually painful but not necessarily painless, there will be some discomfort.  And contrary to popular belief it is undramatic.

Manipulation is the chiropractor’s most important technique.  With is or her hands, the chiropractor moves a joint a little further than the patient would be able to do on their own to restore normal function.  In this way the vacuum which exists in most joints in the body is conquered and small bubbles of gas are created in the synovial fluid between the joints.  These bubbles can cause the audible ‘snap’ which can often accompany manipulation and is not a sound of a bone out going back in.

The purpose of this treatment is to normalise the functions of the joints and muscles and to ease, or remove, pain by removing the tension and stress from the nervous system and help reduce inflammation.

The chiropractor also treats the soft tissues of the body – the muscles and tendons.  This may be done by different forms of massage and stretching.