Conditions Chiropractic can help with

1. Disc Protrusions:

These are commonly referred to as disc bulges or disc herniations. The most common disc protrusion I see in my clinic is the lower back or in the lumbar region of the spine. Symptoms include a very sharp burning pain with any slight of movement. The patient is usually slumped forward or has to hold onto a support to move. The patient will describe this pain as a 9 or 10 out of 10 on a pain scale. These patients may also have a “S” shaped torso when you look at them or when they look at themselves in the mirror. Coughing, sneezing, laughing, and even bearing down when going to the bathroom can all aggravate the sharp intense pain. In most cases there is usually pain radiating into one or both legs that can be accompanied with numbness in the toes or the big toe. Sleeping is usually interrupted by the sharp pain when attempting to move in bed.


Disc protrusions of the neck or cervical disc protrusions can occur. They too are characterized by a very sharp intense pain in the neck. These patients are usually holding their head and neck to the side where there is the least amount of pain. There can also be pain radiating down one arm or both arms causing numbness or tingling into specific fingers of the hand.

Accurate diagnosis of disc protrusions are through advanced imaging such as CT scans or MRI scans. These scans can tell us if one, or more than one disc is bulging or protruding. These scans can also provide us information if a nerve root, multiple nerve roots, and even if the spinal cord has pressure being placed on it from the disc protrusion.

Chiropractic care has been an effective treatment for disc protrusions. Specific spinal adjustments near the area of the protrusion can relieve the pain from the protrusion and reduce the pressure on any surrounding nerves or the spinal cord. Relief can be noticed as fast as a couple of days or a few weeks depending on the severity of the protrusion and the number of discs involved. Actual healing of the disc protrusion could take a few months or even up to a year or longer. And yes, in some severe cases may require a surgical consultation.

Your chiropractor can provide you with timely suggestions to help decrease the severity of your pain in addition to the spinal adjustments. This could include knowing when to ice or heat the area of the spine, when stretching or strengthening should or should not be performed, and what body movements could aggravate the disc protrusion. In some severe cases, the use of anti-inflammatory medication from your family medical doctor can reduce the severity of pain to allow the chiropractor to move you in the necessary positions for a spinal adjustment.

2. Headaches:

Cervico-genic headaches are what we call headaches that are the result of misalignments (subluxations) of the cervical spine or the neck region of the spine. There are 7 vertebrate in the neck where one or more vertebrate could mis-align and place tension on surrounding muscles, ligaments, or tendons. This may allow for headaches to form lasting for short periods or even a few days or weeks. Symptoms may include nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. Chiropractic adjustments of the neck can be a safe, gentle, and effective treatment for these headaches when performed by a trained qualified chiropractor.

3. General Joint Pains:

Joints such as shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles can also be effectively treated with chiropractic care. Proper assessment, which may also require the use of x-ray can provide your chiropractor information as to what is causing your joint pain. Once a proper diagnosis is attained, your chiropractor can now decide what is the necessary therapy of care. In our clinic, this therapy may include adjusting of the joint, trigger point therapy to the surrounding muscles and ligaments, and other myofascial release techniques. Our clinic also has access to interferential current, ultrasound, and laser therapy, which are all effective adjuncts of care for joint pain.

4. Pregnancy Care:

As days, weeks, and months into a pregnancy progress, the body and pelvis can change in shape and in position. The baby bump and abdomen continue to grow in size, but the pelvis widens and expands accordingly to be able to allow the baby to be delivered in a natural delivery. Hormones are strategically released by the body to allow this delivery to occur, which also relax surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Pelvic bones can become misaligned in this process causing expectant moms pain and discomfort. Chiropractic adjustments to the pelvic floor can help relieve the pain and discomfort almost instantly. Post delivery, the pelvis will attempt to reset to its original form and position, sometimes tracing back the pain steps that initially caused the discomfort. Adjustments post delivery help the body heal from the birthing process.

5. Pediatric Care:

Misalignments of the spine for a new baby can occur immediately from the birthing process. The baby may display signs of colic, not latching onto moms during feeding, and even episodes of constipation. Adjustments of babies and toddlers does not require the same force to move the misaligned vertebrate. In most cases it is a very gentle touch that does not cause any additional pain or discomfort. The Activator is a tool used by some chiropractors that can be set at a very light pressure on the affected vertebrate.

6. Geriatric Care:

No matter what your age, chiropractic care can be effective to treat your joints. Pain at 65 or 75 years of age does not always mean that your remaining years will be filled with pain and discomfort. A diagnosis of arthritis, whatever the severity, can sometimes be effectively controlled with chiropractic care and therapy. As in the case of infants and toddlers, chiropractors can use the Activator as a tool to administer an adjustment controlling the amount of force and pressure on a misaligned bone. Chiropractors cannot remove the arthritis, but we can attempt to reduce the pain that comes with the arthritis.

Commonly Asked Questions When in Pain:

• Should I ice or heat the injured area ?

In my opinion for recent injuries or what we call acute injuries, ice is always the better of the two to use. Icing will reduce inflammation and swelling when applied on a covered area of the skin for 15 to 20 minutes a few times per day. Some of my colleagues may argue blood is necessary for healing of injured muscles and tissues and I agree with this position. However during acute injuries, there may be too much blood and fluid collecting at the injury site. The amount of blood and fluid on site must be controlled. Ice is effective for this.

Heat is typically used for injuries or pains that are chronic. For example knee pain that has been present for years and maybe the result of arthritis where the knee joint is degenerating. However when heat is applied, it should be applied to a covered area of the skin for no more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time.

• Should I start stretching immediately?

Some stretching or strengthening immediately after an injury could increase or aggravate the pain. For example if an injury resulted in straining/spraining muscles, ligaments, and tendons, further stretching could potentially increase the pull on the affected tissue aggravating it further. It is always best to ask your chiropractor when is the best time in care to start stretching or strengthening.

• How long will it take my injury to heal and the pain to go away?

This answer is dependent on the type of injury you have. For example sprain strain injuries could take a minimum of 8 to 10 weeks to heal. Disc protrusions can take a few months to even over a year to heal. And then certain subluxations may take a few days or weeks to subside. Your chiropractor will have a better answer to this question following a consultation and examination of your condition.