“If a condition is limiting your life, we treat it seriously. We offer clinically effective solutions for your symptoms and pursue the root cause of your discomfort.”
Common treatable conditions: we are able to provide treatment for a great many back/spine-related problems that people can be afflicted by. Chiropractic treatment can be clinically effective for many problems related to the skeleton and muscles, including back pain and headaches.
Welcome to our guide on the key treatable conditions we regularly address here at Realhealth Clinic. As Dr Josh, I want you to know that chiropractic care isn’t just about back pain—it’s about restoring the function of your entire body. We are equipped to handle a great many back/spine-related problems and issues concerning the skeleton and muscles, utilising a blend of advanced structural and functional techniques to deliver clinically effective treatment.
Targeted Relief for Common Structural Problems
The following outlines some of the most common treatments that we provide…
We focus on helping you find lasting alignment and relief from the most frequent issues that interrupt your daily life. Our service includes comprehensive assessment and treatment for structural problems such as chronic neck pain, stiffness, and issues related to poor posture. We combine manual adjustments with specific advice on functional movement patterns to ensure long-term success.
Chronic Pain Syndromes: Back Pain and Sciatica
Back Pain: 80% of people experience lower back pain at some point in their life (Acute Low Back Pain – Bpacnz, n.d.). Lower back pain can be caused by many different types of problems, and seeing a chiropractor is a great way to determine the source of your pain and to help your lower back function better and have less pain.
Harvard Medical School refers to a 2018 study published in JAMA Network Open that showed after six weeks of treatment, those assigned to receive chiropractic care:
- Reported less pain intensity
- Experienced less disability and more improvement in function
- Reported higher satisfaction with their treatment
- Needed less pain medicine (Shmerling, 2019).
References:
- Acute low back pain – bpacnz. (n.d.). Bpac.org.nz. https://bpac.org.nz/2022/low-back-pain.aspx
- Shmerling, R. H. (2019, July 30). Should you see a chiropractor for low back pain? – Harvard Health Blog. Harvard Health Blog. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/should-you-see-a-chiropractor-for-low-back-pain-2019073017412
Sciatica
Sciatica Pain is one of our most common and rewarding challenges. We work to identify whether your nerve pain is caused by disc irritation, muscle tension, or poor alignment, providing targeted spinal decompression and adjustment techniques. For lower back pain, the evidence is clear: chiropractic care helps patients achieve less pain intensity, more improvement in function, and less use of pain medicine. I am committed to treating the full range of skeletal problems that cause discomfort.
Sciatica is pain, weakness, and or loss of sensation down the leg that is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve root. Common causes of sciatica are:
- Slipped/herniated disc
- Spinal Stenosis
- Piriformis syndrome
- Pelvis injury or fracture
- Tumors
(Penn Medicine, 2022)
Healthline suggests that using spinal manipulation techniques and other natural practices, chiropractors can help relieve the pressure on your sciatic nerve. (Sciatica Pain: Can a Chiropractor Provide Relief?, 2021)
References:
- Penn Medicine (2022). Pennmedicine.org. https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/sciatica
- Sciatica Pain: Can a Chiropractor Provide Relief? (2021, July 2). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/chiropractor-for-sciatica
Disc Herniations
A herniated disc is when one of the rubbery cushions that separate two vertebrae in the spine are injured in a way that causes its soft jellylike centre to push out or to the exterior of the harder casing of the disc (Mayo Clinic, 2018). This most commonly happens in the lower back but can happen anywhere in the spine (Mayo Clinic, 2018). When this occurs it can press on the nerves nearby which may cause radicular pain. This is pain that shoots to other parts of the body such as the arms and legs.
To best treat your herniated disc your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan to help ease the pain and other symptoms caused by the herniated disc and help your body to heal as quickly as possible.
References:
- Mayo Clinic. (2018). Herniated disk – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/herniated-disk/symptoms-causes/syc-20354095
Neck Pain
Neck pain is extremely common; around 30% of adults will experience neck pain each year and 20%-70% of adults will experience neck pain severe enough to interfere with their daily activities in their lifetime (PPM, 2019).
The one of the most common causes of neck pain is muscle spasms. They are usually caused by:
- having your head or neck in an unusual position for some time
- repeated or extensive movements
- stress or anxiety
- arthritis in the bones of your spine (vertebrae)
- muscle strain from injury
- sleeping with a pillow that is too big or too small.
Other causes of neck pain can be:
- pinched nerves
- inflamed lymph nodes
- arthritis
- bone disorders
- tumours
- thyroid inflammation (Ministry of Health NZ, 2018).
Your chiropractor can help you get to the root cause of your neck pain and devise a care plan to help your body improve how your neck moves and functions.
References:
- Ministry of Health NZ. (2018). Neck Pain. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/neck-pain
- PPM. (2019, July 29). About Back/Spine, Neck, and Shoulder Pain – The Statistics. Practicalpainmanagement.com; PPM. https://patient.practicalpainmanagement.com/conditions/low-back-pain/about-back-spine-neck-shoulder-pain-statistics
Addressing Headaches and Systemic Issues
We frequently treat patients for headaches and migraines, recognising them as nervous system signals rather than just pain points. Furthermore, through our use of Applied Kinesiology and TBM, we also pursue relief for systemic issues like nervous system stress, chronic fatigue, gut problems, and hormonal imbalances—going beyond structure to address holistic health concerns.
There are many types of headaches people can experience, some of the causes are:
- Nerves
- Blood vessels
- Muscles
- Brain tumors
- Aneurysm
- Meningitis, a bacterial or viral infection causing inflammation of the brain
- Neck or brain injury (Stanford Healthcare 2022).
Your chiropractor can assess, diagnose, and manage headaches. Evidence suggests that chiropractic care, including manual therapy, can be effective in treating many types of headaches including cervicogenic and tension headaches (CCA, 2022). Studies have also shown that chiropractic care can help decrease the intensity and frequency of migraines (CCA, 2022).
There are many types of headaches people can experience, some of the causes are:
- Nerves
- Blood vessels
- Muscles
- Brain tumors
- Aneurysm
- Meningitis, a bacterial or viral infection causing inflammation of the brain
- Neck or brain injury (Stanford Healthcare 2022).
Your chiropractor can assess, diagnose, and manage headaches. Evidence suggests that chiropractic care, including manual therapy, can be effective in treating many types of headaches including cervicogenic and tension headaches (CCA, 2022). Studies have also shown that chiropractic care can help decrease the intensity and frequency of migraines (CCA, 2022)
Unsure how chiropractic can help your specific pain or condition? Schedule your consultation with Dr. Josh to find out how we can start helping you today.
References:
- Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, Marcoux H, Potter B, Ruegg R, Shaw L, Watkin R, White E. Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011;34(5):274-89.
- CCA. (2022, June 1). 6 ways chiropractic care can help manage headaches. Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA). https://chiropractic.ca/6-ways-chiropractic-care-can-help-manage-headaches/#fn-34013-1
- Stanford Healthcare (2022). Causes. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/brain-and-nerves/headache/causes.html
