Telephone: 01273 206868
E-mail: info@chiropractorsbrighton.co.uk
What is Chiropractic?
What is chiropractic based on?
What do chiropractors do?
Who is chiropractic for?
The benefits of chiropractic
Top 10 Treatable Chiropractic symptoms
'Chiropractic' comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, meaning 'done by hand'. Today, the World Federation of Chiropractic defines it as: 'A health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health'.
By restoring normal function to the musculoskeletal system chiropractic can play a major part in relieving disorders, and any accompanying pain or discomfort, arising from accidents, stress, lack of exercise, poor posture, illness and every day wear and tear that can happen to all of us.
Chiropractors at Back to Balance Chiropractic Clinic take a biopsychosocial approach to your health and well-being: this means that they consider your symptoms in the context of your full medical history, your lifestyle and your personal circumstances in order to help you to manage your problem and prevent it recurring.
Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your nervous system controls the function of virtually every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body.
While the brain is protected by the skull, the spinal cord, covered by 24 moving vertebrae, is more vulnerable. . When these bones lose their normal motion or position (which may be caused by factors such as accidents, poor diet, repetitive strain, lack of exercise, poor posture and anxiety), they can irritate the spinal cord and the nerves branching out of it. This spinal nerve stress can lead to the symptoms of discomfort, pain and even disease which are a warning that the body is not functioning properly.
Also, this can disrupt the function of the tissues or organs these nerves control. Depending on where the nerve irritation has occurred in your spine, your symptoms may include the following:
- headaches or migraine,
- neck pain,
- back pain,
- chest or abdominal pain,
- shoulder, arm, wrist and hand pain,
- leg, knee, ankle and foot pain,
This is because the irritation of the nerve in one area can sometimes lead to pain (known as 'referred' pain) in other parts of the body.
Chiropractic locates these areas of spinal malfunction and corrects them to allow the body to heal itself (which we normally recognise in its ability to heal bruises, cuts and broken bones). As we all know, regardless of which type of doctor you consult, only the body can heal itself.
Chiropractors use their hands to specifically adjust the joints of your spine and limbs where signs of restriction in movement are found, improving mobility and relieving pain. This treatment is known as 'adjustments' or 'manipulation'.
Also, by manipulating joints, chiropractors stimulate the proprioceptors - your body's position sensors which provide feedback to the brain on where the joint is in relation to the rest of the body. This stimulation improves the way your nervous system works.
Chiropractors take a holistic approach which includes identifying and correcting the causes of the patient's health ailment. Chiropractors believe that correcting the cause of the problem provides significant long-term benefits over only treating the symptoms.
Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or use surgical procedures.
When some techniques are used, there is a pop or click heard. This is completely normal and is the sound of gas escaping from the joint. If your are not comfortable with this, just tell your chiropractor who will use a different, but just as effective, other technique.
Chiropractic treatment is suitable for everyone, including newborn babies, the elderly, pregnant women and sports enthusiasts. Once you are better, your chiropractor will help you to maintain your own health, and keep your body working as is should, by offering exercise and lifestyle advice for you to follow in the future.
Today's chiropractors treat many thousands of patients each week for a wide variety of conditions. They support their treatment with advice about their patients' work, diet, exercise, and lifestyle for them to follow in the future.
Short-term and regular chiropractic care can have a number of benefits including:
- Spinal, head and extremity pain relief
- Increased mobility and range of motion
- Decreased stiffness and muscular spasms
- Increased joint health
- Increased performance and energy
- Increased sense of well being and relaxation
- Increased balance and coordination
- Reduced degeneration and risk of injury
- Enhanced tissue healing
- Decreased tissue inflammation.
Information about the most frequent symptoms seen at Back 2 Balance, Hove: Click to view.
1 Low back pain
2 Sciatica
3 Neck pain
4 Shoulder pain
5 Headaches/Migranes
6 Mid back pain
7 Arm pain and trapped nerve
8 Road Traffic Injuries
9 Repetitive strain injury RSI
10 Back pain in pregnancy
Top ten symptoms include (low back pain and hip pain, sciatica, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, mid back pain, arm pain (trapped nerve), whiplash, rsi injuries, pregnancy related back pain, kids and baby checks)
This is one of the most common complaints people suffer. 80% of the population will suffer back pain at some time in their lives. Chiropractic can help by restoring normal motion and relieving muscle spasm, nerve irritation and pain. Restoring normal function is the key to long-term improvement. Lengthy sitting (e.g. computer work and commuting), prolonged standing or slow walking (e.g. shopping) can all produce postural changes which stress the back. Bending, twisting or lifting-especially early in the day or after prolonged sitting-can injure the spine. By restoring normal movement and function chiropractic can relieve and help to prevent low back pain and pelvis pain.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. 'Sciatica' is an inflammation of this nerve causing a pain or sometimes pins and needles into the leg. Symptoms are felt in all or part of the distribution of the sciatic nerve ie/ the buttock, leg and foot. Most sciatic pains are referred (coming from) the low back. Some are due to actual pressure on the nerve roots - 'trapped nerves'. Discs which act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae can bulge or protrude causing pressure on the spinal nerve roots. Chiropractic can help the cause of the sciatica by reducing the inflammation of the joint and nerve. By redistributing the load of the low back towards normal, the disc can start to heal quicker and the nerve can then heal itself. Disc conditions are usually the result of long term dysfunction of the pelvic and/or the low back joints. A full blown disc prolapse is a very difficult condition to improve from, and sometimes if left for too long or too severe may require surgery if manual forms of treatment do not help.
Neck pain can often be caused by the long term effects of poor posture. The neck supports the weight of the head (about 10 - 12lbs) whilst allowing a great amount of movement. Forward head posture, often worsened by working at a desk or computer, stresses the neck. For every inch the neck goes forward stress on the joints is doubled. Loss of optimal movement from joints in the neck can interfere with healthy nerve function. This can eventually cause pain locally, and where the nerves travel (referred pain). A chiropractor can help by identifying and treating stiffness in the joints of the neck, thereby improving movement, relieving muscle spasm, nerve irritation and pain.
Neck problems can refer pain into the shoulder and arm as nerves from the neck and upper back supply this area. Sometimes nerves will be "trapped" as they exit the spine. The resulting arm pain will often be accompanied by numbness and pins and needles in the hand and fingers. Restoring proper movement and function in the joints of the neck can help relieve this problem.
Can be common but this does not mean they are normal. One of the common reasons you can get tension headaches are due to referred pain from the neck. If the upper neck suffers increased muscle tension associated with joint dysfunction, this can lead to headaches in the neck, side or front of the head. Often there is pain above or behind the eye. This happens very frequently when your head has been in poor posture positionally. Chiropractic has good success with migraine headaches, particularly when they are combined with tension headaches, by restoring movement in the neck joints and releasing the tension in the neck muscles.
This can also be known as 'drivers back' as it is very common after long periods of sitting and/or driving. Pain can start if the joints are stretched for too long in the wrong position e.g. poor posture, or if the joints have stiffened due to immobility. Chiropractic restores the proper movement of these mid back (thoracic) joints and advising on the best posture and exercises.
This can be a referred pain coming from the shoulder muscles or the nerves in the neck. It can also be 'tennis/golfers elbow' depending on the tendon that is inflamed. Medical acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, ultrasound and soft tissue work can help reduce the symptoms of the tendonitis.
Whiplash is the common name given to the injury where there is a hyperextension (increased backward motion) and hyperflexion (increased forward motion) of the cervical (neck) spine. Put more simply, the head is dramatically thrust backward and forward. Rear impact car accidents and falls can cause whiplash injuries. Neck pain often starts days, weeks or even months following injury. Chiropractic can help assist recovery by restoring normal joint movement allowing the injury to heal properly. Stretching and strengthening exercises and nutritional advice are often recommended to put you back on the road to good health
9. repetitive strain injury (RSI)
Is any of a loose name for conditions resulting from overuse of a tool, such as a computer keyboard or musical instrument or other activity that requires repeated movements. It is a syndrome that affects muscles, tendons and nerves in the hands, arms and upper back. It is most common among assembly line workers, computer workers, store checkout clerks, and professional musicians. Good posture, ergonomics and limiting time in stressful working conditions can help prevent or halt the progress of the disorder. Stretches and strengthening exercises to reduce neck and shoulder muscle tension can help heal existing disorders. Chiropractors also find that helping the neck for arm/wrist RSI will improve the healing in the arm even faster
Many women suffer from back pain during pregnancy due to increased weight bearing and postural changes affecting the low back. Also changes in the pelvic joints (sacroiliac joints) allow the pelvis to expand during childbirth. Many women's back problems start during pregnancy and when lifting small children. Gentle, safe chiropractic treatment can lead to less pain, easier childbirth and less future difficulties. Treatment of pregnant women not only reduces pregnancy-related symptoms, but also helps to promote optimal comfort during pregnancy and encourages a positive experience in labour for both mother and baby. Treatment can promote optimal foetal positioning which research has shown helps to reduce medical intervention during labour.
These are some of the more common musculo-skeletal conditions which nearly everyone suffers from at some time in their life. Many conditions start as minor ailments which can progress to more severe and longer lasting episodes of pain if left untreated or ignored. Our goal is to get you out of pain, without the use of medication or surgery, as soon as possible whilst improving joint movement. Failure to restore normal function usually means that any pain relief is temporary. We treat all age groups from babies to the elderly.