Back Pain / Ache
The spine is part of the support system for our body and contains the spinal cord and the body's nervous system. Nerves branch off your spinal cord from between each spinal joint. Therefore, dysfunction of the joints can lead to back pain - commonly caused by lifting and carrying incorrectly or by poor posture, leading to restriction of the joints in the spine.
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Disc Problems / Slipped Disc
‘Slipped disc’ is a frequently used but inaccurate term to describe a damaged disc. Discs are the flexible, cushioning pads between two vertebrae, and when damaged they may rupture or bulge causing back or leg pain by causing inflammation and/or pressing on surrounding structures.
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Sciatica
Sciatica is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve which runs from the base of the spine, down the back of the leg to the foot. This is usually caused by irritation due to abnormal mechanics in the joints of the lower spine. It can also be caused by a ruptured or protruding disc in the spine pressing on a nerve or even from muscle spasm.
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Pregnancy
Back pain is common in pregnancy due to the changes in posture which puts great strain on the low back area. Many women also suffer pain in the low back following birth or the increased lifting that is inevitable with young children
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Neck Pain
Neck pain commonly occurs due to whiplash injuries, falls, muscle strain, stress , poor posture or arthritic changes in the spine. Neck problems can cause pain in the shoulders and down the arms and, if there is irritation of the nerves that come from the neck and supply, you may also experience pins and needles, tingling or numbness in the arms and hands.
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Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain can be caused by injuries to the muscles or ligaments that surround the shoulder joints or even to the joints themselves. It can also be due to referred pain from the neck.
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Arm Pain
Arm pain is commonly due to referred pain from the neck or shoulder, but can also be caused by injuries to the elbow or wrist or the muscles in the arm itself.
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Tennis Elbow or Golfers Elbow
Tennis elbow is commonly caused by a repetitive action, particularly of the wrist, which leads to damage to the tendons around the elbow joint.
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Wrist Pain
Wrist pain may be caused by a fall or a repetitive strain, leading to muscular strains or restriction in joint movement in the wrist or hand.
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Headaches and Migraine
There are many kinds of Headaches. Tension headaches are common due to stress or poor posture causing tightening of the muscles in the shoulders and neck.
Migraine headaches can be very distressing and can last for several days. Symptoms can include severe head pain, dizziness, nausea, flashing lights and visual disturbances. Migraine can be caused by irritation of the nerves close to the vertebrae in the neck or muscular tension
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Jaw Pain
Jaw problems can be caused by direct injuries, i.e. a blow to the head, dental problems which can lead to muscular tension around the jaw and abnormal mechanics in the jaw itself, or by grinding of the teeth, which can not only lead to muscular tension around the jaw but also to abnormal movement of the jaw
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Hip Pain
Hip pain can be a result of arthritis, strains of the muscles around the hip, joint injuries, sports injuries or referred pain from the spine and is commonly confused with pelvic pain
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Leg Pain
Leg pain can be due to irritation of the sciatic nerve (see under Back Pain) or can be caused by referred pain from the low back or pelvis. Leg pain may also be due to strains in the muscles or damage to the hip, knee or ankle
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Knee Pain
Knee pain can be due to many things, including wear and tear on the surfaces of the joint itself; damage to the cartilage pads within the knee; sprains of the ligaments that hold the knee together; strains of the muscles which surround the knee and help it to move; kneecap problems; referred pain from the back, pelvis, hip or ankle
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Ankle and Foot Pain
Ankle and foot pain may be a result of a direct injury to the joints, ligaments or muscles or may be due to injury of the sciatic nerve (see Back Pain). Foot pain can also be due to flat feet which put the feet under abnormal strain or even due to one leg being shorter than the other
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Arthritic Pain or Spondylosis
Degenerative changes in the spine may be known as ‘Spondylosis’. Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. There are many forms of arthritis including osteoathritis, which is due to wear and tear on the joint surfaces, and rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic progressive disease causing inflammation and stiffening of joints, which is less common but affects all ages. Chiropractic can alleviate some of the symptoms of Arthritis.
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Muscle Pain
Muscle pain can occur in any part of the body. It can be due to a simple strain caused by a sudden overstretching injury to the muscle, an impact injury or it can be caused by a joint injury which leads to muscle spasm around the injured joint
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Nerve Pain
Nerve pain can occur in any area of the body as a result of inflammation of a joint, due to a disc injury or due to strains leading to the nerve being irritated by muscles, tendons or ligaments
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Sports Injuries
Sports injuries often occur due to sudden trauma, incorrect use of sports equipment, not warming up and down thoroughly or overtraining. There are many types of sports injuries, but the majority will result in one or more of the symptoms described here.
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