Newcastle Chiropractic

I work in an office, and often get pains in my neck and shoulder region?

Neck and shoulder pain is a very common problem amongst people who work in offices, usually at a desk and behind a computer. These symptoms may be related to a repetitive postural strain and are more significant towards the end of a working day. As the day goes on our heads start to drop, our shoulders roll forward and the general sitting posture gets worse, putting strain on the postural muscles that support the neck and the shoulder blades. Pain or pins and needles can radiate down the shoulders and arms from the joints of the neck or upper back or from muscular trigger points activated from postural strain. Chiropractic can offer pain relief via the release of articular and muscular pressure as well as offer postural advice for the workplace to prevent the problem from happening again.

Chiropractic care can also treat specific injuries of the shoulders, arms or hands. Theses injuries commonly occur during sporting activities or at the workplace.

Can chiropractic be used to treat headaches?

Chiropractic can be effective in the treatment of headaches. Benign primary headaches account for 90% of headaches. These include migraines, tension, cervicogenic and cluster. The remaining 10% can be categorised as secondary headaches. These include headaches caused by tumour, temporal arteritis, meningitis, acute glaucoma, sub-arachnoid haemorrhage. Most primary headaches are manageable through chiropractic care, however secondary headaches require emergency referral. Chiropractic provides drug-free treatment that helps to relieve any muscle, nerve or joint pressure in the neck that may be triggering the headache.

Can chiropractic be used to treat sciatica?

Sciatica is a common condition readily treated by chiropractors. The sciatic nerve originates from the spinal cord segments L4, L5, S1 and S2. This nerve runs from the lower spine under and through the buttock muscles down the back of the thigh where it splits into the tibial and peroneal nerves below the knee. True sciatic pain comes about when the sciatic nerve is irritated at its origin at the spinal cord. This impingement is caused either by a herniated or bulging disc or by bony exostosis from advanced osteoarthrosis of the spine. What is far more common is pseudo-sciatic pain. Pseudo-sciatic pain can come from the joints of the lower back or pelvis or the muscles of the buttock. When the facet joints of the lower back or the sacro-iliac joints are sprained or subluxated they can refer deep pain down one or both legs mimicking sciatic pain. Pain receptors in specific areas of the legs and pain receptors in the lower back follow the same pathway back to the brain, so the brain can be tricked into thinking that the pain is coming from the legs when it is actually only coming from the spine. The muscles of the buttock if tight enough can cause a compression of the sciatic nerve as it passes behind the hip. Pain, pins and needles or numbness down the leg can then occur as a result of this muscle-nerve impingement. Chiropractors are capable of determining whether the leg pain is pseudo or true and can provide treatment based on the diagnosis. Methods to relieve the muscular, joint or nerve tension include massage, joint mobilisation, joint manipulation or traction.

What is an adjustment?

An adjustment is a term used to define a controlled force applied to a specific bone in order to remove what is known as a 'subluxation'.

A 'subluxation' is the misalignment or lack of proper motion of a bone, which interferes with the signal coming from a nerve and the brain. It can affect the muscles, skin and organs supplied by that nerve.

An adjustment is administered with the aim of removing a subluxation, therefore to remove interference to the nervous system. It is specific and precise. It is comparable to a tune-up in a car, where an adjustment is made to a carburettor to improve the firing of the engine.

What is a manipulation?

A manipulation can look very similar to an adjustment. What the two have in common is the fact that they are both aimed at improving the mobility of a joint or joints. The difference is in the specificity and aim of the procedure.

Adjustments are precise, aimed at one joint in one direction.

Manipulations are a more general technique and serve to loosen up larger areas. If these are low force and low speed, with no articular release, they can be defined as 'mobilisation' which are often done repeatedly.

How is the adjustment given?

There are a number of ways that an adjustment can be administered. These include:

• manually, with the practitioners hands

• using an applicator called an Activator, an impulse instrument

• with the use of a ‘drop piece’, a feature of our specialised treatment tables

• gravity assisted with blocks, producing no audible release.

We will always choose the appropriate type of adjustment for you and your condition.

Why do I hear a 'cracking' noise?

With some adjustments or manipulations, you may feel or hear a 'cracking' sound.

During a spinal adjustment, the spinal facet joint - the joints which join each vertebra to the one above and below - are stretched. As the ligaments of the joint capsule reach their limit of elasticity, they snap away from the fluid inside the joint, resulting in a 'cracking sound'. As this snapping sound occurs, a cavity is created, increasing the volume inside the joint, and causing a gas bubble to be released. This stimulates the nerve endings in the capsule and thus improves the movement and alignment of a joint, as well as recalibrates the muscle and nerve signals.

Are adjustments safe?

Adjustments are very safe. The examination conducted prior to treatment will determine which method of adjustment is best suited to you, with both effectiveness and safety issues considered.

As with any physical therapy, there are risks associated. The most concerning risk for most people is that of a cerebrovascular accident or stroke associated with adjustments to the neck. The estimated risk of this occurence is between 1 in 2 million and 1 in 5.85 million.

These risks are outlined on a 'commencement of care form' prior to the delivery of any treatment and we will happily answer any questions or concerns that you may have. No treatment will be delivered that you are uncomfortable with or have not consented to.

To put the risk into perspective: a neck manipulation is approximately 400 times safer than taking Aspirin and dying of a gastric bleed or kidney failure from it.