Conditions

Low Back Pain

About 80% of the population will suffer from low back pain at some point in their lives (OCA). Chiropractors are back pain specialists and are trained to differentiate between simple causes of pain, such as strained muscles and sprained joints, or ligaments versus more serious conditions, such as disc herniations or other conditions compromising spinal nerve function.

Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common complaint and can often arise from poor postures while at work. People who spend much of their day at a computer workstation find themselves hunched forward overtop of their desk which in turn can place stress on the muscles and joints of the upper back and neck. Other causes of neck pain may include but are not limited to: whiplash injuries, disc herniations, nerve compression, and degeneration/arthritis.

Headaches

Did you know that your headaches may be arising from the joints and muscles in your neck? Oftentimes, poor sitting posture while at a workstation or prolonged use of electronics can contribute towards placing extra stress on the muscles and joints in your neck. This can result in a pain referral pattern to the back, side, and/or front of your head, causing a headache.

Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a very complex structure designed for high mobility which in turn sacrafices stability. AC joint separations (pictured) and dislocations may result from falls or blows to the shoulder. Pain at the front aspect of the shoulder often occurs due to repetitive motions involving the arm/shoulder. Throwing sports are particularly rough on the rotator cuff and can result in both acute and chronic shoulder pain.

Elbows

Often, pain is located on either the inner or outer aspect of the elbow. Repetitive movements of the wrist contribute towards the constant tugging of the muscles on their attachment sites at the elbow resulting in pain. Elbow pain is common in sports requiring “flicking” motions of the wrist such as: baseball, volleyball, tennis, and golf.

Wrists/Hands

Often times numbness or tingling can be felt into the hand and fingers. Simply because one has tingling in their fingers does not mean they have ‘carpal-tunnel syndrome’ (a condition involving structures located at the front of the wrist resulting in numbness/tingling into the thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring finger). Nerves can become entrapped within muscles and fascia as they course down from the neck, through the arm and into the hand and fingers resulting in tingling into the fingers. Therefore, it is important to examine the neck, shoulder, arm and wrist before arriving at a diagnosis.

Hip Pain

There are many possible sources of hip pain. Runners often experience a ‘snapping’ sensation in the hip area which may be arising from tight muscles and tendons. Older populations may suffer from arthritic hip joints. Bursae situated between bones and tendons may become inflammed and become a source of pain. A proper examination of your hip and surrounding area will help narrow down the cause of your pain and a treatment plan tailored to your condition can be recommended.

Knee Pain

There are many different sources and causes of knee pain. Runners often suffer from  pain on the outside of their knee (Ilio-tibial band syndrome), jumpers such as volleyball  and basketball players may suffer from pain just below the knee cap (patellar  tendonitis), older populations may suffer from morning aches and stiffness  (osteoarthritis), and just about anybody can suffer from generalized pain surrounding  the entire knee (patello-femoral pain syndrome). These are just a small sample of possible knee conditions, all manageable.

Ankle/Foot/Plantar Fasciitis

Ankle injuries are fairly common, especially in sports. “Rolling” one's ankle not only damages soft tissues such as ligaments, but it also impairs your ability to maintain balance.

Foot pain can result from strained muscles, restricted joints, heel spurs, irritated fat pads, inflamed fascia, and more. It is important to differentiate what is truly causing your pain in order to provide the best treatment plan.

TMJ/Jaw Pain

Jaw pain along with popping or clicking while opening or closing the mouth, as well as, an inability to fully open or close the mouth may be a primary condition of the temporal-mandibular joint itself, or secondary to dysfunction of other structures in the body.