Chiropractic care can help a wide range of conditions. Below is a concise list of conditions supported by high quality evidence. If you are experiencing any symptoms which are not listed below, please call Sophie on 01923 672 773 or email at sophie@bricketwoodpractice.co.uk for free advice.

Low Back Pain

Back pain is a common condition, with 8 in 10 people experiencing a bout of low back pain at some point in their lives; and we are continuing to see higher levels of chronic pain. One survey of the general population in the UK found approximately 20% of all reported spinal pain was intense, disabling, and chronic; furthermore it is a costly problem. In 1998, it was estimated the direct health care cost of back pain was £ 2 million in the UK. Back pain is a common complaint seen by GPs and has become a common cause for work absenteeism.

Our low back is prone to injury because it holds a high percentage of the total body weight and is a fairly unstable part of spine. There may be restricted movement or too much movement in the lower back which can cause pain or discomfort. Sometimes there is an increased curvature in the low back causing clinical spinal instability.

Fortunately, most low back pain is mechanical in nature; therefore chiropractic may be the key to relieving your pain. It is important to ensure there are no misalignments of the spine to prevent pain and inflammation of the joints. It was once believed rest was the best solution for back pain. The latest studies show this is not the case and spinal manipulation has been found to be effective in adults for acute, subacute and chronic low back pain. Also, it has been found to be cost effective.

Low back pain is also a common symptom among pregnant women. Reports have indicated 68%-85% of pregnant women do not undergo any form of treatment, as it is seen as a natural part of being pregnant. However, it has been found in one study that 68% of women continued to suffer with low back pain post-pregnancy. Chiropractic can help!
The sooner we can investigate your specific complaint, the sooner we can begin to help you, so please contact us on 01923 672 773.

Neck Pain

One of the increasing causes of neck pain is prolonged computer use. Today's society is highly focussed around technology, which has seen a high increase in deskbound work. We spend most of our time looking down, whether that is using our phones, playing a computer game, watching television or studying. How many hours a day do you spend looking up?

It may surprise you to know our head weighs on average 4-6kgs. With prolonged neck flexion i.e. looking down, gravity begins to take effect and slowly positions our head further forward than it should naturally be. Research has found for every inch we have our head forward, an added 10lbs is placed on the spine. This places pressure on the joint, muscles and ligaments; therefore it is no surprise that neck pain is the second most common condition that chiropractors treat after low back pain. Frequently the two areas go hand in hand, as poor posture in the upper quarter can affect the lower quarter and vice versa.

Choosing the correct pillow is of particular importance for those with neck pain. Orthopaedic pillows are shaped and contoured to support the head in its correct position and can aid the curve of the spine to restore to its natural position.

Commonly neck pain can also cause shoulder and arm pain. If nerves become impinge, or 'trapped' in the neck, shooting pain may spread all the way down to the fingertips. This may be due to a disc bulge or from wear and tear of the joints. A chiropractor can discover the reason why and treat accordingly.

The prognosis for neck pain is generally good if treatment is provided without delay, so call us on 01923 672 773.

The World Health Organisation has defined the structures responsible for headaches and migraines to include the neck, scalp muscles and vessels, and the sheath covering the brain.

Headaches vary in nature, some are mild, some are throbbing, some are debilitating. Some headaches may be associated with other symptoms such as visual disturbances or buzzing in the ears. Many can be eased or relived completely with simple painkillers. However, do you want to continue to mask the pain or find the cause, which may lead to a better solution.

The large majority of headaches are primary, such as tension type, migraine or cluster. This means the headache is the main symptom and there is no disease causing the headache

Tension type headaches are usually experienced as a dull ache felt as a band across the head and tend to be worse with stress. Studies have found spinal manipulation to provide more effective relief than painkillers.

Migraines are a slightly more complicated form of headaches. The cause is not fully understood. Migraines are currently thought to be due to neurological abnormalities rather than cardiovascular. They tend to affect women more than men. The typical presentation is throbbing pain on one side of the head. Migraines may cause visual disturbances, nausea and vomiting and in some cases are only relieved by lying down in a dark and quiet room.

Cluster headaches are another complicated form, typically presenting with pain felt behind the eye. Sufferers experience bouts close together and can go months without any.

The cause of a headache, or the 'trigger', may be food, alcohol, dehydration, noise, stress, heavy exercise, lack of sleep or grinding of the teeth (bruxism) to name a few. Finding the trigger is highly important as addressing it may eliminate any further headaches or may be a sign for further investigation. Most causes of headache are benign, but in rare cases, there are more sinister causes. Do not hesitate to call us on 01923 672 773

Extremity joint pain includes the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hands, hip, knee, ankle and feet. A whole wide range of conditions can affect these joints. The most common include rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, osteoarthritis in the hip or knee, ankle sprains, sporting injuries and referred pain from other joints.

Tennis elbow is an overuse injury that rarely comes from playing tennis. It is a condition due to overuse of the elbow causing pain and inflammation over the outer part of the elbow and upper part of the forearm. Advice may be given by your chiropractor on movements or activities to avoid and stretching techniques.

This is becoming more and more common due to people's lifestyles. Long periods of typing on a computer, writing, driving and obesity are just a few reasons which may cause carpal tunnel syndrome to develop. Pins or needles or numbness is felt in the hand and into the fingers, indication entrapment of a nerve. Sometimes the pain can radiate up the forearm. Your chiropractor will assess all joints of the arm to ensure the nerve is impinged in the hand and not another area of the arm.

Osteoarthritis is the most common hip problem. Osteoarthritis refers to wear and tear of the joint; whereas rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease where the body attacks its own tissues. Early symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hip include stiffness in the groin or knee and often sharp pain on some movements. These symptoms may begin years before any hip pain is felt. Hip problems can often cause strain on other areas, which may require attention by your chiropractor to prevent problems.

Most of us will have twisted an ankle at some stage of our lives. Only occasionally, a fracture of the bone occurs too. More often, however, it is the ligaments of the ankle on the front and outer side that tear and produce swelling and bruising. It usually takes between four and six weeks to recover from the immediate injury but sometimes the joints and ligaments of the foot do not fully recover without treatment. This can cause instability of the joint, increasing the likelihood of the injury reoccurring. Your chiropractor can evaluate the joint for instability and treat accordingly if needed.

Sporting injuries can affect any joint of the body. An in-depth account of the way the injury occurred will aid the correct diagnosis and treatment plan to be formed. The analysis of the problem can be performed using screening techniques such as gait analysis, a functional movement screen or even technique analysis of a sporting action. Through this assessment an individual training program to equal muscular imbalances or technique correction can be devised and implemented by your chiropractor.

For a screening to determine if these problems may be causing your joint pain please contact the Bricketwood Chiropractic Clinic on 01923 672 773.