Recent or long-standing back pain?
Most people who come to us with back pain fall somewhere between two situations. A back that has just gone into spasm, after lifting, twisting or a night on a bad mattress, usually needs settling down and a plan to get moving again. A back that has ached on and off for years usually needs a closer look at what keeps setting it off, and a plan you can keep up.
Chiropractic care for back pain covers both, but the plan is not the same. That is why your first appointment is an assessment first: we need to understand what is happening before recommending anything.
People also come to us with lower back pain that travels into a leg, mid-back pain between the shoulder blades, and back pain from a sports or work injury. If you are not sure whether chiropractic care is right for you, a free 20-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to talk it through. Get in touch and we will arrange one.
What happens at your first appointment
Your first appointment takes about 30 to 40 minutes. It includes:
- Your history. When the pain started, what makes it better or worse, what you have tried, and what you want to get back to.
- A physical examination. How your spine, hips and legs move, plus neurological and orthopaedic tests where they are relevant.
- Posture analysis. Digital posture analysis for adults, to measure what we see and set a baseline.
- An explanation. What we found, what we recommend and why, before you commit to anything.
- Your first treatment, when clinically appropriate. If there is a reason treatment should wait, your chiropractor will say so and may ask for imaging or further assessment first.
We do not X-ray routinely. Imaging is only requested when the findings suggest it would change what we do.
How we treat back pain
Treatment depends on what the assessment finds and what you are comfortable with. It may include:
- Spinal adjustments: specific, manual adjustments of the spine and joints to improve how they move.
- Instrument-assisted adjusting, a low-force option using a small handheld instrument, for people who prefer not to have manual adjustments.
- Soft tissue work for the muscles around the spine and hips.
- Advice on movement, exercise, posture and the daily habits that keep setting the pain off, such as how you sit, lift or sleep.
Our chiropractors are trained in several approaches, including Diversified, Activator, Gonstead and Sacro Occipital techniques. Read about the techniques we use.
How many appointments you need depends on your situation. Some people need a handful of visits; some choose ongoing care to keep on top of a long-standing problem. Your chiropractor will explain the recommended plan and review it with you as you go, and you are never locked in.
When to get back pain looked at
If you are weighing up whether to see someone or wait it out, the usual advice is simple: if it has not shifted in a fortnight, or it is travelling into a leg, get it looked at.
- Difficulty passing urine, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin, buttocks or inner thighs.
- Weakness in both legs, or weakness that is getting worse.
- A significant fall, car accident or other trauma, especially if you are over 65 or have osteoporosis.
- Fever, feeling generally unwell, or unexplained weight loss alongside the back pain.
- Chest pain, shortness of breath or pain that is severe and constant, including at night.
What the research says
Spinal manipulation is one of the treatments recommended in international guidelines for low back pain, alongside staying active and exercise. The evidence is real, but it is also modest, and it is worth knowing what it does and does not say.
Research has found that adding chiropractic care to usual medical care can reduce low back pain and make everyday activities easier. A trial involving 750 US military personnel found better pain and disability scores after six weeks compared with usual medical care alone. Chiropractic care included manipulation and other treatments, such as rehabilitation exercises.
Goertz, C. M., Long, C. R., Vining, R. D., Pohlman, K. A., Walter, J., & Coulter, I. (2018). Effect of usual medical care plus chiropractic care vs usual medical care alone on pain and disability among US service members with low back pain: A comparative effectiveness clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 1(1), e180105. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0105Research has found that spinal manipulation produces similar improvements to other recommended treatments for persistent low back pain. A review of 47 randomised trials found similar pain relief and a small advantage in short-term improvements in daily function compared with other recommended therapies.
Rubinstein, S. M., de Zoete, A., van Middelkoop, M., Assendelft, W. J. J., de Boer, M. R., & van Tulder, M. W. (2019). Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 364, l689. doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l689More on the research we rely on.
We do not promise outcomes. What we can promise is an honest assessment, a clear explanation and a plan we will review with you.
ACC and back injuries
If your back pain started with an accident, such as lifting at work, a fall, a car accident or an injury at training, it may be covered by ACC. We are ACC registered, so no GP referral is needed. Your chiropractor assesses the injury at your first appointment and lodges a claim if it qualifies, or sees you under an existing claim if you bring the details.
If your claim is accepted, ACC covers part of the cost of your care. If ACC declines a claim, we will let you know.