Musculoskeletal problems. Nothing beyond that.
Chiropractic has decent evidence behind it for spinal pain and some headache types. It does not treat asthma, ear infections, colic, immune function or anything else that gets claimed on the internet, and we will not pretend otherwise to get you in the door.
The conditions we see, grouped in two
Eight things, in two groups. If yours is not on the list it is still worth ringing.
Spinal pain
Where the evidence for what we do is strongest.
- Lower back pain. Acute episodes, recurring flare-ups and long-standing pain. Manual therapy to settle it, then loading and movement to stop the cycle repeating. Most cases are resolved or clearly improving within five visits.
- Neck pain & stiffness. Usually desk-driven and usually recoverable. Treatment plus the unglamorous conversation about your monitor height, which is the part that stops it returning.
- Mid-back & rib pain. Thoracic joint restriction and rib pain, which often presents as a sharp catch when breathing deeply. Responds quickly to manual therapy in most cases.
- Sciatica & referred leg pain. Assessed with neurological testing before any treatment. Where there is progressive weakness or sensory loss you get a same-week referral, not an adjustment.
Related conditions
Treated where the driver is musculoskeletal.
- Cervicogenic headache. Headaches arising from the upper neck. Distinguishing these from migraine and tension headache is most of the work — the treatment only helps if the diagnosis is right.
- Pregnancy-related pelvic & back pain. Low-force techniques, pelvic support belts and modified positioning. Common in the second and third trimesters and very treatable.
- Shoulder, hip & knee problems. Peripheral joints and the soft tissue around them. Frequently a strength and load issue rather than a joint issue, in which case you get a program instead of a plan.
- Postural & work-related strain. Desk workers, tradespeople and drivers. Includes a workstation or task assessment where it is the obvious cause.
Where we send you instead
About one in five people who come in for a first appointment leaves with a referral rather than a treatment plan. We would rather lose the fee than treat something that is not ours to treat.
To a GP
Unexplained weight loss, fever with back pain, night pain, progressive weakness, or anything that does not behave like a mechanical problem.
To a physiotherapist
Post-surgical rehabilitation, complex strength deficits, and cases that need a long structured exercise program more than manual therapy.
For imaging or a specialist
Suspected fracture, significant nerve compression, or red flags on examination. We refer to bulk-billed radiology and write the letter the same day.
New patients usually seen within two days
No referral needed. Ring between 7am and 6pm and whoever is on the desk will find you a slot.