The spinal column is made up of a number of spinal vertebrae. The main attachment points between each bony vertebrae are called facet joints. These joints are surrounded by ligaments and have fluid within them to allow for smooth movement of the spine. Like any joint in the body they can become irritated and inflamed due to repetitive lifting and bending or sustained microtrauma from poor posture. This causes the joints to become stiff and the muscles surrounding to spasm, leading to pain.
Chiropractic intervention involves identifying which joints are affected, reducing the inflammation, and restoring mobility back into the spine.
The term to describe pain, tingling or numbness down the back of the leg is Sciatica. The sciatic nerve originates from the low back, travels through pelvis and down the back of the leg.
Sciatica can be caused by compression or irritation of the spinal roots or sciatica nerve. It is important to determine where this irritation is occurring and treat that region appropriately, in an effort to reduce ongoing injury to the nerve.
An appropriate assessment by a Chiropractor does exactly this, with treatment aiming to reduce the irritation on the nerve and improve your overall function.
Disc herniations occur when there is a tear or rupture of the outer layer of the intervertebral discs that lie between the spinal vertebrae. The discs normally act as shock absorbers, though when a bulge or larger herniation occurs, this can cause intense pain both in the low back and down the leg when performing basic weight-bearing movements.
It is important to assess the integrity of the discs and provide treatment to strengthen and support the spine.
There are a number ligaments and muscles that surround the spinal column. These ligaments and muscles are important for both posture and movement. Like any structure in the body, if overworked or if under sustained tension, they can become irritated, leading to inflammation, spasm and pain.
Treatment at the clinic reduces the underlying tension and strengthens the spine to reduce the likelihood of these ligaments and muscles becoming injured in the future.
The sacroiliac joint is the connection between the spine and pelvis. It is involved in transition movements such as laying down to sitting up, and from sitting to standing, which can become painful when the joint is irritated and inflamed.
Treatment at the clinic involves increasing mobility and reducing the inflammation at the joint to restore function to the pelvis.
Degenerative joint disease (DJD), or osteoarthritis (OA), is one of the most common forms of joint disease in the human body, and one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly. Typically, people will present with pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility.
The primary focus of care is symptom management such as minimising pain and improving joint and muscle mechanics.
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To know more about whether chiropractic treatments are right for you, book your consultation with NP Chiropractic.