Please see below for general information which may aide you in your quest for seeking clear and truthful knowledge about symptoms relating to problems which could be possible treated with the help of a chiropractor.
Symptoms
People commonly complain of Low Back pain, Neck and Shoulder restrictions, leg pain, sports injuries (such as joint/muscle strains, tennis and golfers elbow, muscle imbalances when running). Some people have suffered a specific injury due to one event but the majority of patients have been damaging their backs for many years due to poor lifting techniques, bad posture, lack of fitness for the task or incorrect exercise regimes.
Advice
Please ring 01392 217418 at any time for advice concerning your symptoms. There will nearly always be a qualified practitioner available to speak to you, but if not leave a message and we will be pleased to return your call. If we cannot help your condition we may be able to advise you what else to do and how to proceed through the various other available treatments.
Both our Chiropractors have over 20 years experience in the treatment of biomechanical disorders of adults and children and are trained to take and read X-Rays.
Treatment
Your first visit to this Chiropractic Clinic may take up to 1 hour. A case history is taken concerning your present signs and symptoms and the history of previous related injuries and medical disorders. There will be an examination of the problem area and the spine. This will be done carefully and should not normally be painful. Orthopaedic and neurological tests may be carried out in order to eliminate certain conditions. X-Rays may be taken, but are usually not required.
Often patients will have received treatment from their GP and investigations will have been carried out. Once a working diagnosis is formed, the chiropractor will explain the problem, and how it developed, to the patient and how we would manage the treatment. This may involve some gentle spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), soft tissue work, massage, ultrasound, exercises and advice on posture at work and at home.
Ideally, following some specific treatment, not only will the symptoms have been resolved but the patient should have a good quality of healing. If the advice on exercise, posture and correct use is followed the patient should be able to prevent subsequent injury and maintain the future health of their body.
Patients
Patients at this clinic vary greatly in both age and fitness. The farming community of Devon present with injuries due to handling large animals and machinery and more elderly workers have problems of wear and tear due to years of hard work. Office workers can suffer neck and back pain due to bad sitting postures and repetitive strain injuries from prolonged keyboard usage.
Younger people are attending more commonly due to sports injuries (usually rugby and skiing but also golf and bowling). Many middle aged patients are suffering due to years of poor lifting practices, bad posture and lack of fitness.
Unfortunately people are now obliged to work longer hours with less help and have less time to maintain their own health.