The chiropractor's first concern is to find the underlying cause of your problem, which may not always be located where you are feeling pain or discomfort.

The chiropractor will take a full case history and conduct a thorough neurological and orthopaedic examination. This will include a detailed analysis of how your individual bones, joints and muscles move.

X-rays or MRI scans may be taken and analysed to help the diagnosis, to check for any abnormalities, or for any conditions which would suggest that a different form of treatment would be more suitable. For this examination you may choose a male or female chiropractor if you have a preference.

Type and duration of treatment
Treatment is based on the simple premise that mechanical malfunction is best treated by mechanical correction. Therapy is designed to restore the normal range of movement to the joint, relax muscle spasm and relieve strain on ligaments. This is done by gently unlocking the stiff joints with skilled manipulation by hand, using just the right amount of pressure to restore proper function and mobility. The chiropractor will also discuss your lifestyle, suggesting ways in which you can improve posture, seating and working practices. You will then be in a position to modify your home life and working habits to avoid a recurrence of the complaint.

How effective is Chiropractic ?
Research undertaken by the British Medical Research Council and published in the British Medical Journal in 1990 established that patients receiving Chiropractic treatment showed a greater improvement than those given hospital out-patient care. This study, along with many others, helped inform the evidence based guidelines into the management of chronic low back pain published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in May 2009 which recommend that one of the first treatment options to be considered should be a course of manual therapy including spinal manipulation.