It can happen in an instant.

You bend down to pick something up, lift a bag of mulch, turn your head, reach for something on a high shelf and suddenly something doesn’t feel right. Your back locks up, your neck becomes difficult to move, or you get a sharp pain that travels down your leg.

When that happens, the last thing you want to do is wait days or weeks for an appointment and hope it settles on its own.

For people in Redland Bay, seeing a Chiropractor Redland Bay locals can get to quickly can be a useful first step when the problem appears to be musculoskeletal. At Prime Health Co., we regularly see people with sudden lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder injuries, muscle spasms and sciatica-type symptoms.

Of course, not every episode of pain needs chiropractic treatment and some symptoms need urgent medical attention. The important thing is working out which situation you’re dealing with.

When people search for an “emergency chiropractor”, they’re generally looking for somewhere they can be seen quickly when they’ve suddenly developed pain.

A chiropractic clinic isn’t an emergency department and isn’t equipped to deal with serious medical emergencies such as major trauma, suspected fractures, heart attacks or strokes.

What we can help with is assessing sudden musculoskeletal problems and, when appropriate, providing treatment to help get you moving again.

Some of the more common problems we see include:

• Sudden lower back pain
• Acute neck pain and stiffness
• Muscle spasms
• Shoulder pain
• Sciatica-type symptoms
• Sports and activity-related injuries
• Acute joint and soft-tissue pain

Rather than assuming every episode of pain needs the same treatment, we first want to understand what has happened, what you’re experiencing and how it’s affecting your movement.

This is an important one.

A chiropractor isn’t a substitute for emergency medical care. Some symptoms need to be assessed urgently by a medical doctor or at the hospital emergency department rather than waiting for treatment from your chiropractor.

Seek urgent medical attention if you have symptoms such as:

• Major trauma or a suspected fracture
• New loss of bladder or bowel control
• Significant or progressively worsening weakness or numbness
• Severe neurological symptoms
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing
• A sudden, severe headache with neurological symptoms such as facial drooping, difficulty speaking, dizziness/vertigo, loss of sensation, difficulty swallowing or severe neck stiffness.
• Fever or feeling generally unwell alongside severe spinal pain
• Any situation where you feel seriously unwell or unsafe

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t wait for a chiropractic appointment, seek appropriate medical care or call an ambulance ASAP.

Sudden lower back pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people come into the clinic.

It might start after lifting something, bending, twisting, training at the gym or sometimes for no obvious reason at all. You may find that your back feels extremely tight, you’re having muscle spasms, or even simple things like standing up or getting in and out of the car become difficult.

If you’re looking for lower back pain treatment in Redland Bay, this is often a good time to get the problem assessed rather than simply trying to push through it.

Neck pain and stiffness

You may have woken up one morning and suddenly realised you can’t turn your head properly. We often refer to this as a “wry neck”.

It can happen after sleeping awkwardly, spending a long time at a computer, exercising or even from a relatively minor knock.

The pain and stiffness can be surprisingly intense, particularly when you try to look over your shoulder. An assessment can help work out what’s contributing to the problem and whether chiropractic care is appropriate.

Pain travelling into the leg

There’s a difference between having some general lower back soreness and experiencing pain, tingling or numbness that travels into the buttock or leg.

People often describe this as sciatica, although there can be several different reasons for these symptoms. That’s why it’s important to have them properly assessed rather than assuming they’re simply a pulled muscle.

Sudden shoulder pain

Shoulder pain can also come on fairly suddenly — after lifting, playing sport, repetitive overhead work or simply reaching awkwardly.

Depending on what’s causing the problem, treatment might include hands-on therapy, soft-tissue techniques and exercises to gradually restore movement and strength.

We don’t just see people who wake up with sudden pain.

Many of the problems we treat have been gradually building up over weeks or months before someone finally decides it’s time to do something about them.

At Prime Health Co., we commonly assess and treat:

• Lower back pain
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Sciatica
• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendinitis
• Sports and activity-related injuries
• Muscle and soft-tissue problems
• Pregnancy-related musculoskeletal pain

Everyone is a little different, so we don’t believe in simply giving everyone the same treatment. What we recommend depends on your symptoms, your history, what we find during the assessment and what you’re hoping to get back to doing.

There’s no single treatment that works for every type of pain. Sometimes hands-on treatment is appropriate, while other problems respond better to a combination of treatment and rehabilitation.

Chiropractic care

Depending on the problem, chiropractic care may include joint mobilisation or manipulation and other hands-on techniques designed to improve movement and reduce symptoms.

The aim isn’t simply to treat the painful area and send you on your way. We also want to understand why the problem has occurred and what we can do to help prevent it becoming a recurring issue.

Dry needling

Dry needling can be useful for some muscular problems, particularly when tight muscles or trigger points are contributing to pain or restricted movement.

It’s one of the tools we can use when it’s appropriate, rather than something we automatically use for everyone.

Shockwave therapy

Shockwave therapy can be useful for a number of tendon and soft-tissue problems, including conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis and some shoulder tendon problems.

Although it’s generally used for more chronic conditions, it can sometimes be used for acute soft tissue pain or injuries.

Exercise and rehabilitation

Getting out of pain is only part of the process.

Depending on the problem, rehabilitation may involve exercises to improve strength, mobility, movement and confidence. This is particularly important if you want to get back to sport, work or your normal activities without the same problem continuing to come back.

If you’re already in pain, walking into a new clinic can feel a little daunting, particularly if you’re not sure what is going to happen.

At your first appointment, we’ll start by talking through what’s been happening and how the problem started. We’ll then perform an appropriate physical assessment, which may include orthopaedic and neurological testing depending on your symptoms.

From there, we’ll explain what we think is contributing to the problem and talk through your treatment options.

Where appropriate, treatment can usually start at that first appointment.

Sometimes an assessment will suggest that further testing, imaging or a medical review is more appropriate. If that’s the case, we’ll explain why and help point you in the right direction.

Pregnancy can bring plenty of changes to the way your body feels and moves.

As your body changes throughout pregnancy, you may experience lower back pain, pelvic discomfort, hip pain or symptoms travelling into the leg, sometimes for the first time.

Pregnancy Chiropractic Care at Prime Health Co. is tailored to the individual and the stage of pregnancy, with positioning and techniques modified to keep you comfortable.

As always during pregnancy, if you develop anything unusual or concerning, it’s important to speak with your GP, midwife or obstetrician as well.

We’re a local Redland Bay clinic and our approach is pretty straightforward: listen to what’s going on, properly assess the problem and work with you to find an appropriate way forward.

We offer:

• Chiropractic care
• Dry needling
• Shockwave therapy
• Exercise and rehabilitation
• Pregnancy-focused chiropractic care
• Treatment for sports and activity-related injuries
• Support for back, neck, shoulder, sciatica, foot and tendon problems

Our clinic is located at 75 Boundary Street, Redland Bay QLD, with off-street parking available.

If you’ve developed a new musculoskeletal problem and you’re looking for a Chiropractor in Redland Bay, the team at Prime Health Co. can assess what’s going on and talk you through your options.

Book an appointment with Prime Health Co. in Redland Bay and let’s work out what’s going on.