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Posts filed under: Neck Pain

5 Things About Neck Pain You May Not Know

Neck Pain Facts | Chiropractor Geelong

  1. Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal issue in Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW), 13% of Australians reported experiencing neck pain in the 2017-18 period. 
  2. Several risk factors may contribute to the high prevelance of neck pain in Australia, include; sedentary lifestyles, poor posture & stress.
  3. In Australia, there are a variety of treatment options available for treating neck pain, these may include chiropractic, physiotherapy, myotherapy & osteotherapy.
  4. Women are more likely to experience neck pain compared to men, with the highest incidence between the ages of 35 and 55 years.
  5. Neck pain can present as mild to serve and with a variety of symptoms, some including; pain or stiffness in the neck, headaches, pain into the arm or shoulder and difficulty moving the neck.

Our Geelong chiropractor approach to neck pain

  1. Firstly, our Geelong chiropractor will try to understand the nature of your neck pain, how it started and the impact it has on you.
  2. Our Geelong chiropractor would perform a thorough assessment of your muscles, spinal joints and nerves around the neck area, a posture analysis and other testing rule out serious injury or pathology.
  3. If clinically indicated, referral for further investigations, tests or scans will be made.
  4. We will have an in-depth discussion around the nature of your specific condition, the treatment options available to you and we will map out a care plan to get you back on track as quickly as possible.
  5. If appropriate to do so, we will start your treatment from the first visit to help relieve pain, promote better movement and get your road-to-recovery underway.

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7 Facts About Chiropractic That You May Not Know

Facts about chiropractic that you may not know | Chiropractor Geelong

1. Chiropractic is a holistic healthcare profession

This means that chiropractors believe that the body is a whole system and that all parts of the body work together. They also believe that the spine and nervous systems are the foundations of health and that by improving the function of the spine and nervous system, they can help improve overall health.

2. Chiropractic is a regulated profession

Chiropractors in Australia are regulated and licensed through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulating Agency (AHPRA), which also regulate other medical and dentistry professionals. In order to be licensed, chiropractors must undergo and pass an accredited five-year university program, meet ongoing education and experience requirments.

3. Chiropractic is safe and effective

Chiropractic is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of conditions, including back pain, neck pain, headaches, and joint pain. There is a growing body of scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of chiropractic.

4. Chiropractic is not just about cracking bones

While spinal adjustments are a common chiropractic technique, they are not the only one. Chiropractors also use a variety of other techniques, such as massage, dry needling, mobilisation, and exercise, to help their patients.

5. Chiropractors must undergo five years of university education

In Australia, chiropractors are required to have undergone an accredited five-year university program in order to satisfy regulatory and licensing requirements. During their studies, chiropractors undertake coursework in biology, neurology, orthopaedics, biomechanics, anatomy & physiology and more.

6. Chiropractors are not just for back pain

While spine-related conditions are often a primary reason people may seek chiropractic care. Chiropractors can also help with a variety of other conditions, such as headaches, migraines, TMJ disorders, joint pain, sciatica, and muscle tension.

7. Chiropractic is not a one-size-fits-all treatment

Chiropractic care is tailored to your needs, goals and resources available. Read about our Geelong chiropractors approach to treatment.

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References

  • Roland Bryans, Martin Descarreaux, Mireille Duranleau, Henri Marcoux, Brock Potter, Rick Ruegg, Lynn Shaw, Robert Watkin, Eleanor White,
    Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults With Headache, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Volume 34, Issue 5, 2011, Pages 274-289, ISSN 0161-4754, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.04.008.

Top Ways To Improve Your Spine Health

Top Ways To Improve Your Spine Health In 2023 | Chiropractor Geelong

One of the most common questions our Geelong chiropractors get asked by our clients – What can I do to improve my spine health? While there isn’t a simple answer, however, like most facets of our health, consistency plays a large role. While there may be better, or more effective methods, the best method is the one that is sustainable over a lengthy period of time.

In this blog post, our Geelong chiropractors will share the top ways we help our clients with low back pain, upper back pain and neck pain, while ultimately, getting our client’s spines moving, feeling & functioning at their best going forward.

Move well, move often & move variably

Regular movement of the spine is essential in ensuring proper function of the spine, but in the long-term, is vital for spinal health and overall health.

Starting, maintaining & thriving with a regular exercise routine, often a key pillar our Geelong chiropractors educate our clients on.

Once our clients have maintained a regular exercise regime, we may then suggest exposing the body to different movements, exercises or activities to broadened the body and nervous system’s adaptability.

Aiming to promote better muscle, joint and nerve function.

Prioritise sleep

Ensuring your moving and exercising regularly is one thing, prioritising your sleep and recovery is another.

Sleep not only plays a role in our ability to recover stronger, more resilient & robust from exercise, but allows us to be manage, mitigate and buffer the stressors in our lives.

Establishing a regular nightly sleep routine, and ideally, waking up in the morning feeling refreshed is a good sign of quality sleep.

Manage stresses

Now that we know sleep can buffer and mitigate the detrimental effects of sleep, there are other strategies you can employ to reduce the negative impact stress can have on your spine health and health overall.

Increased, sustained levels of stress can increase central nervous system sensitivity, elevate muscle tension and much more, ideally something we want to be able to manage well over our life times.

Regular mediation (look into NSDR or non-sleep, deep rest techniques), engaging in regular social and/or joyous activities, meaningful & purposeful work, formal exercise & physical activity regime, and of course, sleep, are all proven ways to better manage our stress levels.

References

  1. Traeger AC, Buchbinder R, Elshaug AG, Croft PR, Maher CG. Care for low back pain: can health systems deliver?. Bull World Health Organ. 2019;97(6):423-433. doi:10.2471/BLT.18.226050

Better Results, Faster, With Multi Modal Chiropractic Care

What is multi modal Chiropractic care?

At Empowered Health Chiropractic, our Geelong chiropractors often hear that we are quite distinct from other health practitioners in the way we assess, treat and manage a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. We are commonly referred to as multi-modal chiropractors, meaning, we use a variety of methods to achieve optimal outcomes in pain relief, better movement and function for our clients. Whilst we incorporate traditional chiropractic care, we also utilise a variety of soft tissue therapies, dry needling, exercise and rehabilitation methods.

Our Geelong chiropractors understand no two people are the same, having a skillset of different strategies have enabled us at Empowered Health Chiropractic to effectively treat not only the problem at hand, but most importantly, each person individually and specifically.

Our techniques have helped our clients with low back painneck painheadachesTMJ painshoulder painsciaticadizziness & vertigo and more.

Luka Fantela-Chiropractor-Geelong

Manual chiropractic adjustments

Our aim with manual chiropractic adjustments is effective pain relief and quick improvements in joint and muscle function.

Often used as part of an overall management plan, in conjunction with other soft tissue therapy, exercise & rehabilitation.

Education

Education is essential to not only better understand your condition but also the causes underlying it.

This is important in the short & long-term when managing your condition between treatment and independently.

Knowing what lifestyle & activity modifications to make specifically to you, can allow your body to get back on track quicker.

Dry needling & other soft tissue therapies

Dry needling is another effective strategy we employ to reduce myofacial pain and promote better muscle function.

This may be in the form of traditional massage techniques, dry needling, active release technique (ART) and more.

Exercise & rehabilitation therapy

Our ultimate goal at Empowered Health, is to get you moving, feeling and functioning at your best long term.

An essential pillar of sustaining our outcomes is through home-care, strength and movement training.

Our Geelong Chiropractors want you to be feel empowered over your health condition, allowing you to take back control of your life.

Luka Fantela-Chiropractor-Geelong
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Questions?

    References

    1. D. Scott Kreiner, Paul Matz, Christopher M. Bono, Charles H. Cho, John E. Easa, Gary Ghiselli, Zoher Ghogawala, Charles A. Reitman, Daniel K. Resnick, William C. Watters, Thiru M. Annaswamy, Jamie Baisden, Walter S. Bartynski, Shay Bess, Randall P. Brewer, R. Carter Cassidy, David S. Cheng, Sean D. Christie, Norman B. Chutkan, Bernard Allan Cohen, Simon Dagenais, Dennis E. Enix, Paul Dougherty, S. Raymond Golish, Padma Gulur, Steven W. Hwang, Cumhur Kilincer, Jeffrey A. King, Adam C. Lipson, Anthony J. Lisi, Richard J. Meagher, John E. O’Toole, Paul Park, Murat Pekmezci, Daniel R. Perry, Ravi Prasad, David A. Provenzano, Kris E. Radcliff, Gazanfar Rahmathulla, Tom E. Reinsel, Robert L. Rich, Daniel S. Robbins, Karie A. Rosolowski, Jonathan N. Sembrano, Anil K. Sharma, Alison A. Stout, Christopher K. Taleghani, Ryan A. Tauzell, Terry Trammell, Yakov Vorobeychik, Amy M. Yahiro, Guideline summary review: an evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain, The Spine Journal, Volume 20, Issue 7, 2020, Pages 998-1024, ISSN 1529-9430, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2020.04.006.
    2. Steven Z. George, Julie M. Fritz, Sheri P. Silfies, Michael J. Schneider, Jason M. Beneciuk, Trevor A. Lentz, John R. Gilliam, Stephanie Hendren, and Katherine S. Norman, Interventions for the Management of Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Revision 2021, Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2021, 51:11, CPG1-CPG60
    3. Nowak, Zuzanna, Maciej Chęciński, Aleksandra Nitecka-Buchta, Sylwia Bulanda, Danuta Ilczuk-Rypuła, Lidia Postek-Stefańska, and Stefan Baron. 2021. “Intramuscular Injections and Dry Needling within Masticatory Muscles in Management of Myofascial Pain. Systematic Review of Clinical Trials” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 18: 9552. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189552

    Top Tips To Improve Your Spine Posture This Year

    Why Is Spine Posture Important?

    Living in the Western world, we are spending more time than ever sitting at a desk, behind the wheel or relaxing on the couch with technology. These repetitive behaviours have a compounding effect on our posture, eventually confirming the argument, we are a product of our environment and habits.

    Our posture is a constant physical stress on our body, unlike our work, exercise or other physical activities, our postural stress is there from the moment we wake to the time we retire for the night. Ensuring we are in the best possible position can minimise the impact that this can have on our spine, body and health overall. While also limiting the likelihood of lower back painneck painshoulder painheadaches & more.

    Combating poor postural practices, with better awareness of our body position, daily good postural practices and exercise strategies are ultimately the biggest things we can do to start shifting the needle with our postural health.

    Read on below if you’d like to learn some of the key strategies our Geelong Chiropractors suggest when it comes to improving posture.

    1. Work Ergonomic Set Up

    These changes can often be small, but with the volume of time we spend at our computers and desks, they can really add up.

    Alterations such as ensuring ideal seat height, monitor height and distance, and arm position are easy ways to optimise your posture, and ultimately the stress on your spine during these tasks.

    2. Car Seat Set Up

    Finding yourself slouching or hunching while driving? Considering how much time we might spend behind the wheel on our daily commute this can add up.

    Small modifications to your seat position, adding some lumbar support and raising your review mirror (so you need to sit up in order to see behind you) are all easy cues to improve your spine posture while driving.

    3. Move Often

    No matter how great your posture is there is no substitute for regular movement and exercise.

    Having regular breaks from work tasks, hobbies or the like allows you to mobilise and reset your body.

    Throughout your day, set an alarm, timer or notification system every 30-60 minutes to get up, walk around and do something else for 5 or so minutes.

    4. Incorporate Postural Self-Care

    Posture self-care might be as simple as incorporating basic stretches into your daily routine, targeting your low back, mid back, shoulders and neck areas.

    Laying down with a foam roller along your spine, promotes more extension through the middle and upper parts of our spine. This can be a great reset after a big day of sitting hunched over.

    Also, getting into a regular exercise regime, combining exercises targeting our hips, back, shoulders & neck can be effective strategies to fortify these areas from posture-related stresses.

    Have a questions for our team?

      References

      1. MacLean, Kathleen F.E. et al. ‘The Role of at Home Workstation Ergonomics and Gender on Musculoskeletal Pain’. 1 Jan. 2022 : 309 – 318. https://content.iospress.com/articles/work/wor210692
      2. Radulović, Azra Huršidić, Žaja, Roko, Milošević, Milan, Radulović, Bojana, Luketić, Ivica and Božić, Tajana. “Work from home and musculoskeletal pain in telecommunications workers during COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot study” Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, vol.72, no.3, 2021, pp.232-239. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2021-72-355