The many forms of treatment we provide are all considered to be extremely low risk. Although there is an element of risk present in any form of medical treatment there have been very few adverse events reported in any of the techniques that we utilise. Your practitioner will discuss any concerns or questions you have regarding your care before performing any treatment.
What ages could benefit from treatment at Hills Spinal Health?
People of all ages have benefited from our care. We have had the pleasure of helping people right from birth through to people in their late 90s. We are yet to help anyone over 100 but I’m sure the day will come!
We love caring for families in our clinic.
How can I develope a healthy spine?
Developing a healthy spine begins by understanding the three keys of strength, flexibility, and posture. Strength, flexibility, and improving your posture will go a long way towards reducing pain and improving your spine’s function.
What you may not realize is that you began your life with a single curve, and the others developed as you began to crawl and walk as a child.
My head hurts, could it be coming from your neck?
A headache that starts from an issue in the neck is called a cervicogenic headache. A cervicogenic headache is characterized by a dull pain that radiates from the neck to the back of the head. At times it may spread around the side or front of your head.
Is my leg pain coming from my back?
It may seem odd to think that nagging leg, calf, or foot pain could be traced back to a low back problem… But if you’ve had pain in your leg or foot, a pinched nerve in your low back may be creating your issue! Pain that travels along a spinal nerve is called radicular pain, and it’s one of the most common types of pain that occurs as a result of spinal nerve compression.
What causes my low back pain?
Low back pain is the number one reason people worldwide visit their doctor and miss work.
In many cases, your daily habits are a big contributor to your back pain.
Repetitive stress, nagging injuries, a diet filled with inflammatory foods, and a lack of daily exercise and movement can contribute to an increased likelihood of back pain.
What is the best way to treat shoulder pain?
Did you know… your shoulder is the most unstable and moveable joint in your body.
Its wide range of motion is facilitated by four primary muscles and their tendons, which together are called the rotator cuff. If your shoulder becomes inflamed or an impingement occurs, you may make the mistake of avoiding using your arm to help it heal. It may surprise you to learn that controlled movement is one of the best ways to heal.
Why isn't my shoulder moving?
Pain in and around the shoulder is very common after a car accident or work injury. The shoulder is considered an unstable joint which means that it has a tremendous range of motion but not much stability. The combination of fantastic mobility and limited stability make it extremely susceptible to injuries as a result of the impact.
If your shoulder or arms feel restricted, sore, or painful after an accident, we recommend having it evaluated so you can get the proper care to start healing better, faster.
How to strengthen my spinal discs?
No one wants to deal with back pain.
Whether you’re living with pain today or looking to reduce your risk of injury in the future, you may be curious about how you can strengthen your spine.
When it comes to strengthening spinal discs, it’s wise to start with the body’s core — the set of muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support your spinal column and help your spinal discs move.
What is the best way to treat sciatica?
If you’ve ever fallen to your knees in pain because of sciatica, you know how scary it can be. Pain that locks up your low back and travels down your leg after sneezing, coughing, or bending over is one of the least welcomed surprises you can experience in your life.
Sciatic pain is caused when a spinal disc, excess bone, or overgrown ligaments begin to pinch the nerves in your low back that travel down your buttocks and legs all the way to your feet. Do you know the best way to find relief?
Can I slow down the dreaded degenerative disc disease?
The dreaded degenerative disc disease. Well, it may not be so dreaded after all. You may be surprised to learn that degenerative disc disease is a part of the normal aging process. As we age, our discs lose some of their water content and become less supple. This makes them appear darker on an MRI. And when they appear darker on MRI, you guessed it; they are labeled as degenerative.
Just because many of us will experience some level of spinal disc degeneration as we age doesn’t mean that process is the same for everyone. Research has shown that by taking a pro-active approach to your spinal health, you may be able to slow down the degenerative process.
Will the treatment hurt?
Absolutely not. We are not believers in the “no pain, no gain” way of thinking. Our treatments are generally gentle and are always tailored to the needs and preferences of each individual. All our practitioners are trained in low force techniques that give us a wide range of options when it comes to designing a program that is right for you.
How to reduce my risk of sports injuries?
With the proper plan of action, many sports injuries can be prevented.
Developing a fitness plan that includes dynamic stretching, strength training, and cardiovascular exercise can help decrease your chance of injury.
Each aspect of your plan will of course require movement, aka biomechanics – the science of how your muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together to produce movement.
Ensuring that you have optimal biomechanics is critical to reducing the chance of injury.
Can an adjustment help my athletic performance?
You may have heard that chiropractic care can help improve your athletic performance.
Is it true?
The truth is that many athletes work with chiropractors to improve their performance.
Chiropractors have a unique outlook on health and well-being that is often the perfect match for athletes and people looking to stay active.
How can I recover from whiplash after an auto accident?
Your spine is a long chain of bones, discs, muscles, and ligaments that extend from your skull down to your tailbone. The cervical spine – better known as your neck – is designed to support your head and protect the nerves that connect to your face, shoulders, and arms. Whiplash injuries can create damage to these delicate structures and can cause symptoms such as headaches, neck pain, stiffness, shoulder pain, numberless, and tingling/pain into the arms and hands. We have seen many patients who have experienced whiplash over the years at our chiropractic clinic.
How often will I need treatment?
This obviously varies depending on your own unique needs. We don’t believe there is such a thing as a ‘one size fits all’ approach to healthcare, so every treatment program is specific to your individual requirements.
Will I need to keep coming back?
This varies depending on each individual case. Often a course of treatment will be required, as we always prefer to correct the real causes of your condition, rather than focusing on ‘quick fix’ band-aid approaches. However, the myth that once you begin care you have to keep coming back is exactly that – a myth.
Many people do choose to benefit from some form of ongoing care- once you know how great you can feel, why would you want to feel anything else? The reality is that life creates constant stresses on our body, mind and emotions and some form of regular tune up can really assist in keeping that balanced. However how long you choose to benefit from care is always up to you.
Can I have treatment during pregnancy?
We have had the pleasure of caring for many pregnant women and young families. Our clinic is equipped with specialised pregnancy pillows support cushions to allow expecting mums to be treated in comfort. Many have remarked that they’re happy to come in just to have a chance to lie comfortably for a while!
How can I relieve my back pain during pregnancy?
Spinal adjustments are considered a highly safe, effective, non-invasive, and evidence-based option for women to find relief from pregnancy-induced back pain. In fact, Chiropractors often also provide specific exercise and stretching recommendations to help ensure lasting results.
A recent study found that patients who received care from their OB-GYN and Chiropractor together had greater reductions in pain and improved quality of life versus those who only saw an OB-GYN alone.
Will my treatment be covered by my private health fund? Can I claim on the spot?
Our treatment is covered by all private health funds. We have a HICAPS machine which means you can swipe your healthcare card to claim on the spot and simply pay the gap amount.
Is it expensive?
This depends entirely on your perspective. Our belief is that your health is your most valuable possession and that money invested in health pays huge dividends. Experience has shown that you can either invest in looking after your health up front, or you can pay the price later (which is often much greater and costs much more than just money).
We pride ourselves on always providing excellent value to our clients.
How long before I start to feel better?
This obviously varies depending on your condition and your unique body, however people typically begin to feel noticeably better within their first or second treatment.
My problem has nothing to do with pain? am I still in the right place?
Absolutely. Relieving pain is actually just a small part of what we do (although it is something we excel at). People consult us for many reasons and our practitioners are trained in a wide variety of holistic techniques to allow us to help with a broad range of issues.
What is an adjustment?
An adjustment is the chiropractic term for realignment of a dysfunctional joint. The joint may be spinal or anywhere else in the body. The purpose of an adjustment is to restore normal joint motion and mechanics, but more importantly to restore normal neurological function. Research is increasingly indicating that the major effect of an adjustment occurs in the brain.
This adjustment may be performed by hand or with the help of an instrument such as an activator.There are many ways to create an adjustment, including gentle low force techniques. An adjustment is typically not a painful experience.
What is the cracking sound during an adjustment?
The cracking sound that is sometimes heard during an adjustment is simply gas being released inside the joint as the joint capsule stretches. It is most definitely not bones cracking!
The easiest way to think of this is to imagine a suction cup stuck on a pane of glass. If you pull the suction cup off there will be a popping noise as the two surfaces separate. This is basically what happens in an adjustment as the joint surfaces separate.
For those who simply can’t tolerate even the thought of ‘cracking’, there are many ways to achieve an adjustment without any cracking whatsoever.
What is the difference between Chiropractic and Physiotherapy?
This is obviously dependent on which chiropractor and which physiotherapist you are talking about, as there are many different techniques in each profession. However, the difference is that physios are generally focused on your muscles, while chiropractors are generally focused on your nerves.
Since the nerves control and coordinate all aspects of muscular function (as well as everything else in your body) we think this just makes good sense!
When should I see a Chiropractor?
The most common conditions that people reactively seek chiropractic care for are low back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
Chiropractors are highly trained in movement and biomechanics, and periodic visits to a chiropractor give you the chance to identify, evaluate, and take care of any emerging health issues before they become a big deal.
Are Chiropractors real doctors?
All Chiropractors in Australia are recognised as doctors by the Australian Government and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency (AHPRA). Chiropractors in Australia undergo 5 years of university education, comprising of an undergraduate degree and a Masters degree in Chiropractic.
This includes training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, radiology, neurology, biomechanics, orthopaedics, rehabilitation, nutrition and many other disciplines. It also includes a 2 year clinical internship.
Chiropractors are considered ‘Primary Care Physicians’. They are highly trained, skilled and qualified to care for your health.