Why All The Fuss?

Don’t overlook your pain, no matter how small. Back and neck pain are subjective – which means you have to tell me what your pain feels like. PAIN is important because it tells you…something is wrong. Covering it up does not help the problem. When you come to the office we will do definitive tests that can measure and diagnose your pain. Therefore, it falls on you to communicate your pain symptoms to us.

By accurately noting your pain symptoms, and giving us a clear picture of them, you are taking an important step toward getting a diagnosis. Here are some things to note:
Pain Intensity

How bad does it hurt? Pain intensity is a measure of how strong your pain is and these are important to us as only you can tell how much pain you are in.

As a pain sufferer, this is probably the most important part of the ordeal for you. Intensity levels fluctuate, so it is impossible to get a useful, accurate measurement of them from our testing. Instead, we use visual assessment tools and sometimes questionnaires to help you communicate your level of pain so we can do everything to help you as fast as we can.
Type of Pain
The types of painful feelings you have in your back or neck are an indication of what is going on in your spine. This is a very important part of your care. For example, if you experience burning, stabbing or electrical sensations down one leg or arm, it probably indicates a very ‘irritated’ nerve. I know you probably know what a tooth ache feels like, or even someone pinching you, but ALL pain is related to your nervous system.

If your muscles feel stiff or tight you may have pain due to an injury, or posture problems, or both. Don’t wait. Get checked if you have any pain because pain is the last sign there is a problem, not the first.