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What’s the difference between Chiro, Physio and Massage?

People often wonder what type of practitioner they should see for their health problem. Physio? Massage? Chiro? You can ask around and you’ll get lots of opinions.

Some people are “physio” people. They won’t see anyone but a physio no matter what anyone says.

Other people say that massage is the only way to go.

There are “Chiro” people too. Their experience is that chiropractic is what worked for them.

If you are trying to decide what is right for you, we’ve put together a guide to make it easier for you to find the right person.

At Family Chiropractic Bundaberg our goal is to help you get better, fast. We regularly refer people to physiotherapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, medical practitioners and other health professionals when we feel the person needs something other than, or in addition to chiropractic care.

Many people we see also have a physiotherapist, massage therapist, podiatrist etc. who they consult when appropriate. You don’t have to limit yourself to one type of practitioner. We believe in a team approach to health.

What’s the difference between chiropractic care, physiotherapy and massage therapy?

This is a tricky question because there are lots of different types of chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists so what you experience with one could be very similar or quite different from another. So the easiest way for us to answer this is to show you what we do, and also what we refer to other practitioners for.

At Family Chiropractic Bundaberg, we use a gentle, whole-person approach to help with the following:

✓ Low Back Pain

If you have low back pain it can affect every aspect of your life. Pain can be aching, throbbing or tightness, or it can be sharp or stabbing. Our chiropractors’ first priority is to identify what is causing your low back pain so they can recommend a strategy that corrects the cause rather than just short-term, temporary relief.

✓ Hip Pain

Hip and pelvic problems can create symptoms such as groin pain, hip pain when lying in bed, pain when walking, low back pain and restriction with activities like putting on shoes, socks or underwear.

✓ Pelvic Pain

Your Pelvis is the foundation of your spine. Just like a building, if your foundation is out of balance it can affect everything above (and below).

✓ Slipped Disc

If you have a ‘slipped disc’ you are likely to be in a lot of pain or discomfort. There is a loss of stability in your low back and your muscles are going into spasm to limit your movement.

✓ Neck Pain

Neck pain can range from annoying to debilitating. it can be the result of a trauma, such as a whiplash injury, a head knock or sleeping awkwardly, or neck pain can come on gradually from poor posture, stress or repetitive strain. Our chiropractors are skilled at identifying and correcting the cause of neck pain to eliminate pain and restore normal movement.

✓ Headaches

Relief of headaches without medication is one of the most common reasons people see us at Family Chiropractic. Our clinical experience, along with recent research, shows that a high number of headaches and migraines are caused by problems in the neck. Correcting neck alignment and movement often reduces or eliminates headaches.

✓ Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain and restriction is one of the most common problems we help with at Family Chiropractic. People with shoulder problems often have difficulty getting comfortable in bed, putting on clothes or lifting things above shoulder height. Uncorrected shoulder problems can lead to severe restriction or ‘frozen shoulder’.

✓ Rib Pain

Your ribs are quite mobile and can become stuck or misaligned just like other joints in your body. Rib pain can be very painful and is often misdiagnosed. It can be felt as pain in the chest or in the back depending on where the ribs have become misaligned.

✓ Pins & Needles

We commonly help people who are experiencing pins and needles, especially in the hands, arms or feet/legs. The cause of the pins and needles is often nerve irritation from spinal dysfunction. Nerve irritation can occur when spinal joints are misaligned, not moving properly or have lost their normal spacing.

✓ Numbness

If you’re experiencing numbness you may have a problem with your nerves. A nerve may be damaged or irritated causing interruption to messages between your brain and body. Nerve irritation is frequently caused by misalignments or dysfunction in the spine.

✓ Sciatica

‘Sciatica’ is a medical term that describes a very painful condition where there is a burning or shooting pain down your leg. The pain down your leg can have a number of different causes and the first step for our chiropractors will be to determine what the underlying cause is so they can help you find relief as soon as possible.

✓ Nerve Pain

Like numbness, pins and needles and sciatica, nerve pain is often caused by problems in the spine. Nerve pain can be experienced as pain down your arms or legs, in your hands or feet or in your neck or backside.

✓ Sports Injuries

Sports injuries are among the most frequent reasons that strong, mobile and healthy people present to us at Family Chiropractic. Even a minor injury can take you out of the sport you love for weeks at a time and starts reducing the fitness, mobility, community and mental health benefits we get from sport.

✓ Pregnancy

Pregnancy can create extra stress and demand on a woman’s body that may result in pain or other symptoms in your neck, low back, pelvis, pubic symphysis, ribs, hips, shoulders and more. Our chiropractors use gentle, pregnancy-specific techniques to help you adapt to the body changes that happen during pregnancy.

✓ Babies & Kids

Chiropractic care is different for babies and kids than it is for adults. Our chiropractors are trained in age-appropriate methods that are gentle and safe. We are members of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA).

✓ Poor Mobility

Your body was made to move. Unfortunately some people lose mobility as they get older and it can affect every part of life. What most people don’t realise however is that you can maintain and even improve your mobility as you age.

✓ Posture

Poor posture doesn’t just look bad, it creates extra strain on muscles and joints, causes neck pain and headaches and has a range of associated health problems. We have seen a sharp increase in people with poor posture since the introduction of smartphones and tablets. Not surprisingly, kids are among the most common people we help with posture problems.

✓ Scoliosis

If you or your child has scoliosis, you may be aware of asymmetries like one shoulder or hip higher than the other, or ribs being more prominent on one side. Scoliosis is often picked up by a swimming instructor or dance teacher who notices these asymmetries. The good news is that chiropractic care can help.

We refer to Bundaberg Physiotherapists for the following:

Rehabilitation after joint surgery e.g. hip replacement
Torn muscles, tendons or ligaments
Some balance problems e.g. vertigo
Rehabilitation after fractures/broken bones
Co-management of sports performance
Co-management of other conditions where indicated

We refer to local Massage Therapists for the following:

Relaxation massage
Deep Tissue Massage
Co-management of headaches, neck pain or low back pain
Co-management of repetitive strain injuries

Your health is our priority.

At Family Chiropractic Bundaberg our integrative approach has three parts:

Chiropractic Adjustments to correct spinal alignment and restore movement
Lifestyle advice to remove the habits that are causing problems
Specific exercises to strengthen and stabilise your spine and body

Ready to schedule an appointment?

If you would like to speak to one of our Bundy Chiros to find out if chiropractic care is right for you, please click below to schedule a complimentary, risk-free, 15-minute phone consultation where you can have your key questions answered.

Schedule your phone call today