Your practitioner isn’t “fixing” you
Here’s what’s really going on When you’re in pain, it’s natural to want someone to “fix” it. A quick adjustment, a magicneedle, a release. But the truth is — pain is more complex than a tight muscle or somethingbeing “out.” Long-term recovery is about more than just hands-on treatment. At Pittwater Chiro, we often hear praise for “fixing” your pain, and while we’d love to take thecredit, it’s not us who fixed it. We were merely the people who pointed you the way.Whether you’re dealing with back pain, a flare-up in your shoulder, or a niggly hip, youdon’t need to be fixed. You need support, guidance, and the right tools to take controlof your recovery. Pain doesn’t always mean damage (especially when it’s chronic) Many people assume that pain is equal to something torn, out of place, or broken. But this isn’talways the case. The idea of something being ‘out of place’ is often wrong, because ifsomething is truly out of place, then it has been dislocated or subluxed, which would requirea visit to the hospital, not the chiro/physio/osteo. We know that it can feel like something is out of place, though, and that pain is very real. So why does it feel like that? Sometimes, it can be due to altered nerve input/output, or it can be due to increased inflammation in the joint or area of the injury, and sometimes it can be strong muscle guarding to stop you from using that joint. Your body is smart and protective — sometimes too protective. Stress, poor sleep, past injuries, or even beliefsabout your body can amplify pain, even when no structural damage is present. Chronic pain is often more about your nervous system than your tissue. That’s why passive treatments alone don’t always create long-term change. What manual therapy can do This is not to say that manual therapy has no place. Manual therapy like dry needling, cupping, chiropractic adjustments and mobilisation has real value. These modalities can: All of these benefits are pretty important, because without them doing their thing it’s going tobe pretty hard to try to do your homework – like exercise, load management, and some otherstrategies your practitioner may recommend. Manual therapy is also most powerful whencombined with education, rehab, and consistent movement. That’s where lasting changehappens — and it’s what we focus on in the clinic. The pain gate theory: why movement and manual therapy work The pain gate theory explains how the brain filters pain signals. When you experiencemovement, pressure, or non-threatening input (like massage or joint mobilisations), it canclose the gate to pain signals travelling up the spinal cord. This reduces the intensity of pain and helps rewire the brain’s pain pathways — especiallyimportant for avoiding chronic pain. In simple terms: movement and manual therapy changehow your nervous system perceives danger. Less danger equals less pain. What else can my practitioner help with? What’s the point in seeing someone ifThey’re not “fixing” me? We’re not here to fix you. We’re here to guide you. We help you understand your pain orinjury by effectively diagnosing what is going on and giving you clear expectations ofrecovery time frames. We can also guide you on what not to do and what to do at home tohelp shorten the recovery timeframe. And, as mentioned above, we can dull your pain enough to be able to comfortably do whatyou need to do. We could use hands-on treatment to reduce symptoms and improvemobility. We can build strength and capacity through tailored rehab, and we empower you tofeel confident in your body again. You’re not broken – you just need the right tools You’re more resilient than you think. With the right approach, education, and consistenteffort, most injuries and pain states can improve — without relying on someone else to do allthe work. If you’re ready to feel strong, mobile, and back in control, we’d love to support you.
Don’t you just treat backs?
Dr Jess Milsom It’s a misconception that chiropractors should only be sought after when you have back pain, neck pain or a headache. It’s commonly believed that if you suffer from an injury to your upper or lower limb, then you should see a physiotherapist. While there is nothing wrong with seeing a physiotherapist, chiropractors have spent the same amount of time studying upper and lower limb injuries. Also, they have been taught how to effectively assess, diagnose, and treat these limb injuries. Some common conditions we’ve treated here at Pittwater Chiro include (but are not limited to): Chiropractors are taught university-level anatomy and physiology for all parts of the body. To become a chiropractor in Australia, you must complete a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a Master of Chiropractic. Anatomy – the structure of humans – and physiology – normal functions of the living organism – units are required as part of the undergraduate degree. Chiropractic students are taught in the same classes as physiotherapy students. Alongside those units, chiropractic students complete ‘chiropractic’ classes, which are held around three times a week for the entire degree. Chiropractors are thoroughly taught in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of upper and lower limb injuries. For an entire year and a half at Macquarie University, classes focus solely on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of upper and lower limb injuries. Furthermore, these injuries are then further studied in the final two years of the postgraduate degree with a sport’s specific focus. To graduate and become a qualified chiropractor, a student will have learnt, and assessed on, key orthopedic, neurological, and functional testing of the entire body. Also, we are taught and assessed on our ability to incorporate the findings of the testing and form an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Alongside all those units, we are required to complete research units as part of our postgraduate degree. This unit further develops our ability to treat in an evidence-based manner. Essentially, the degree teaches us how to access the best quality of research and evidence. This means weeding out studies and information which is perhaps biased or untrue. This means the way we assess, diagnose, and treat is in tune with the best clinical guidelines and recommendations. Chiropractors can perform manipulations and mobilizations for upper and lower limb injuries. Part of your treatment with a chiropractor can include joint manipulations and mobilizations of the upper or lower limb. Alongside this, we are taught various soft tissue techniques, including active release, post-isometric relaxation, and simple massage techniques. At Pittwater Chiro, all our chiropractors are qualified in dry needling. In addition, we also offer shockwave and cupping. We have a lot of tools in our kit when approaching the treatment of an upper or lower limb injury. Chiropractors can create safe and effective rehabilitation and exercise programs. Chiropractors can create tailored rehabilitation programs to safely increase your range of motion, endurance, load tolerance and/or power generation. This is a crucial part of returning from an injury to ensure you don’t reinjure the area. Chiropractors can refer and point you in the right direction. We’re also well-versed in recognizing if your condition needs co-management with another health professional, such as an orthopedic specialist. Chiropractors possess the expertise and knowledge to treat injuries in both the upper and lower limbs effectively. Their holistic approach, extensive training in anatomy and physiology, targeted adjustments, and focus on rehabilitation make them valuable healthcare partners in helping patients recover from musculoskeletal injuries. By considering chiropractic as a viable treatment option, individuals can find a non-invasive and drug-free path to healing.
