What does a chiropractor treat?

From birth through to later life, anyone can experience pain or discomfort related to the spine, joints, or muscles. At Align Chiropractic & Physiotherapy, we provide evidence-based, non-invasive care to help restore movement, relieve pain, and support long-term wellbeing.

Although chiropractic care is best known for treating back pain, it’s effective for a wide range of musculoskeletal and nerve-related conditions across all ages.

Common Conditions We Treat

Chiropractors are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat conditions involving the muscles, joints, nerves, and soft tissues.
Some of the most common issues we help with include:

• Back and neck pain (acute, chronic, or postural)
• Headaches and migraines (including cervicogenic and tension-type)
• Sciatica and radiating leg pain
• Shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain (e.g. frozen shoulder, tennis/golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel)
• Hip, knee, and ankle pain
• Arthritic pain and stiffness
• Sports injuries and repetitive strain
• Pregnancy-related pelvic or lower back pain
• Postural and mobility problems
• Jaw (TMJ) dysfunction and tension

Chiropractic care also supports injury recovery, enhances movement and flexibility, and can be used preventatively to maintain spinal and overall physical health.

Evidence-Based Care

Chiropractic treatment is supported by a substantial body of scientific research.
The UK Evidence Report (Bronfort et al., 2010) on the Effectiveness of Manual Therapies concluded that spinal manipulation and mobilisation are effective for:

• Low back pain (acute, subacute, and chronic)
• Migraine prevention and cervicogenic headaches
• Cervicogenic dizziness
• Upper and lower extremity joint conditions

The report also found that thoracic spinal manipulation is effective for acute/subacute neck pain, and, when combined with exercise, cervical spinal manipulation benefits chronic neck pain. Later findings supported its use for radiating leg pain (sciatica).

This evidence reinforces what many patients experience daily — that gentle, precise, and targeted chiropractic care can reduce pain, improve function, and enhance quality of life.

The Connection Between Nerves, Pain, and Function

A central focus of chiropractic care is the relationship between the spine, nervous system, and overall body function. The spine doesn’t just provide structural support — it also protects the spinal cord, which carries messages between your brain and body.

When spinal joints become restricted or irritated, it can affect these neural pathways, leading to pain, muscle tension, reduced mobility, or changes in sensation and coordination.
Chiropractors assess these relationships carefully, using manual adjustments and specific techniques to help restore normal motion, reduce nerve irritation, and improve communication between the brain and body.

This neuro-musculoskeletal approach helps many patients not only experience relief from pain, but also improved function, balance, and body awareness.