Frequently Asked Questions

Nope! Chiropractors are known for Spinal manipulation or Adjustments, but they are trained to assess, diagnose and treat or manage a whole range of conditions from headaches, neck pain and back pain, to sports injuries and joint pain.

If you are suffering with any of the issues in our ‘Conditions managed’ section, experiencing pain, tension, stiffness or aches, then you may benefit from seeing a Chiropractor. If you are not sure if Chiropractic is for you, feel free to contact the clinic or use our online enquiry form.

There are some differences in qualification. Both Chiropractors and Osteopaths are required to obtain a Master’s degree taking 4 to 5 years. Their study is very similar and focuses predominantly on Neuro-Musculoskeletal diagnosis and management; meaning they focus on joint, muscle and nerve injury and pain. Additionally, Chiropractors are trained to be able to take, report on and read x-rays, and read Spinal MRI Scans.

During a Physiotherapy degree a student will study and work through placements in different areas of patient care such as Respiratory, Cardiovascular and Musculoskeletal, and once qualified they may choose to work within a specific field.

Treatment may vary between professions. Physiotherapists are most commonly associated with providing a more exercise prescription based management of patients. Chiropractors are more often associated with Spinal manipulation and hands on therapy, focusing on the specific problem area. Osteopaths provide similar treatment to Chiropractors but are traditionally considered to be more ‘holistic’, meaning that they look at the rest of the body as a whole.

However, every individual practitioner, no matter the title may be qualified differently, have different interests and practice differently. Some Physiotherapists may provide hands-on manual therapy that could be almost indistinguishable from an Osteopath or Chiropractor. Likewise, some Chiropractors will provide thorough exercise prescription and rehabilitation advice. Regardless of the title, as healthcare professionals we should all be up to date on the latest research and guidelines which should guide the way that we practice. As such, we should all be providing similar care and advice with the same goal and outcome.

Chiropractic is a safe and effective treatment for many different conditions. The risks associated with Chiropractic treatment are:

• Mild to moderate symptoms such as soreness, aches, stiffness and tiredness. These are common and affect around 50% of patients.

• Serious adverse events, such as stroke, spinal injury and nerve injury are very rare. They are estimated to occur in around 1 in 2 million patients (stroke), and 13 in 10,000 patients (Spinal injury/ disc injury/nerve injury).

Your first appointment is an Initial consultation and examination. This will take 45-60 minutes. Before the appointment you will be required to fill out our online forms.

The Chiropractor will initially have a discussion about your complaint/issue, or why you have decided to come to the clinic. They will take a full medical history, asking you questions about your injury or ailment but also your past medical history, such as previous injuries, surgeries or medications and illnesses. This will include your activity levels, work and sports or interest history.

With your permission the Chiropractor will then perform a physical examination. This will involve testing joint mobility, performing neurological tests and orthopaedic tests on your joints, muscles and nerves. In doing this we aim to work out how well you can move, areas of restriction or tenderness, what aggravates your symptoms and what alleviates your symptoms. Some testing is done to check your general health or to ensure that it is something we can manage and safely treat, such as blood pressure and nerve testing.

A combination of a thorough history and physical examination enables the Chiropractor to come to an accurate diagnosis and create an effective care plan for you. This will then be fully explained. You will have the diagnosis, plan of care including treatment, number of treatments, cost, advice and exercises all explained in detail. To proceed with any treatment you will be asked to sign a consent form.

During your first appointment you will be offered treatment, if both you are happy to have it AND the Chiropractor agrees that it will be of benefit.

Treatment will vary for every patient and will be discussed during your initial consultation.

Chiropractic treatment can involve a combination any of the following techniques:

  • • Spinal manipulation/Adjustments
  • • Massage, fascia release, Trigger point therapy
  • • Dry needling/ Acupuncture
  • • Joint manipulations/ mobilisations
  • • Sports taping and K-taping
  • • Advice on lifestyle changes
  • • Exercise prescription (stretching, mobility or rehab/strengthening exercises)
  • • Return to sport advice and protocols

The technical term for the click, crack or pop heard with an Adjustment is Tribonucleation. Tribionucleation is what happens when two solid surfaces (the two bones that meet in a joint) suddenly break contact ( by manipulation) whilst submersed in a liquid containing dissolved gas (synovial fluid which acts as lubrication in all of our moveable joints). The result is the generation of small gas bubbles within the joint, accompanied by the noise!

In other words, when you have a Chiropractic adjustment, or you just ‘crack’ your knuckles, there is a sudden short stretch at the joint causing generation of small bubbles in the joint fluid, and a ‘pop’.

The effect this can have is: increasing mobility, reducing pain and stimulating the nervous system.

  • • Spinal manipulation/Adjustments
  • • Massage, fascia release, Trigger point therapy
  • • Dry needling/ Acupuncture
  • • Joint manipulations/ mobilisations
  • • Sports taping and K-taping
  • • Advice on lifestyle changes
  • • Exercise prescription (stretching, mobility or rehab/strengthening exercises)
  • • Return to sport advice and protocols

No. Adjustments and joint manipulations are only recommended if they are safe and effective for a given patient, AND if the patient is happy to have it. If you don’t like the feeling or the idea of it, or there is a reason that you cannot have it, there are many other options to achieve the same goal.

Some examples of reasons that adjustments may not be safe or effective for a patient are:

• low bone density/ Osteoporosis
• High blood pressure or signs of poor cardiovascular health
• Some medications
• Some surgical history
• Severe pain that will not tolerate the manoeuvre
• Hypermobility

Contraindications to manipulation/adjustments are screened for during your Initial consultation.

Alternative treatment options include:
• Activator (a joint stimulating tool)
• Joint mobilisations
• Stretching
• Soft tissue release
• Dry needling
• Flexion distraction (a form of low back mobilisation using the treatment couch)

Treatment number and period varies depending on many factors such as the type of pain/issue, the time period it has been there, the work you do, the severity and many more. In general more acute, recent injuries may respond to a shorter course of treatment and long-term or Chronic issues are more likely to take longer and more treatment sessions.

Improvement is for most patients a gradual process in which you feel better each treatment and improve at home with exercises and by implementing recommended advice.

The exact number of sessions it will take for someone to improve can be difficult to predict as there are many factors which contribute. Therefore the most accurate estimate of treatment number and time frame for recovery is achieved using a thorough consultation and examination. This will be patient and problem specific and will explained to you at the end of your first visit.

An example of a type of care plan may be: 4 to 6 sessions over the next 3-4 weeks.

The fastest way to book an appointment is using our online booking system. You can also use this to move or cancel and appointment. BOOK HERE LINK? You can also book, move or cancel appointments using Whatsapp on: 0101020200(don’t have number yet !!)

Initial consultation and examination | £40 (45-60 minutes)
Initial consultation and examination + treatment on same visit | £60 (60 minutes)
Standard treatment | £40 (30 minutes)

Our Online booking system allows prepayment.
You can pay in person with Card or Cash.

At Link Chiro we comply with The Data Protection Act 2018. Your data is stored online on our clinic software system called Cliniko. This is a secure software which complies with the online storage of data as per the act. If at any point we obtain physical data such as hand written forms, xrays, letters or images, they can be scanned onto your online file and destroyed or returned to you. We must retain your data for at least 8 years.

There is free parking for up to 1 hour along the entire high-street of Walnut Road. If you expect to be parking for more than 1 hour, there is free road parking on Roundsdown Road, located on both the next Left or Right as you get to the bottom of the hill past the clinic (with the Clinic on your right and Co-op on your left).

Unfortunately we are currently not wheelchair accessible. Our shared entrance has a very small step and two doors too close to allow wheelchair access. If this means you are unable to visit us and you would like Chiropractic treatment please contact the clinic. If we can help or make any recommendations, we will.