1. Headaches

A headache is pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point, or have a viselike quality.

A headache may appear as a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation or a dull ache. Headaches can develop gradually or suddenly, and may last from less than an hour to several days.

There can be many signals the body can send along with headaches such as vertigo, jaw pain, pain behind the eye, muscle tension in the skull or shoulders, inflammation in the sinuses or hormonal. When headaches persist they interfere with your day to day function reducing focus and energy. 

We look at 3 key areas when assessing chronic headaches:

1. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
2. The nuchal ridge (an area at the base of the skull rich in nerves and blood vessels)
3. The first and second vertebrae 

At Divine Spine we perform a thorough examination to ensure our treatments are safe and effective for relieving your headaches.

Aside from the usual causes of neck pain such as motor vehicle accidents or slips and falls, pain in the neck is more prevalent now than ever before. With extended time being spent on computers, tablets and smartphones we see people of all ages suffering from “tech neck”. 

Neck pain is often a symptom related to degenerative changes in the neck or changes to the natural C-shaped curve. A change in the natural curve of the spine may also result in the “hunchback” look. 

If you feel numbness, tingling or weakness in the shoulders, arms or hands there may be nerves getting pinched in the neck. In addition, early signs of these spinal problems include stiffness in the neck and shoulders, headaches as well as reduced movement in the neck. 

Our clinic is equipped with on-site, high definition x-ray equipment, allowing us to eliminate the guesswork with your health and determine the source of your pain.

Low back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the world. At Divine Spine our computerized technology has helped countless people achieve sustainable pain relief. Low back pain is more likely to occur in individuals between the ages of 30 – 50. This is largely due to the changes that occur in the body with aging. 

What are some common injuries or conditions we see related to pain in the lower back?

1. Strain: The muscles and ligaments in the back can stretch or tear due to excess activity. Symptoms include pain and stiffness in the lower back. 
2. Disc injury: Commonly referred to as bulging or slipped discs this condition can be debilitating. Simple actions like coughing, sneezing or straining cause high levels of pain. This occurs when the cartilage surrounding the disc pushes against the spinal cord or nerve roots. 
3. Degenerative disc disease: Though degeneration is inevitable, we have found that chronic low back pain occurs when your spinal health has been neglected. Misalignments, poor posture and stuck spinal joints over the years result in accelerating the normal rate of degeneration. 
4. Spinal stenosis: this is when the spinal column narrows, putting pressure on the spinal cord and spinal nerves. Spinal stenosis is most commonly due to degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae. The result is compression of the nerve roots or spinal cord by bony spurs or soft tissues, such as discs. It commonly shows numbness, cramping and weakness in the legs or feet.
5. Post partum: after delivering your baby the body needs to adjust to the change from 9 months of pregnancy. If you had back pain during your pregnancy or received an epidural this can increase the risk of recurring low back pain. 

Our computerized treatments use gentle and precise uninterrupted forces to restore proper movement to the joints in the lower back. We have very high success rates in treating low back pain.

Sciatica is one of the most misunderstood health conditions. It is very important to understand the root cause of sciatica as there can be many. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It starts from the low back and branches into each foot. 

In most cases, chronic sciatica is a result of nerve compression in the lower back. As nerves exit the spine in a canal they are irritated due to degeneration in the canal, a shifted disc or stuck joint. When this happens to the lower 3 vertebrae in the low back, it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. 

The most common causes of sciatica are:

1. Spinal stenosis: narrowing of the canal where the nerves exit the spine 
2. Spondylolysthesis: when one vertebrae is not aligned with the one above or below it. This can cause compression on spinal nerves or cord. 
3. Piriformis syndrome: the piriformis muscle (in the glutes) constantly contracts due to an imbalance in the pelvis. This muscle compresses the sciatic nerve in the buttocks sending shooting pain into the leg. 

Regardless of the cause, at Divine Spine we complete a thorough analysis including X-Rays of the low back and pelvis if needed. This allows us to understand the root cause of the problem and address it. With the use of our computerized technology we can precisely target the stuck joints and alleviate pressure from the spinal nerves.