Lower back and neck pain is the most prevalent and costly health problem in Malaysia. It is rated as the ninth and fifth most common complaint in public and private primary healthcare clinics, respectively.

Many patients with lower back pain and neck pain will then seek treatment from various types of sources, such as pain medication, massage, and self-learn stretching from the internet. Some patient experiences dangerous treatment from uncertified practitioner or masseuse which worsen their symptoms. Incorrect exercises and stretches learned from the internet may increase the pain.

Combined Chiropractic and Physiotherapy care reduces lower back and neck pain efficiently!

A randomized trial of chiropractic manipulation and mobilization for patients with neck pain compared the relative effectiveness of cervical spine manipulation and mobilization for neck pain shows both is as effective in reducing neck pain and related disability among chiropractic patients. However, manipulation may be more effective than mobilization for specific clinical indications. However, chiropractic manipulation together with patients engaging in stretching, flexibility, and strengthening exercises provides a better outcome. [1]

Another research done on evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain showed chiropractic care improves outcomes for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain. Increased benefit has been shown in several instances where a multimodal approach to neck pain has been used. [2]

A similar study was done on chiropractic manipulation for neck-low back pain and showed significant reductions in pain (Oswestry questionnaire and neck disability index) as well as visual-analog scale. [3]

Combined chiropractic interventions slightly improved pain and disability in the short-term pain in the medium-term for acute and subacute low back pain. [4]

Chiropractic management of low back pain and low back-related leg complaints showed the use of exercise in conjunction with manipulation is likely to speed and improve outcomes as well as minimize episodic recurrence. [5]

What Doctor of Chiropractics and Physiotherapists will do?

While most mechanical lower back pain and neck pain has a complicated and multiple causes, various and confusing sign and symptoms, a Doctor of Chiropractic will first acquire a complete medical history and perform a comprehensive physical examination to determine the root cause of the condition.

Physical examination includes:

• Spine and Joint Inspection
• Range of Motion Test
• Muscle strength and functional test
• Spinal Subluxation Test
• Orthopedics Test
• Complete neurological test

Specific chiropractic adjustments will only be given after performing all the tests and determining the diagnosis of the condition. Through this thorough examination, doctors are able to determine the specific subluxation of the spine and perform a specific Chiropractic Adjustment to restore body function and reduce the pain.

The spines need to be aligned, the muscles need to be balanced

The aligned spine must have a balanced muscle to maintain its alignment.

After the adjustment, our physiotherapist will provide various treatments in order to balance and strengthen your muscle. This help to improve the functionality of our body and resolved the pain more efficiently.

Treatment provided by Physiotherapist include:

• Customize rehabilitation programme
• Specific deep tissue therapy
• Instrument Assist Soft Tissue Mobilisation
• Dry Needling Therapy
• Ultrasound Therapy
• High Power Laser Therapy
• Electrotherapy

One full session of therapy can reduce pain from 20% up to 90% depending on the chronicity and the severity of the condition and pain.

Combined chiropractic and physiotherapy can efficiently reduce lower back pain and neck pain in the most natural way with no medication, no surgery, or injection needed.

Lower back pain and neck pain can be very annoying and most of the time it affects our daily living and lifestyle. Untreated lower back pain and neck pain can lead to more chronic conditions and degeneration of the spine.

Find your nearest Chiro + Physio center to resolve your pain

DC Angus Poh

Doctor of Chiropractic

Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor

Certified KinesioTaping Practitioner

Certified Dry Needling Practitioner

We know pregnancy is a unique and special time in a woman’s life. Most of the time, this special time does not come without its share of physical and mental difficulties.

Pregnancy and Lower Back Pain

It has been reported that approximately more than 50% of all pregnant women experience back pain throughout their pregnancy and 50% to 75% of women experience back pain and neck pain during labor. This is because your body undergoes a variety of physiological and hormonal changes to provide an optimum environment to support your growing fetus and prepare for the upcoming birth. The good news is there is ample research showing that chiropractic care is safe and effective during pregnancy.

Prenatal Chiropractic Improved Spinal Curve Discomfort

As your baby develops and grow heavier during gestation, your normal spinal center gravity shifted and your posture is changed. This body compensation can lead to misalignment of your spinal vertebrae or other joints connected to the spine.

When your tummy is growing bigger throughout the gestation, it causes the spine to curve too far forward, which often results in significant low back and pelvis discomfort. In addition, the increase in circulating hormones such as progesterone and relaxin during pregnancy brings about pelvic hypermobility and creates a decrease in spinal stabilization.

Help Make Your Pregnancy Easier at BP Chiro!

We offer several pain and discomfort relief techniques to keep you feeling well throughout your pregnancy life. The Webster Technique in specifically is designed to improve pregnant women’s pain and associated problems during gestation period. And yes, we have tables specially designed to accommodate pregnant bodies.

Webster Technique

What Is It?

Webster technique is a prenatal specialized technique used during the pregnancy treatment. It allows the spine and pelvis to function properly during pregnancy to promote balanced movement and alignment. When the pelvis is in a balanced position, the surrounding ligaments connected to the uterus is maintain equally as a supportive suspension for the uterus. If one of the pelvis misaligned or imbalance, these ligaments and muscles will undergo torsion and stressed causes uterine constraint. Your baby would have an unfavourable environment in your tummy to grow and develop optimumly.

Is It Safe?

The Webster technique is safe for both mother and baby at all stages of pregnancy right up to delivery.

Does It Work?

Research shows the overwhelming majority of women who have been treated using Webster and Chiropractic Technique reported relief from low back pain during the pregnancy in 84% of the cases. With a balanced and aligned pelvis, babies have a greater chance of moving into their correct position for birth.

Health Benefits with Pregnancy Chiropractic

• Low Back, hip and pelvic Pain
• Sciatica Pain
• Tightness in legs and groin
• Spinal alignment maintained
• Better sleep quality and mobility
• Easy labor and delivery
• Creating more space in pelvis for baby to move and develop freely

Does It Hurt?

Most women report no pain associated with the adjustment. Occasionally, there may be soreness in the muscles and tendons that have been realigned much as you would after a workout.

These techniques are GENTLE, NON-INVASIVE and DRUG-FREE!

What can I expect from a BP CHiRO Visit?

• Detailed oriented history taking.
• Full body analysis of the spinal and pelvis joints, muscles and ligaments.
• Functional movement screen.
• Diversified, Gonstead and webster adjustment with gentle soft tissue release.
• Recommend treatment care plan with rehabilitative and pregnancy specific exercises and stretches.

DC Jermaine Tay

Doctor of Chiropractic

Certified Paediatric Neurology

Slip Disc or Disc Herniation, does it sound familiar? Well undoubtedly it has been among the most prevalent cause of lower back pain these days. Nevertheless, it typically has a prevalence of 10 % in an individual’s lifetime. However, only 5% of the individual who suffers from Herniated disc are symptomatic. Studies shows that it affects male more often than female to a 3:1 ratio.

Let’s take a look at What’s a Disc Herniation?

Disc herniation is when a damaged annulus fibrosus allows the nucleus pulposus to displace from intervertebral space causing herniation or bulge. Sounds confusing? To put it in layman’s term, it’s basically when the soft jelly like disc(nucleus) in between two bones in your spine protrude out of its ruptured outer layer (annulus fibrosus) due to a possible trauma or strain. The protruded disc may or may not impinge the nerve leading to various neurological symptoms. This happens most commonly in your lower back (lumbar) at L5/S1 region.

Here are some of the most common causes of Disc Herniation below:

1. Degeneration- due to old age our nucleus pulposus typically becomes weakened and dehydrated. As people age, there is more wear and tear, the discs become less flexible and more prone to tearing or rupturing with even a minor strain or twist.
2. Trauma- can happen when an individual suffers a blow due to accident or fall on their back.
3. Congenital Disorders- Happens at birth when there’s certain malformation that happens in an individual’s bone structure such as, misshaped pelvis or a lumbosacral malformation.
4. Mechanical- due to difference in load distribution, for instance it can be due to improper posture, or jobs that are physically demanding that require you to push, pull or lift heavy objects.
5. Genetic- lacking of hydration and collagen in nucleus pulposus and annulus, typically runs in the family for generations.

How do we in BP Chiro, evaluate if you are suffering from Disc Herniation?

Well, it starts as soon as u set foot into our Dr’s room, we start of by watching your gait, which is the way you walk into our clinic, thereafter we ask you a series of medical history, do appropriate physical examination, check on your range of motion, sensory, reflexes and so on. Adding to that we do an orthopaedic test, it’s a test that recreates the pain you have which allows us to narrow down to a proper diagnosis. If you happen to have neurological signs (numbness, tingling) we would first advise you to do an MRI. Why you ask? It allows us to evaluate in precision the region of slip disc and the possible nerve compromised.

What are the signs and symptoms to look out for?

Treatment is administered from case-to-case basis, tailor made for each and every individual as no one individual is the same. Here are some treatments that you can expect to look forward to:

1. Spinal Manipulation Therapy: Patients spine are manually manipulated in a side lying with minimal to no torsional stress on the affected disc.
2. Deep tissue therapy on affected muscles that are in tension.
3. Ultrasound therapy to reduce pain, decrease inflammation only on the superficial tissue surrounding the herniation.
4. CBP lumbar extension traction to relieve pain and to recover joint functions by reducing pressure on discs or nerves
5. Exercises such as Lumbar McKenzie exercise, Proprioceptive exercises, Strengthening exercise, Flexibility exercise, Motor control exercise, mirror image exercises.

DC Karishma

Doctor of Chiropractic

Headaches has been a worldwide problem that impacted people regardless of their age, culture and economic status. According to WHO, 50% of adults between the age of 18-65 has been suffering from headache. (1) More than 90% of the population across the globe experience headache at least once in a lifetime. Those who suffer from headaches revealed a reduction in quality of life along with increase dependency on people around them.

There are 3 variations of headaches

1. Tension-type headache

• Bilateral pressing or tightening, non-pulsating headache
• Mild-moderate intensity pain without vomiting or nausea
• Not aggravated by routine physical activity

2. Cervicogenic headaches

• Unilateral pain originates from the neck
• Headache start after neck motion
• Reduced neck range of motion

3. Migraine Headache

• Severe throbbing headache
• Associated with nausea, vomiting and photophobia
• Aggravated by routine physical activity

Headaches can be due to factors such as:

• Dehydration
• Menstruation
• Menopause
• Irregular sleep
• Irregular meals
• Lack of exercises
• …etc

MOST COMMON SOLUTION FOR HEADACHES (2,3)

• over the counter analgesics
• Aspirin
• Paracetamol
• Ibuprofen
• …etc

“I’M TIRED OF TAKING ALL THIS MEDICATIONS, IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY THAT CAN HELP?”

“WHY NOT SEEK HELP FROM A CHIROPRACTOR OR PHYSICAL THERAPIST?”

SOFT TISSUES TECHNIQUES

Research done in 2019 showed patients with migraine who received soft tissue techniques (STTs) performed by physical therapist has reduce frequency of both migraine and its associated disabilities. (4)

DRY NEEDLING THECHNIQUES

Dry needling technique has been popular for the past decade. This technique was practiced by health care professionals such as physical therapist and chiropractors. (6) A systematic review reported that dry needling showed similar effectiveness when compared to other intervention in treating headaches and was associated with improvement in both sensory and functional outcomes. (7)

LASER THERAPY

Recent systemic review showed the effectiveness of Laser therapy in the treatment of headaches. Various studies showed that Laser not only help in reducing the pain and frequency of headache but also relaxation of muscles and also regeneration of cells. (8)

Headache is one of the common cause of disability and affect out daily activity significantly. Headache can be treated without medication. Seek your nearest chiropractic and physiotherapy center for your headache solution!

Jane Leong

Physiotherapist

Certified Dry Needling Practitioner

Chiropractic and Physiotherapy treatments have shown a very significant result in restoring or maintaining the curvature of the spine.

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a chronic condition where the curvature of your spine goes sideways. On X-rays, the human spine with scoliosis may look more like an “S” or “C” than a straight line when viewed from the back.

Scoliosis does not due to heavy backpacks, sleeping sideways, sports, injury, or poor posture. In fact, more than 80% of scoliosis cases have unknown causes/hereditary. Such cases are normally known as Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) which is the most common form of pediatric scoliosis occurring in teenage between the ages of 10 to 18.

As for functional scoliosis which is often due to a temporary cause (no spinal rotation), it could be caused by the pelvis and spinal misalignment, bad posture, slipped disc, nerve impingement, muscle strains, foot pain, functional leg length difference and etc.

This can be corrected and reversed by identifying and addressing the cause.

Do my kids have Scoliosis?

Below are some basic guidelines but further professional and specific diagnostic imaging and examination needed to be conducted to confirm the presence of scoliosis.

• Uneven Shoulders
• One shoulder blade more prominent than the others
• Uneven waist
• Rib hump shown on one side of the back when bending forward (Adam’s test)

Classification of Scoliosis – based on COBBs Angle

>10 degrees considered as scoliosis

Does Scoliosis Get WORSE Over Time?

Approximately 68% of scoliotic curvatures greater than 30 degrees at skeletal maturity tend to progress at a linear rate, regardless of the type of scoliosis curvature pattern.

Benefits of Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Care on Scoliosis Conditions

• Increase your spinal range of motion
• Alleviate back pain
• Loosen tight muscles
• Decrease pressure on the nervous system
• Reducing discomfort

The key is to understanding and managing scoliosis is staying ahead of its natural tendency to worsen.

SCHROTH METHOD FOR SCOLIOSIS

The Schroth Method is a scoliosis-specific exercise approach. It focuses primarily on the 3D correction of spinal curve patterns. It is conducted through combinations of specific and customized stretching, strengthening, and breathing in reverse directions according to each patient’s unique spinal scoliosis deformation.

SPINAL FLEXION-DISTRACTION THERAPY

Provide gentle and intermittent traction to the spine which is designed specifically for scoliosis rehabilitation.

Depending on the severity of your scoliotic curvature and a series of evaluations, braces may be prescribed to wear as additional prevention for curve progression.

Full spine X-rays normally will be taken to measure the Cobbs’s angle to determine the curvature and conditions of your scoliosis conditions.

In working with Chiropractors and Physiotherapists in BP CHiRO and following your treatment care plan, you are taking an important step toward your long-term health and wellbeing!