When Back or Neck Pain Starts Travelling

A stiff neck or sore lower back is frustrating enough. But when the symptoms start travelling, people often become more concerned.

A neck problem may show up as headaches, shoulder tension, aching into the arm, pins and needles, numbness, or tingling into the hand. A lower back problem may travel into the buttock, leg, calf or foot, often described as sciatica.

Sometimes the arm or leg symptom is more noticeable than the original spinal problem.

This is one reason spinal issues can be confusing. The place that hurts is not always the place where the problem begins.

Winter Can Make This Harder to Ignore

Cold mornings, shorter days and more time indoors often mean less movement and more sitting. Add computer work, phone posture, old injuries, falls, sport, gardening, lifting, or years of wear and tear, and the body can start complaining a little louder.

You might notice the same tight spot in your neck. Headaches that are creeping in more often, sometimes painful or sometimes as a foggy haze. A persistent dull ache on your shoulder muscles or between the shoulder blades. A lower back that seizes when you first get moving. Or that odd nerve-type feeling travelling down an arm or leg.

These symptoms do not always mean something sinister, but they are important to have checked properly, especially if they keep returning. If the problem is a misaligned spine, it is not likely to go away and stay away without some postural care.

Our New Patient Assessment

At Happy Spine in Riccarton, our new patient assessment is designed to help identify what may be contributing to your symptoms. We have been looking after Canterbury spines since 2000, and our chiropractic team has more than 75 years of combined experience.

Our Comprehensive New Patient Assessment is $199 and includes a consultation, chiropractic examination, posture and nerve scan assessments, digital x-rays if clinically required, and an adjustment if clinically appropriate.

Your first visit usually takes around an hour. During that time, we look at your history, your posture, how your spine is moving, and whether chiropractic care may be suitable for you.

We will also explain what we find, what your options are, how long care may take, and what it may cost. No guesswork. No pressure. Just a clearer picture.