Need an appointment?

Call us on: 01202 483281

Address

Christchurch Chiropractic Centre

1 Twyham Avenue

Christchurch BH23 1QU

Opening hours

Monday       8.30 a.m. to 12.30

                  2.00 p.m. to 6.15

Tuesday      8.30 a.m. to 12.30

                  2.00 p.m. to 5.30

Wednesday 8.30 a.m. to 12.30

                  2.00 p.m. to 5.30

Thursday    8.30 a.m. to 12.30

                  2.00 p.m. to 6.15

Friday         8.30 p.m. to 12.30

                  2.00 p.m. to 5.30

Saturday    8.30 a.m. to 12.30

Emergencies at week-ends,

please telephone 01202 483281

and the answering machine will

give you the number of the 

chiropractor on duty.

What conditions are particularly helped at the Christchurch Chiropractic Centre?

The problems that respond best to chiropractic treatment all come from mechanical disturbances of the spine.  This includes low back pain (as recommended by NICE) and neck pain (as recommended by the Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders, see below).  Like most health conditions, the key to the best management of spinal problems depends on a good diagnosis as a sound starting point. By virtue of their specialist training, Chiropractors can diagnose spinal problems and recognize conditions that should be investigated further or treated in some other way.  Any form of back or neck pain has to be diagnosed correctly. Mechanical back pain is very common but other forms of problems producing back pain also exist.  Our training and continuing education enable us to diagnose the origin of the problem and advise you on the best possible approach: either chiropractic management and treatment or referral to your GP or some other practitioner.

Meanwhile the effectiveness of chiropractic in dealing with both acute and chronic low back pain has been acknowledged by NICE.  Thus Chiropractic is now included in the recommendations given to GP's for dealing with their patients' low back pain.

We are particularly successful with back pain that affects the elderly in whom it is often caused by a degenerated (osteoarthritis) or weakened (osteoporosis) spine and taut muscles (fibrositis). Children can also need chiropractic care. Their posture can be poor; they can sit improperly and cause undue strain on their spine. Falls can cause early damage. Any form of backache or headache in a child should be investigated. Children usually respond quickly to chiropractic treatment.

Backache of pregnancy also responds very well. Chiropractic is most effective and is a comfortable form of treatment all through the pregnancy. Post-natal care of the mother's spine is highly recommended as many chronic back problems in mothers can be traced back to the carrying or delivery of one of the children.  

A programme to correct and improve posture has been developed by the chiropractic profession and is easy to follow.  Just view the video and try it for yourself; visit Straighten Up UK

The following leaflets can be downloaded. Alternatively, you can call in and collect them.  

Chiropractic Research

The Chiropractic Centre is actively engaged in research and collating data to identify more closely the specific conditions that respond best to our approach.

More recently, the Bone and Joint Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders (Haldeman et al, Spine 2008; 33-S) reported that; "Manual therapy is among the group of treatments that have the best results for Whiplash Associated Disorders, particularly as part of management on regaining function and returning to work as soon as possible."

In particular Hermits EL et al say: "Our best evidence synthesis suggests that therapies involving manual therapy and exercise are more effective than alternative strategies for patients with neck pain."   Treatment of neck pain: non-invasive interventions. Results of Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders. Spine 2008; 33: S123-152.

The results of the British clinical trial comparing hospital to chiropractic treatment of chronic back pain were published on 2nd June 1990 in the British Medical Journal. The conclusions were that chiropractic is substantially more effective than hospital outpatient management and patient treated by chiropractic experience prolonged benefits and have less time off work. Dr Andrew Frank, consultant rheumatologist commented: "The report indicates that the service the taxpayers are paying for seems to be second best. This is the best study to show a lasting benefit from chiropractic treatment and it is good news for people with back pain."  This has been confirmed more recently in 2004 by the BEAM trial and published in the BMJ 2004: 329(7479): 1381.

What do others say about chiropractic?

New Zealand Commission of Enquiry into Chiropractic (1979) said:

• "Nor can there be any doubt that chiropractors must by reason of their intensive and concentrated training be regarded as specialists both in the diagnosis of spinal disorders which will respond to manual therapy and in that therapy itself."
  
• "They carry out spinal diagnosis and therapy at a sophisticated and refined level."
  
• "Chiropractors are the only health practitioners who are necessarily equipped by their education and training to carry out spinal manual therapy."
  
• "The responsibility for spinal manual therapy training, because of its specialised nature, should lie with the chiropractic profession."
  
• "We are satisfied that the safest course of manipulative or manual therapy in New Zealand is the chiropractor."
  
• "We find that chiropractic treatment is safe."
  

Australian Medicare Benefits Review Committee (Nov 1985 and June 1986) said:

• "The services provided by chiropractic are effective."
  
• "We also accept that chiropractic services are cost-effective."
  

W.H. Kirkaldy-Willis, M.D. F.R.I.C.S.(C) Orthopaedic Surgeon, Canada (1987) said:

"Our experience over 12 years in a hospital low back clinic is that chiropractic manipulative therapy is cost-effective and of very great value in the treatment of many patients with chronic low back pain."

T.W. Meade, F.R.C.P. Director of the Medical Research Council Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital: In his article published in the British Medical Journal (June 1990) said:

"Chiropractic treatment was more effective than hospital outpatient management, mainly for patients with chronic or severe back pain. The benefit of chiropractic treatment became more evident throughout the follow-up period. Introducing chiropractic into NHS practice should be considered."