Back Pain

Both chronic and acute low back pain are two of the most common injuries that we see. Chiropractors are specialists in the treatment and management of back pain.

Activities that the body is not designed for repeated again and again, can often result in pain.

Some common examples of repetitive activities that can lead to low back pain in everyday life include:

Sitting at a desk operating a computer
Long drives in the car
Heavy lifting
Digging in the garden
Poor posture
Sport

Figures from a recent British Chiropractic Association study showed that approximately 80% of people in Gloucestershire and the South West will suffer with back pain at some stage in their life.

Modern working lifestyles, and also sedentary lifestyles can lead to back pain, stiff joints, and gradual weakening of the muscles supporting the back. It is a case of ‘use it or lose it’ when it comes to your body, therefore, if we don’t keep the back strong and supple it can become ‘sluggish’ and stiff leaving it vulnerable to injury. Getting those stiff joints moving and strengthening up the muscles can make a big difference.

If you have low back pain then applying an ice pack to the region regularly and making sure you keep the joints moving are a couple of simple short-term strategies to help (see “Why I need to Ice?“) before you book in with a Chiropractor at our Gloucester based clinic. We can assess, diagnose, and treat your problem, and you can learn how to best manage it for the long term to help prevent recurrence.

Accreditations & Affiliations

Chiropractic Organisations

Healthcare Insurance Companies

Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain

Sometimes also referred to as ‘Lumbago’, lower back problems are a particularly common and recurrent problem in many peoples’ lives. Many studies have now shown that with each episode of lower back pain there is a shrinkage in the size of the small deep muscles that support your spine. Once you have had one episode, you can therefore be more likely to have another episode in the future. This can also mean that the longer you have discomfort for, the more vulnerable your back may be.

Lower Back Pain Symptoms

Symptoms commonly experienced with acute and chronic lower back pain include dull, achy, or sharp pain in and around the lower back region. Associated symptoms may be stiffness, sciatica, buttock / leg pain, muscle spasm, swelling, aching, tightness, tingling, numbness, pins and needles and muscle weakness of the lower limbs.

What to do if you have back pain

Lying on your back with your knees flexed (and supported by a cushion) whilst applying an ice pack to the painful area regularly often helps to calm a problem. It is also important to make sure you keep your back moving lightly by walking when possible for short periods around the house for example (see “Why I need to Ice?“).

Treat the pain…

No matter what is causing your back pain, anyone who visits our clinic will always, above all else, receive a full and thorough assessment. Furthermore, we will give you a clear and honest explanation as to what we believe is causing your pain and what the best course of action is to get things back on track.

Our aim is to get you back to your best as quickly as possible using specific mobilisations, gentle manipulation and a wide variety of soft tissue therapies. Dry needling is also used where appropriate. We will also give you a summary of your initial visit so that you have a record to take home.

Prevent recurrence….

Our clinical team pride themselves on preventative care. We will always prescribe a completely personalised ‘home help’ program to ALL patients who visit the clinic. This is essential to make the best and most long lasting recovery. We aim to put you in control, so we can both achieve the most permanent solution possible. Call the clinic today for an appointment on 01452309372 or to chat with a member of the team.

Back Pain During Pregnancy

back pain gloucester 2 out of every 3 pregnant women will suffer lower back and pelvis pain by their 36th week of pregnancy.

During pregnancy the changes in hormones (see Relaxin hormone below) can lead to an increase in laxity of the ligaments and cartilage that support the lower back and pelvis. This, coupled with the added weight of carrying a growing baby, can lead to all sorts of ‘strains and sprains’ of the muscles and joints.

As your baby bump grows, the overall weight of your body (and thus your centre of gravity) is increased towards the front. This often causes the pelvis to tilt forwards, pulling muscle beyond its limit and squashing joints together. This increased pressure placed upon the joints of the lower back and pelvis can cause poor movement and inflammation of the joints… leading to low back pain.

After pregnancy the hormones slowly return to normal. The levels of the hormone ‘Relaxin’ that previously gave the joints and ligaments their stretchiness, drops off 5 months after giving birth. This means that the ligaments begin to return to their normal length and position. The first few months after birth can therefore also render the low back vulnerable to injury from new activities such as lifting baby out of a cot or into a car.

Pregnancy and Back Pain Symptoms

Symptoms of low back pain during pregnancy include discomfort locally, or radiating to and from the lower back and buttocks, instability or ‘clicky’ joints, pubic pain, stiffness, and achey legs. Groin pain and sciatica are also common symptoms.

Applying an ice pack regularly to the back and buttocks, making sure your keep the joint moving, and short walks when possible are just a few simple, basic, and short term strategies to help relieve pain (see “Why I need to Ice?“).

Treat the pain…

Our aim is to get you back to your best as quickly as possible, using specific mobilisations, gentle manipulation and a wide variety of soft tissue therapies. Dry needling is also used where appropriate. We will also always try to give you a summary of your initial visit so that you have a record to take home.

Prevent Recurrence….

Our clinical team pride themselves on preventative care. We will always prescribe a completely personalised ‘home help’ program to ALL patients who visit the clinic. This is essential to make the best and most long lasting recovery. We aim to put you in control so we can both achieve the most permanent solution possible. Call the clinic today on 01452309372 for an appointment or to chat with a member of the team.

‘Slipped Disc’

‘Slipped disc’ is a layman’s term to describe the squashing of a disc’s core outwards. The disc as a whole does not ‘slip’, more its contents do a little bit like toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube.

slippeddisc Disc injuries are simple to explain but difficult to recover from if left too long before treatment is sought. The disc in a spine is a large circular ‘lump’ of cartilage (known as the Annulus Fibrosus) with a shock absorbing ‘core’ (known as the Nucleus Pulposus). It sits in between each of the vertebrae and the disc is actually a little bit like a doughnut with a jam core and is designed to be good at shock absorption. However, if you put too much pressure through the disc and squash it beyond its limits, the disc core can push through and herniate into the weakest area of the disc towards the outer edge causing a bulge. A ‘bulging’ disc can be very painful and is often aggravated by prolonged sitting, lifting and long drives.

The longer the disc remains unstable, the more tricky it can become to get right. If the problem does deteriorate it can impinge the nerves in the spine causing tremendous pain, and sometimes in extreme cases it may require surgery.

Treat the pain…

No matter what is causing your back pain, anyone who visits our clinic will always, above all else, receive a full and thorough assessment. Furthermore, we will give a clear and honest explanation as to what we believe is causing your pain and what the best course action is to get things back on the right track.

Our aim is to get you back to your best as quickly as possible using specific mobilisations, gentle manipulation and a wide variety of soft tissue therapies. Dry needling is also used where appropriate. We will also always try to give you a summary of your initial visit so that you have a record to take home.

Prevent recurrence of pain….

Our clinical team pride themselves on preventative care. We will always prescribe a completely personalised ‘home help’ program to ALL patients who visit the clinic. This is essential to make the best and most long lasting recovery. We aim to put you in control, so we can both achieve a permanent solution where possible. Call the clinic today for an appointment or to chat with a member of the team.

Sciatica

…It can be such a pain in the bum… literally! ‘Sciatica’ is the term used to describe any pain that is originating from irritation of the Sciatic Nerve. This pain can be felt anywhere down a leg, from the bottom to the feet.

The Sciatic Nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in the human body, running from your lower back all the way in to your foot, with its thickest part being around 2cm in width. As you can imagine, a lot can happen to that nerve along its route. The Sciatic Nerve originates as individual spinal nerves known as L4,L5,S1,S2 and S3, these nerves exit the spine individually but then converge to create the Sciatic Nerve.

Disc Bulges

The most common cause of Sciatica is what is known as a Disc Bulge. A disc bulge between the vertebrae of L4 and L5 or between the vertebrae of L5 and S1 can lead to ‘Sciatica’.

A disc bulge essentially only affects the nerve at the level at which the bulge is occurring. For example, a backwards and to the side (postero-lateral) Disc Bulge at L5/S1 usually causes pain/tingling/numbness/pins and needles at the sole and outside edge of the foot on the same side as the bulge. This is because the nerve exiting between the spinal segments of L5 and S1 is what is known as the S1 nerve root. The S1 nerve supplies both muscles (a Myotome) and skin sensation (a Dermatome). So as you can see the S1 nerve supplies sensation to the sole and outer edge of the foot which is why pain is felt here.

This applies to all nerves exiting the spine. If one level has a bulge then the skin it supplies may have a change in sensation. The muscles that each affected nerve innervates may also not work correctly or may even begin to decrease in size and become flaccid.

Foraminal Stenosis

The word ‘Foramen’ basically means ‘a hole’, where the L4, L5, S1, S2, S3 nerves leave the spine between each vertebral segment is a hole called the ‘Intervertebral Foramen’. If anything decreases space at this Foramen then Sciatica can occur, problems such as bony spurs, inflammation, a Spondylolisthesis or a Tumor can all cause a decrease in space here and irritate the nerve as it exits. This can therefore be one of the causes that lead to irritation of the Sciatic nerve and the symptoms associated to it.

Piriformis Syndrome

In a nutshell ‘Piriformis Syndrome’ occurs as a result of the Sciatic nerve being irritated by the Piriformis Muscle.

The Sciatic nerve’s relationship with the Piriformis Muscle differs from person to person. Most commonly it passes beneath the Piriformis Muscle, however for some, it can actually pass through the Piriformis Muscle entirely, or even stay split around it and connect after.

The Piriformis is an external rotator of the the leg. If it gets too tight (common in a lot of people) it can become irritated, this leads to inflammation at the muscle and surrounding tissues, which in some cases includes the Sciatic Nerve.

Treat the pain…

Our aim is to get you back to your best as quickly as possible, using specific mobilisations, gentle manipulation and a wide variety of soft tissue therapies. Dry needling is also used where appropriate. We will also give you a summary of your initial visit so that you have a record to take home.

Prevent recurrence of pain….

Patient Testimonials

Best chiropractic in Gloucester, very friendly, 5* best, my first time here, I was very well welcoming, I came with pain and left without pain. Great therapy chiropractic center,... read more

Filipe P (Pirikito 82)
August 13, 2022

Really good, i needed a quick appointment after putting my back out and Jenny Ashton resolved the problem with a couple of quick questions massaging and correction. She also highlighted... read more

Mark Prosser
June 1, 2022

Easy to get an appointment and a professional service.

Daniel Fitton
March 27, 2022
Shout out to the main man James, runs through things thoroughly with no stone left unturned, makes everything very clear and is very easy to get on with making for... read more

NPC_94 _
March 18, 2022

Shout out to the main man James, runs through things thoroughly with no stone left unturned, makes everything very clear and is very easy to get on with making for... read more

Nate Richardson
March 18, 2022

Danny was extremely friendly and welcoming. He explained everything in great detail to help me understand the logic behind my injury. I am looking forward to following his guidance and... read more

Georgie Peru
November 8, 2021
Having been a regular at a chiropractor in Cheltenham and now having moved to Longlevens I am so happy to have found Longlevens Chiro. I booked in for a consultation and... read more

Sophie Dalton
September 7, 2021

Visited for a deep muscle back massage as of my physical job. A big improvement after 2 visits but it's not cheap

Gavin Ramsey
August 5, 2021

Very professional service.

Michael Hughes
June 7, 2021
Very professional service.

Mik H
June 7, 2021

Great service and good treatment.

Emma Cartwright
April 19, 2021

Great Chiropractic service and friendly staff.

Glenn Ashdown
April 15, 2021
I have been to many Chiropractic clinics over the years and Longlevens is by far the best. All staff are friendly and welcoming, quick to respond to any problems or... read more

simon oldman
March 13, 2021

Fantastic practice, they offer all the services you need to rehabilitate yourself. They are definitely not after your money as my chiropractor Simon really encourages extra stretches to improve... read more your conditions.

Stephan Olivier
October 3, 2020

Superb service and experience. I've seen James twice. Very helpful and knowledgeable. I've made huge progress in a short space of time.

rob
August 4, 2020
Get the problem fixed, physically therapy is great when done by excellent people👍

Richard Powell
March 17, 2020

Quality care from Simon Rose regarding my back and neck.

Andy Marsh
February 4, 2020

Longlevens Chiropractors are faultless. The service is great, very timely, very precise and Danny helped me get back on my feet quickly after the birth of my baby. The 4... read more

Another Blogging Mother
November 15, 2019
Been coming here for over a year now and always made to feel welcome, The receptionists are always helpful and polite and my chiropractor is always on time and very... read more

Ryan Tanner
November 2, 2019

Thank you Wiebke. You pinpointed exactly what was causing my discomfort and treated me accordingly. I now feel so much better and am looking forward to the next... read more

Karen Gibbs
October 8, 2019

Great service and reasonable prices.

Jamie C
October 2, 2019
Great service and great treatment. I have been seeing Wiebke for some time since having some major back pain preventing me from doing anything without severe pain. She managed to... read more

Nick Baker
June 18, 2019

I had a neck injury which causing me some discomfort. Went in to see Danny for 4 treatments and had big improvements since. Will recommend them to anyone.

GY Glos
May 28, 2019

Excellent. I cannot praise highly enough. I visited the clinic and for an appointment with Danny for a sore lower back and for a neck issue. The lower back pain I’d... read more

Alex Russell
May 21, 2019
Professional service, easy to find and has its own parking. I went with neck pain and it was immediately reduced after just one session (thanks Wiebke!). When I stupidly left... read more

Steve Powell
March 18, 2019

Came here after years of back and forth to the GP and a hip operation. Just over a month ago I was taken to hospital with my disc that has... read more

Catherine B
February 20, 2019

Get in touch with us

The easiest ways to get in touch with us are to call 01452 309372 or to use the form below.

One of the leading Chiropractic and Sports Injury Clinics in Gloucestershire, our focus is on providing the very best professional and effective care to each patient that we see

Contact Information

To book an appointment call us on 01452 309372, use our contact form or email info@longlevenschiro.com

We endeavour to reply to all enquiries on the same day within clinic hours.

Both chronic and acute low back pain are two of the most common injuries that we see. Chiropractors are specialists in the treatment and management of back pain.

Activities that the body is not designed for repeated again and again, can often result in pain.

Accreditations & Affiliations

Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain

Lower Back Pain Symptoms

What to do if you have back pain

Treat the pain…

Prevent recurrence….

Patient Testimonials

Get in touch with us

The easiest ways to get in touch with us are to call 01452 309372 or to use the form below.

Contact Information

What we treat