Dr. Alex Pak

When there is a structural change, function is also affected. A chiropractor focuses on the relationship between structure — the spine and pelvis — and function, coordinated by the nervous system, and how that may affect the preservation and restoration of health.

結構改變時，功能亦隨之受影響。脊醫著重脊柱與骨盆的結構，與由神經系統協調的功能之間的關係，以及兩者如何影響健康的維持與恢復。

A health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system, and the effects of those disorders on general health. Practice emphasises conservative management, without medicine or surgery.

脊科為一門醫療專業，涉及神經肌肉骨骼系統疾患的診斷、治療及預防，以及該等疾患對整體健康的影響，並著重不使用藥物或手術的保守療法。

Neck pain can be biomechanical or pathological. Common biomechanical causes include muscle strains and joint dysfunction from trauma, bone or joint abnormalities, and poor posture. Common presentations include torticollis, whiplash injuries and cervical sprain or strain. Where pathology is suspected, referral to a medical specialist may be required.

Discs act as shock absorbers of the spine — jelly-like inside, with a harder rubbery coating. Repetitive movement, or holding the body in positions that aren't neutral, can wear at the disc walls. Weakened areas can eventually bulge or herniate, irritating spinal nerves and causing pain in the limbs.

Biomechanical back pain can originate from muscles, joints, nerves and surrounding structures, and occurs regionally across the upper, middle and low back. More often than not it can be relieved by conservative care without drugs or surgery. Lifestyle habits are examined alongside treatment, to find the underlying cause.

Pain radiating along the path of the sciatic nerve — starting in the low back and travelling through hip and buttock into the back of the affected leg, typically on one side. Severity ranges from a mild ache to sharp, shooting or burning discomfort, sometimes with numbness or muscle weakness. Most cases resolve within a few weeks of conservative care.

A nerve is pinched when pressure is applied to it — from bone structures, trauma, repetitive motion causing swelling, or soft tissue such as muscles, ligaments and discs. Symptoms range from general or radiating pain to pins and needles, numbness and burning, and in severe cases weakness. Long-term compression may cause lasting interference with nerve function.

A curvature of the spine, often rotational, known as an S-shaped spine when viewed from behind. Functional scoliosis — from leg length inequality, anatomical asymmetry or muscular imbalance — can usually be relieved with stretching, joint mobilisation and strengthening. Structural scoliosis sometimes requires bracing. Early detection matters in slowing progression.

Poor posture and lifestyle habits, especially during childhood, can develop muscle imbalance, muscle spasm and deviations in normal spinal curvature. Chiropractic care can relieve the muscle tension and correct the joint dysfunction — though for long-term benefit, sticking to the prescribed lifestyle adjustments matters more.

During pregnancy a woman changes her posture and leans back more than usual to maintain balance. Biomechanical influences on low back pain include front-to-back abdominal diameter, the depth of the lumbar curve, the backward shift in the spine's centre of gravity, and joint laxity. Pains in pregnancy are rarely purely biomechanical — hormonal and physiological factors also play a part.

A ball and socket joint with a wide range of motion, and prone to injury as a result. Contributing mechanisms include joint instability and restriction, muscle impingement, strain, repetitive overuse, trauma and degenerative change — often in combination. Common presentations include tendinopathies, glenohumeral instability and frozen shoulder.

The elbows, wrists and hands are common areas for referred pain, so the neck and shoulder are examined too — symptoms may be caused by nerve impingement at the spine. Common conditions include tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral neuropathies, tennis and golfer's elbow, strains and sprains, instability and osteoarthritis.

Hip pain has many causes — sports injury, trauma, pinched nerves, degeneration or pre-existing conditions. Depending on where the symptoms sit, the structures affected differ: the joint itself, or the ligaments, tendons, muscles and surrounding soft tissue.

The knee comprises bone, cartilage, ligaments, muscles and fluid, each stabilising, protecting or enabling movement. Damage to any of them can start a chain of problems that accumulates over time. Common presentations include ligament, muscle and meniscus sprains, post-surgical rehabilitation, osteoarthritis and iliotibial band syndrome.

The ankle and foot withstand a great deal of weight and provide the base of support for upright posture — which also creates many more opportunities for injury, from repetitive strain and sport. Common conditions include ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, pes planus, Morton's foot and bunions.

A degenerative condition involving wear of the cartilage between bones. As cartilage wears down the joint loses range of movement, which can cause compensatory patterns of pain elsewhere over the long term. Care aims to restore joint function and range of motion.

Cervicogenic and tension headaches are the two most common presentations seen in a chiropractic clinic. Cervicogenic pain originates in the neck, is aggravated by particular movements or sustained postures, and may radiate to the forehead, eyes, temples or ears. Tension headaches are typically even rather than throbbing, and muscular in origin.

A sudden twist or jolt can end as a sprained back, twisted knee, rolled ankle or injured shoulder. The first few hours after an injury are crucial to how well the body heals — rest, ice, compression and elevation. After that initial stage, chiropractic care can be applied to accelerate healing.

A chiropractic adjustment is a highly controlled procedure which rarely causes discomfort. Inflammation may cause mild soreness or aching afterwards, as with some forms of exercise, usually resolving within 12 to 48 hours. That is the body's healing process at work, delivering nutrient-rich blood to the area treated.

A manual procedure using a direction-specific force applied to a joint, to assist in normalising how that joint functions. It is applied to a joint that is locked up, restricted in movement, or not moving properly — helping reduce pain and restore or enhance function.

Adjustment is a drug-free, non-invasive approach to common neuromusculoskeletal conditions, and a low risk therapy. Complications are rare, and tests are usually performed beforehand to assess whether the procedure suits you.

In many cases chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment. Where another medical condition exists, it may instead complement or support existing treatment by relieving the neuromusculoskeletal aspects associated with it. Get in touch to find out about your particular condition.

Not necessarily. Care may be acute, chronic, preventative or maintenance, depending on the case. A recent injury may need only help managing the pain. An ongoing chronic problem is more likely to need a plan spanning a longer period. Check-ups are recommended to stop stresses developing into pain.

A minimum of five years' full-time university study with at least one year of clinical experience, before being able to register. Chiropractors must also complete a formal registration process with the Chiropractors Council before they are legally allowed to practise.