Chiropractic Care for Pain

Many people seek help for pain. Pain is like the alarm that goes on when there is a “fire” in your body.

It is complex in nature and can be adaptive and maladaptive.

It can be adaptive because it alerts us to dysfunction in our body so we can do something about it.

But chronic and severe pain can affect how we live and work, and ultimately, our quality of life.

Stopping the pain by using pain relief solutions like painkillers and muscle relaxants is akin to removing the batteries from the fire alarm.

Why not find the fire and put it out instead?

A misaligned and dysfunctional spine can cause pain, and if so, chiropractic can help.

Chiropractic Care for Shoulder and Low Back Pain

Apart from neck pain, people also commonly seek chiropractic care for shoulder and low back pain.

What commonly accompanies forward head carriage are rounded shoulders, in what has been termed “upper cross syndrome”.

“Lower cross syndrome” is common in people with a weak core and anterior pelvic tilt.

Misalignments in the spine and imbalance of muscles can

  • impair movement (e.g., not being able to move the shoulder without pain)
  • speed up degeneration of joints
  • cause symptoms like pain

Poor posture and ergonomics at work and at play are micro-traumas that add up over time, which when coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, lead to an unhealthy spine.

Chiropractors can help you get well and stay well by checking and adjusting your spine and teaching you how to care for your spine.

So you can be the best version of yourself and do the things that you enjoy.


Here is a series of 2-5 minute animations that we have curated to help you make sense of pain.

Watch what catches your eye, or best yet, watch them all! Remember, becoming more informed helps you make better choices for you and your family.

CHRONIC PAIN. What is chronic pain? And what can you do to get rid of it?
PAIN IS OUR ALARM SYSTEM. Pain can be useful but not if it doesn’t stop. Change the pain music in your brain.
PAIN AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. How you think and feel about pain can influence your pain experience. What can you do to buffer your immune system and improve your pain?
BREAK THE PAIN CYCLE. When you have chronic pain, your brain has learned to be in pain. In this video, we look at the ways to help brake, and break the pain cycle.
THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX. Your prefrontal cortex is a vital part of your brain that makes you who you are. This suggests the way your spine moves influences who you are.
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. Modern day opioid drugs are prescribed for pain relief. In reality, drugs such as Tramadol, Oxycontin, Codeine and Vicodin are similar to slow release heroin and are highly addictive. What are the alternative first line choices you can look at to address pain?

Dr Heidi Haavik is a New Zealand-based award winning scientist, speaker and author. She is a chiropractor and a neurophysiologist who has worked in the area of human neuropsychology for over 15 years. Her series of The Reality Check animations are educational, easy to understand and based on the latest chiropractic evidence-informed research.


Find out more about Chiropractic!