Assessment-led chiropractic
Auden Notch is a small clinic for low back, neck, rib and loading pain. Every course of care starts with a full movement and history assessment, and you leave the first appointment knowing what we found, what we think is driving it, and what happens next.
Request an assessmentWhere it hurts
Most people arrive with a region, not a diagnosis. Here is what we examine in each case and what usually shifts first, so you can judge whether this is the right room for your problem.
Low back & hip
Pain across the belt line that eases once you are moving, often with one hip that feels locked and a reluctance to load the leg on that side.
Neck, jaw & head
A band of ache from the shoulder to the base of the skull that worsens through the afternoon, sometimes with jaw tightness or a tender temple.
Mid-back & ribs
A pinpoint between the shoulder blades or along a rib that catches on a deep breath, common after long desk stretches or a heavy lift with a twist.
Sport & loading
Nothing hurts at rest, but a specific weight, distance or speed brings it back at the same point every time — the classic runner, lifter and racket-sport presentation.
Your first visit
Nobody should have to guess what happens behind a clinic door. This is the whole appointment, in order, including how long each part usually takes.
When it started, what makes it better or worse, what you have already tried, how you sleep and train, and what you actually want to get back to. We ask about general health and medication because it changes what is safe to do.
You move; we watch. Bending, rotating, loading one leg, reaching overhead, and where relevant the task that hurts — the lift, the stride, the desk position.
Joint-by-joint testing, muscle and tendon response, and neurological checks if your symptoms warrant them. This is also where we rule out the things chiropractic should not treat.
We explain what we found in plain language, describe the technique we would use and why, and only treat once you have agreed. You leave with two or three home movements and a clear idea of how many visits, if any, are sensible.
Techniques
Chiropractic is not one technique. These are the six we reach for most often, including the options that involve no cracking at all if that is what you would prefer.
Used forA single stiff segment in the low back, mid-back or neck that tests short compared with the ones either side.
How it feelsA quick, shallow push. Often a pop, which is fluid in the joint, not bone. Brief pressure, then a looser feeling.
Used forSensitive, guarded or irritable presentations, and for anyone who would rather not be adjusted.
How it feelsSlow, rhythmic rocking at the joint. No sudden movement and no noise.
Used forTight glutes, calves, forearms, jaw and neck muscles that keep reloading the painful joint.
How it feelsFirm and sometimes tender while pressure is held. We work at a level you can breathe through.
Used forRibs, older or osteoporotic spines, and anywhere a light, very precise impulse is safer than a manual thrust.
How it feelsA small spring-loaded tap. Quiet, quick and easy to tolerate.
Used forTendon pain and anything that only appears under load — this is what stops the problem returning.
How it feelsLike training. Two or three exercises, progressed each visit, done at home between appointments.
Used forRecurring neck, jaw and mid-back pain tied to how you sit, lift, drive or hold a phone.
How it feelsA conversation and a few small changes, made in the room and checked at the next visit.
Honest fit
A clinic that treats everything treats nothing well. We would rather send you to the correct place on day one than keep you in a course of care that cannot help.
Mechanical pain that changes with position, movement or load.
Some presentations need a different clinician, and we will say so.
Clinic rhythm
Visits are booked to the work they need rather than to a fixed slot, and the diary is deliberately kept light so nothing runs late.
Bring or wear clothing you can move in. Nothing needs to be removed beyond a jacket and shoes, and you are welcome to bring someone into the room with you.
Tuesday and Thursday evenings hold the new-patient assessments. Early Monday and Wednesday slots are usually the quietest if you want to be in and out before work.
Questions
If your question is not here, put it in the notes field when you request a time and it will be answered before you come in.
No. You can request an assessment directly. If your case would be better handled elsewhere, or would benefit from imaging or a medical opinion, we will tell you at the first visit and write to your doctor with your permission.
Yes, and it is a common request. Mobilisation, instrument-assisted adjusting, soft-tissue work and rehabilitation cover most neck presentations without a manual thrust. Nothing is done without you agreeing to it first, and you can change your mind mid-appointment.
It is a pressure change in the fluid inside the joint, much like cracking a knuckle. Nothing slips out or goes back in. The sound is not the goal and its absence does not mean the treatment failed.
Mild stiffness for a day, similar to after unfamiliar exercise, is common after a first treatment and settles with normal movement. We will tell you what is expected and what is not, and what to do if the response is stronger than we predicted.
We give an honest estimate after the assessment — for most straightforward mechanical problems it is a handful of visits, not months. We book one or two at a time and review progress against what we predicted. If it is not working, we change the plan or refer you on.
Usually yes, with the technique chosen to suit. Pregnancy, osteoporosis, joint conditions, blood-thinning medication and recent surgery all change what we do rather than rule care out. Tell us in the notes field so the right approach is planned before you arrive.
Request a time
Send the short form below and we will reply with two or three times that match your preference. It is a request, not a confirmed booking — nothing is charged and nothing is held until you have agreed the time.