Backs and necks change with age, and pain becomes a frequent companion. Some of it is mechanical and can be worked on. Some of it belongs to your doctor. This page is about telling the two apart.
If you are in Málaga and would like it assessed at the practice: low back pain in Málaga.
What changes in the spine over the years
Discs lose water and height, joints show wear, ligaments stiffen and muscle mass falls. Most of that is expected and not, in itself, a disease. It does mean the spine tolerates less: long walks, awkward loads and long hours in the car are felt sooner than before.
Some conditions that become more common with age — osteoporosis, spinal stenosis, inflammatory arthritis, vascular problems — are diagnosed and managed by your doctor and your specialist, not here.
There are also warning signs that mean you see a doctor first, not us: pain after a fall, night pain that wakes you, unexplained weight loss, fever, loss of strength in a leg, numbness in the saddle area, or any loss of bladder or bowel control.
What we do not do here
We do not treat osteoporosis, arthritis or any systemic disease. Those belong to your doctor.
We do not change or reduce your medication. That decision is your doctor’s, and only your doctor’s.
We do not promise that your pain will go away. Nobody can honestly promise that.
What we do look at
The musculoskeletal side, which is our field:
- Low back pain and stiffness after sitting or standing.
- Neck pain and restricted movement when turning the head, which matters for driving.
- Mid-back pain from posture and long hours seated.
- Joint pain in hips, shoulders and knees.
- Balance and confidence when walking, as far as mobility and posture are concerned.
Being 70 or 80 is not a reason to be turned away, and it is not a reason to be handled the same way as someone of 30 either. Bone quality, medication and other conditions all change what can and cannot be done, and that is exactly why the first visit starts with your history.
How the first visit works
We start by listening: how long it has been going on, how it started, what makes it better and what makes it worse, what you have been told before, and what you are taking. Then comes the physical examination and the computerised postural analysis, and an explanation of what we found before starting any treatment. If you bring reports or imaging, they are read alongside your history.
If what you describe belongs to your doctor, we will tell you so and say why.
Chiropractor and physiotherapist in central Málaga, in English · C/ Córdoba 6 · +34 629 245 594
This clinic works on musculoskeletal complaints of the spine and joints. We do not diagnose or treat systemic, respiratory, autoimmune, metabolic or neurological disease, and we do not replace prescribed medical treatment. If you have a diagnosis of that kind, your specialist is the one who manages it. What we can look at is the back, neck or joint pain that comes along with it.
Reviewed by José De San Juan Guerrero, Doctor of Chiropractic, graduate of Sherman College, USA, and registered physiotherapist (Andalusia, no. 5960). Last reviewed: .
References
- Wong AYL, et al. Low back pain in older adults: risk factors, management options and future directions. Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders. 2017. PubMed
- Brinjikji W, et al. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. American Journal of Neuroradiology. 2015. PubMed
- Hawk C, et al. Best Practices for Chiropractic Care for Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Consensus Update. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2017. PubMed
- Finucane LM, et al. International Framework for Red Flags for Potential Serious Spinal Pathologies. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2020. PubMed
