Do you have a work injury?

A work injury is more than one thing

Most work injuries we see are not dramatic accidents. They come from the same task, done over and over, or from one lift the back was not ready for. The spine, the shoulders, and the way you stand for the job all take that load. Without a look at those parts, it is hard to say where the pain is coming from. This is a guide to what we see. A visit is how we tell which one is yours.

Repetitive work

Typing, reaching, a tool held the same way, a route driven every day. Small tasks with the same posture add up. The pain can start as an ache at the end of a shift and still be there the next morning. Care here looks at the structural pattern that keeps feeding it, not only the sore spot.

Lifting and twisting

Moving a box, a patient, or a piece of equipment, and turning at the same time, is a common way the back gets hurt. Swelling and stiffness often come with it. These injuries tend to change how the spine lines up, and they are a reason people come in. Low back pain from a strain is covered on the back pain page.

The desk and the shoulder

A head that sits forward and hours in one chair show up as neck pain and a pull into the shoulder. The first job is to see whether that pain is coming from the neck, the shoulder, or both. Neck pain is covered on the neck pain page. A collision on the job is a different pattern, covered on the whiplash page.

Pain that travels

A work injury often does not stay where it started. People describe an ache that leaves the low back and shows up in the buttock or down the leg. That can be a disc irritating a nerve, or a structural pattern that keeps feeding it. Pain down the leg is covered on the sciatica page.

When it needs a different doctor

Numbness or weakness that is getting worse, a severe headache that is new, or an injury that needs an emergency room, needs that first. Other problems can also show up as pain after a day of work. Those need to be sorted out, not guessed at. The exam is how we tell whether chiropractic care is the right next step.

Measured, then tracked

A thorough exam lets us see what is going on. We take objective measures of structure and function, including on-site X-rays, and we use those measures to track progress. The exam covers a wide set of metrics, so plan 90 to 120 minutes for the initial visit. Hands-on care waits until that exam says it is the right next step.

Peter Lenhart, Director of Rehab, helps patients improve structure and function with specialized exercises and angular tractions. More on the approach is on the CBP page.

I first came to see Dr. Eberle when chronic, moderate neck and back pain that was previously unsuccessfully treated by other doctors turned into severe pain, and began to interfere with my job. Within a few visits, I was no longer struggling at work! Dr. Eberle's approach to chiropractic treatment is far more comprehensive than other offices I've been to and caters to long-term, full body health, while also paying attention to any acute concerns. My body is significantly healing and healthier after being in Dr. Eberle's care!Nicole

Questions about work injury