Conditions We Treat

Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care — and one of the conditions that responds to it best. Whether you're dealing with a sudden injury, chronic aching, or pain that comes and goes with activity, the underlying cause is almost never just "your back." We assess spinal alignment, joint mobility, muscle function, and movement patterns to find what's actually driving the problem and build a plan to address it. Spinal adjustments, soft tissue work, therapeutic exercise, and postural guidance are all part of how we treat it.

Neck pain rarely stays in the neck — it radiates into the shoulders, causes headaches, and affects how you sleep, work, and move through the day. Common contributors include joint restriction, muscle tension, disc involvement, and postural patterns developed over years of screen time and desk work. We treat the full picture: the restricted joints, the tight tissue, and the movement habits that keep pulling things back out of alignment.

Many headaches — particularly tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches — originate in the neck and upper back, not in the head itself. Restricted cervical joints, tight suboccipital muscles, and forward head posture are frequent culprits that chiropractic care addresses directly. If your headaches are frequent, predictable in location, or consistently worse after long periods of sitting or screen use, it's worth having your cervical spine evaluated.

Discs don't actually "slip" — they herniate, bulge, or degenerate, and those changes can compress nearby nerves and cause pain that radiates far from the disc itself. The good news is that most disc herniations respond well to conservative care. We use spinal adjustments, McKenzie-based assessment and treatment, soft tissue work, and targeted exercise to reduce nerve irritation, restore mobility, and help you avoid repeat episodes. Surgery is sometimes necessary, but it's usually the last resort — not the first step.

Sciatic pain — the sharp, burning, or radiating sensation that runs from the lower back into the buttock and down the leg — is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The cause might be a disc herniation, a tight piriformis muscle, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or something else entirely. We identify which structure is actually involved before treating it, which makes the treatment significantly more effective than guessing. Most patients with sciatica see meaningful improvement with chiropractic care.

Cambridge is full of people who spend eight or more hours a day at a desk, a lab bench, or a computer — and their bodies show it. Forward head posture, rounded shoulders, thoracic kyphosis, and hip flexor tightness from prolonged sitting are some of the most common presentations we treat. These aren't just comfort issues; left unaddressed, they create the conditions for more significant injury down the line. We treat the current symptoms and work with you on the habits and ergonomics that are driving them.

Our team has deep roots in athletic training — Dr. Bradshaw worked as a Board Certified Athletic Trainer before becoming a chiropractor, and Dr. Doody has specialized in running and athletic injuries throughout his career. We treat acute sports injuries (sprains, strains, overuse injuries, impact trauma) and chronic performance issues (movement restrictions, muscular imbalances, recurring injury patterns). Whether you're a competitive athlete or a dedicated amateur who takes your training seriously, we understand what it takes to get back to doing what you do — and to do it without breaking down again.

Running injuries deserve their own mention because they're a specialty — and because runners are a significant part of our patient community. We treat IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, Achilles tendinopathy, hip flexor strains, and stress-related knee and foot pain, among others. Dr. Doody is himself an avid distance runner who's working on running a half marathon in all 50 states, which means he's not just clinically trained to treat running injuries — he understands what you're actually asking your body to do and why stopping isn't always a satisfying option.

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is one of the more frustrating conditions we see — it develops slowly, limits range of motion significantly, and tends to linger without intervention. We treat it with a combination of soft tissue mobilization, joint mobilization, cupping, and targeted exercise. Shoulder pain from rotator cuff strain, impingement, or overuse also responds well to chiropractic and soft tissue work, particularly pin and stretch techniques that address the muscular and fascial components.

Jaw pain, clicking, and restricted mouth opening are often related to tension in the surrounding musculature and alignment of the cervical spine — both of which chiropractic care addresses. If you've been dealing with TMJ symptoms and haven't found lasting relief, it's worth exploring whether there's a musculoskeletal component contributing to it.

Whiplash and other injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents often don't present with their full symptom picture immediately — pain, stiffness, headaches, and reduced range of motion can develop or worsen in the days following an accident. Early chiropractic evaluation and treatment is associated with better outcomes and faster recovery. We work with auto insurance and can assist with the documentation process for personal injury claims. If you've been in an accident, don't wait to be evaluated.

Pregnancy puts significant and rapidly changing demands on the body — the pelvis shifts, the center of gravity moves forward, the lumbar curve deepens, and structures that were stable before are now being asked to accommodate a completely different load. Low back pain, pelvic girdle pain, hip discomfort, and round ligament pain are among the most common complaints we see in pregnant patients, and all respond well to gentle, pregnancy-adapted chiropractic care.

We use modified positioning and techniques throughout pregnancy to keep treatment safe and comfortable at every stage. Chiropractic care is generally considered safe during all trimesters, though we adapt to your OB or midwife's recommendations as appropriate. Postpartum care is equally important — the body continues to change significantly in the weeks and months after delivery, and chiropractic can support recovery of pelvic alignment, core function, and overall musculoskeletal health during that transition.

If you're pregnant and have questions about what care looks like at your specific stage, call us before booking and we'll walk you through it.