Common Conditions

• Disc Degeneration/Disease

  Understanding what “wear and tear” in the spine really means Disc degeneration is a very common, age-related condition of the spine, and in most cases, it is not dangerous or disabling. If you’ve recently had an X-ray or MRI and been diagnosed with “disc degeneration” or “degenerative disc disease”, your first reaction may have been…

• Scoliosis

  Understanding the curve Have you ever thought: These are all common things I hear from patients after nearly 20 years working as a chiropractor. When I assess their spines and diagnose them with scoliosis, they are initially extremely worried—you might be feeling the same right now. In most cases, however, I am able to reassure…

• Problems Associated with Kyphosis 

  (‘Humpback’/’Roundback’) What hyperkyphosis is, why it causes mid-back pain,  and how to manage it properly If you feel like you can’t sit upright for long without your shoulders rounding forward, you’re not alone.  Hyperkyphosis—an increased curve in the mid-back—is something I see daily many years in clinic as a chiropractor at Active Health in Portsmouth…

• Rib Joint Pain/Costovertebral Joint Pain

  Understanding rib-related joint pain If you’ve landed on this page, there’s a good chance your symptoms sound something like this: One of the most common causes of these symptoms is irritation of a rib joint — medically known as the costovertebral or costotransverse joints.  Over the years in clinic as a chiropractor at Active Health…