A working chiropractor's notebook
Notes from a working chiropractor — what the day in the clinic teaches about backs, necks, and nerves. These are the working notes I keep — the explanations I find myself giving to patients, written down so the next patient can have them too.
— Dr. Vermeulen
Practice notes on lumbar pain — herniated discs, sacroiliac dysfunction, sciatic patterns, lifting injuries, pregnancy back pain, and the conservative care that actually moves the needle.
Cervical and thoracic notes — chronic neck pain, whiplash recovery, cervicogenic headaches, postural patterns, desk-worker tension, and the targeted self-care that works between visits.
Nerve-related pain notes — true sciatica, piriformis syndrome, cervical radiculopathy, carpal and cubital tunnel, neural flossing protocols, and when nerve pain is a red flag rather than a sore back.
What chiropractic care actually involves — the techniques (Diversified, Gonstead, Activator, Thompson), the evidence base, contraindications, choosing a practitioner, and honest comparisons with other manual therapies.
Bodywork techniques relevant to spine and back care — deep tissue, myofascial release, ART, Graston/IASTM, cupping, dry needling, self-tools, and the integration with chiropractic care.
Practice notes on posture and the desk — forward head, rounded shoulders, the upper- and lower-crossed patterns, workstation setup, and the corrective work that actually changes a sustained position.
Plain-language notes on disc disease, stenosis, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and the other named spinal conditions — what the diagnosis means, how it tends to behave, and conservative management.
Notes on tension and cervicogenic headaches, jaw and TMJ pain, and the neck–jaw–shoulder circuit behind so much head pain — with the conservative, drug-sparing care that addresses the cause.
Rehab notes for the athlete — how tissue heals, graded loading, return-to-sport criteria, and managing the common running, lifting, and field-sport injuries conservatively.
Notes on spinal mobility and stretching — mobility versus flexibility versus stability, the daily routines I prescribe, common mistakes, and when stiffness is a signal rather than just stiffness.