Restore the motion
Specific adjustments to the segments that have stopped moving properly — manual, or low-force instrument adjusting if you’d rather skip the twisting.
Home/What We Help With/Low back pain
ChiropracticLow back pain relief in Morgan Hill, CA
It’s the most common reason patients walk through our door, and the most commonly mismanaged. Rest and painkillers quiet the signal; they rarely address what set it off.
Why the sore spot isn’t always the problem
Low back pain is usually the end of a chain, not the start of one. A hip that doesn’t extend properly, a pelvis sitting rotated, ankle stiffness from an old sprain, or a core that switched off after pregnancy or surgery — each forces the lumbar spine to compensate. It does that willingly for years, until it can’t.
That’s why an exam here looks well beyond where you’re pointing. If we only treat the painful segment, you’ll be back in six weeks with the same complaint.
The kinds of low back pain we see most
Acute mechanical pain — you bent, lifted or twisted, and something locked up. Usually the most satisfying to treat, and it responds fastest when you come in early rather than waiting it out.
Chronic recurring pain — it goes away and comes back, on a cycle you can almost predict. This is nearly always a movement-pattern problem plus a lifestyle contributor, and it needs both addressed.
Postural and occupational pain — worse at the end of a work day, better on holiday. Common in South Bay desk and commute patterns.
Post-pregnancy pain — a genuinely different presentation involving ligament laxity, pelvic mechanics and abdominal wall function. See our prenatal and postpartum page.
When it’s not just mechanical
Some low back pain deserves imaging or a referral rather than an adjustment. Progressive weakness, changes in bladder or bowel control, unexplained weight loss, night pain that wakes you, fever, or a history of cancer are all reasons to be examined promptly and possibly referred out. Part of the first visit is screening for exactly this — and Dr. Diana will tell you plainly if you need a different provider.
Occasionally the driver is inflammatory rather than structural, which is where having functional medicine in the same building genuinely helps.
At your first visit
What we look for
- Detailed history: onset, what makes it better and worse, and what you’ve already tried
- Neurological testing — reflexes, sensation and muscle strength
- Orthopedic testing to isolate which structure is producing the pain
- Posture analysis and joint range-of-motion evaluation
- Digital X-rays on site, if the exam findings call for imaging
- Screening for the red flags that mean you need a referral, not an adjustment
Next step
About an hour with Dr. Diana, a full examination, and digital X-rays on site if the findings call for them.
Or call (408) 778-6770.
Our approach
How we work on low back pain
Calm the tissue
Heat, traction tables and percussive soft-tissue work on the muscles guarding the joint. Skipping this step is why some care feels like it never holds.
Fix the chain
Practical home exercises — the kind patients actually do — targeting the hip, pelvis and core contributors so the same episode doesn’t recur.
Address the load
Desk setup, sleep position, lifting mechanics and driving posture. Small changes with outsized effect for South Bay commuters.
Look wider if needed
If inflammation, sleep or stress is clearly feeding the pain, we can bring functional medicine testing into the same plan without a referral elsewhere.
Give you the plan in writing
At your Report of Findings you’ll see the proposed frequency and duration before you commit to any course of care.
This describes our general clinical approach and is not a promise of a specific outcome. Every case is assessed individually, and results vary between patients.
$67
New patient offer
New Patient Chiropractic Exam
Consultation, full exam, and digital X-rays on site if clinically needed. Plus a full hour of one-on-one time with Dr. Diana Tole, DC — not fifteen minutes.
New chiropractic patients only. Not billable to insurance or federal healthcare programs; Medicare, Medi-Cal and personal-injury cases are excluded. Offer covers the initial exam only, not treatment. [CONFIRM WITH GRIFALL: chiropractic exams, digital X-ray and insurance billing happen at their office on their equipment. Check this offer is Five Factor’s to advertise before it goes live.]
Before you book
Low back pain — common questions
How fast will I feel better?
Acute mechanical pain often improves noticeably within the first few visits. Long-standing problems take longer, because the compensations took years to build. You’ll get a specific estimate at your Report of Findings based on your actual exam findings rather than an average.
Should I rest or keep moving?
For most mechanical low back pain, prolonged bed rest makes things worse rather than better. Gentle continued movement within tolerance is usually the better answer — but which movement depends on what’s driving your pain, which is what the exam is for.
Do I need an MRI?
Usually not. Most low back pain doesn’t require advanced imaging, and MRI findings frequently show changes that exist in pain-free people too. We have digital X-ray on site for cases where imaging is indicated, and Dr. Diana will refer you for an MRI if your presentation genuinely warrants it.
Is it safe if I have a disc problem?
Often yes, with technique selected accordingly — low-force instrument adjusting and traction rather than rotary manual adjusting, for instance. Bring any previous imaging to your first visit. Certain findings do change the plan, which is why the exam comes before any treatment.
Ready to find the why?
Most new patients are seen within the same week. Call the office, or send a short request and we'll get back to you.
New chiropractic patients: ask about the $67 new patient chiropractic exam.