Soft Tissue & Chronic Pain
Chronic Pain
Pain that has outlasted the expected healing time for the original problem.
Also called: Persistent pain, Long-term pain.
Long-standing pain usually involves more than the original tissue that started it. Sensitivity of the nervous system, sleep quality, stress, and activity avoidance all become part of the picture over time, even when the original injury has healed.
This doesn't mean the pain isn't real. It means the factors keeping it going can be different from the factors that first caused it, which changes what a useful evaluation looks like.
Why this matters
People living with persistent pain have often been told there is nothing structurally wrong, which can feel dismissive and unhelpful. A careful, functional evaluation of the nervous system and movement patterns is a more constructive starting point than that.
Understanding what has changed in how the body regulates pain and recovery gives something concrete to work with, rather than continuing to search for a single structural cause.
The brain & nervous-system connection
Where the nervous system fits in
Pain is produced and interpreted by the nervous system. Measuring how the stress-response and recovery systems are functioning gives an objective, measurable starting point rather than guesswork.
In persistent pain, the nervous system can become more sensitive over time, amplifying signals that would otherwise be minor. Recognising this pattern is part of setting a realistic, honest plan.
What we look at
We look for patterns, not a single test
- Detailed health history and consultation
- NeuroInfiniti Stress Response Evaluation
- Posture and movement
- Balance and coordination testing
- Eye movement or neurological screening when appropriate
- Grip or motor-function testing when appropriate
- Palpation and spinal function
- Other examination procedures based on the individual
Not every person receives every test. What we perform depends on your history, your age and what the examination shows as we go.
Scope of care
What this does — and doesn't — mean
What we do
- • We evaluate chiropractic and musculoskeletal function.
- • We look at nervous-system-related functional findings that fall within our scope.
- • We assess movement, balance and coordination findings.
- • We measure stress-response patterns with the NeuroInfiniti evaluation.
- • We make individualized chiropractic care recommendations and re-measure over time.
What we don't claim
- • We do not diagnose, treat or cure diseases.
- • Chiropractic care is not a treatment for dementia, Alzheimer's disease or other neurological diseases.
- • Chiropractic care is not a replacement for medical care, testing or medication.
- • No outcome is promised. Results vary from person to person.
This is a concern where medical evaluation, imaging or co-management may be the right first step. Dr. Mike Geran will say so plainly if that is what the history and examination suggest.
Common questions
- Will I be adjusted on the first visit?
- Generally no. The first visit is an evaluation visit. Dr. Geran reviews the findings and makes recommendations at the follow-up visit.
- Do I need imaging before I come in?
- Not usually. If your history or examination suggests imaging is needed, we will say so and help arrange the right next step.
When medical evaluation may be needed
Chronic pain with any of the features above warrants medical evaluation to rule out an underlying condition that needs its own care.
- Pain with unexplained weight loss, fever, or night sweats
- New weakness, numbness, or loss of bladder or bowel control
- Pain that wakes you from sleep and is progressively worsening
Related at Foothills Chiropractic
- Stress, Sleep & Nervous-System Regulation — How well you shift between stress and recovery is something we can measure with the NeuroInfiniti evaluation.
- Arthritis & Joint Stiffness — Age- and load-related joint change, and the stiffness that goes with it.
- Bursitis — Irritation of a fluid-filled sac that cushions a joint or tendon.
- Chronic Fatigue & Brain Fog — Persistent tiredness and mental cloudiness that deserve proper medical evaluation first.
Think Foothills Chiropractic might be right for you?
Start Here walks you through what the process looks like, so you can decide whether taking the next step makes sense for you.