Ray Chan Chiropractor

28/08/2025

How does the safety of chiropractic compare to other medical interventions for neck and back pain?

23/07/2025

Couldn't put it better myself; the metabolic influences the mechanical.

Metabolic syndrome increases inflammation. Inflammation not only increases our experience of pain, but actually increases the breakdown of collagen, such as cartridge. In the clinic I'm using products such as vitamin D, turmeric with boswellia and collagen with glycine to reduce inflammation and support repair.

We need to stop thinking of osteoarthritis (OA) as just a “wear-and-tear” disease. The science now tells a more nuanced story—one where metabolic dysfunction plays a central role. Not the only role. But an important one.

Yes, obesity increases joint load, particularly in weight-bearing joints such as the knees. In fact, for every 5-point increase in BMI, the risk of knee OA rises by 35%. But the connection doesn’t stop there.

Hand osteoarthritis is also significantly more common in individuals with obesity. The hands don’t bear weight—so clearly, something more than load is at play.

That “something” is a constellation of metabolic abnormalities:

-Chronic hyperglycemia
-Insulin resistance
-Dyslipidemia
-Hypertension
-Systemic inflammation

These factors fuel joint degeneration from within. Elevated glucose levels stimulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which damage cartilage and degrade joint tissue. Insulin resistance and visceral fat contribute to chronic, low-grade inflammation, which in turn alters joint biology.

The same metabolic dysfunction that damages blood vessels, nerves, and organs also erodes joint integrity.

So no, osteoarthritis is not just a mechanical disease. It’s a metabolic one too.

The implications?
Managing OA means addressing load and biology. That includes: – Reducing visceral adiposity – Improving insulin sensitivity – Controlling inflammation – Engaging in strength training and aerobic movement – Prioritizing sleep and stress management.

OA is not always inevitable. It’s often modifiable. However, only if we understand what is driving it.

02/05/2025

💡 Your core isn’t just your abs; - it’s your body’s stability system

When people hear "core" they often think six-pack. Your deep core muscles include muscles like your transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and the multifidus muscles of the spine. They work subconsciously, keeping you balanced, stabilising your spine and resisting compressive forces.

If these deep muscles aren’t working properly, your body compensates. That can lead to tight hips, back pain and poor posture.

👉 In the clinic we use functional muscle testing to assess how well these deep core muscles are doing their job. We then work to restore normal brain-body communication so the core functions the way it was designed to.

💬 Struggling with lingering back issues or feeling “off” in your core?
Let’s find out what’s really going on.

📅 Book your visit today.
🧠💪 Reconnect. Rebalance. Realign.

26/04/2025

🧠💪 Did you know your muscles are for more than just for movement?
They’re actually a sensory organ that constantly send messages to your brain!

Your muscles aren’t just doing what your brain tells them. They’re also reporting back, letting your brain know how your body is moving, balancing, and reacting to the world.

What happens when this connection is off? Your body feels it. Sometimes as pain, stiffness, fatigue, or just not feeling “quite right.”

At our clinic in Trowbridge, we use functional muscle testing to assess and restore this brain-body conversation, so your body can move and feel the way it’s meant to.

📍 Local. Natural. Root-cause focused.
📅 Book your visit today and feel the difference.

12/04/2025

🌟 Struggling With Lower Back Pain? 🌟
You’ve tried the painkillers.
You’ve done the stretches.
Maybe even a massage or two.
But the pain keeps coming back, or never really left.

Here’s why:

👉 The issue might not just be in your muscles.
👉 It might be in the way your brain and body are communicating.

Your spine is the highway between your brain and your body. When our joints and spine do not move properly, it can interfere with how your brain controls movement, posture, and even pain perception.

In the clinic, we focus on restoring that brain-body connection through precise manipulations that do more than just relieve tension, but optimises our controlled, subconscious movements.

✅ No more temporary fixes
✅ No more masking the pain
✅ A real solution that helps your body heal from the inside out

📅 Ready to get to the root of your back pain?

Book online, via the website and let’s start reconnecting your brain and body, so you can move better, feel better, and finally get lasting relief.

Chiropractor based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. Easily accessible from Melksham, Bradford on Avon, Frome, Westbury & Warminster.

28/03/2025

A bone mineral density scan, or DEXA scan measures the thickness of our bones. This is usually measured in places such as our hips, pelvis and lumbar spines. Our bones tend to thinning as we get older.

The T score compares our results to a 30 year old of the same gender. If you score less than -1 you are in the bottom 16% of your gender, or osteopenic. If you score less than -2.5 you are in the bottom 0.6% of your gender, or osteoporotic.

The Z score is more useful if you are older than 30. It compares your score against someone of the same age and gender. You should expect a score close to or above zero if you are using bone mineral density as a measure of healthy bones.

18/03/2025

A really useful introduction into chiropractic care, how it works and its health benefits.

19/02/2025

Struggling with a trapped nerve? Nerve entrapments can present as pins and needles, tingling, or weakness into the hand. A thorough assessment identifies the site of entrapment, hands-on care provides relief and helps the body repair and heal.

Book your consultation today!

Chiropractor based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. Easily accessible from Melksham, Bradford on Avon, Frome, Westbury & Warminster.

25/05/2024

The spine is made of a tower of 24 bones, called vertebra. Between the bones are the intervertebral discs, which act as a cushion and allow movement between the bones. Discs are made of a tough, fibrous, layered material around the outside, called the annulus. The inside is called the nucleus, which gives the disc its cushioning.

Myth #1 My disc suddenly 'went'. It takes years of repeated inappropriate loading to deform the discs. We load the back of the discs more than the front, which can push into the spinal canal and nerves, which can cause sciatica symptoms, such as pins and needles, numbness and weakness into the leg.

Myth #2 Discs do not heal. Discs are made of a protein called collagen. MRIs of the spine show they typically heal in 12 to 24 months.

22/05/2024

Chiropractors rely on the body's natural ability to heal. Diabetes is a condition where sugar in the blood remains elevated, damaging the body's small blood vessels and reducing its ability to heal. This particularly affects the blood vessels in the eyes, kidneys and the nerves of hands and feet - potentially leading to blindness or limb amputation.

To improve insulin sensitivity, the body's ability to move sugar from the blood in the cells maintain muscle, physical activity and get enough sleep. Bonus tips: eat your fibre first, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your water and consider magnesium and alpha lipoic acid supplements.

01/05/2024

Just wanted to recommend Creative Minds Escape Room in Trowbridge. Thankfully we're still all talking to each other!

A brave, brave effort from Team Rachels Foot but they just ran out of time. All they needed were another 3/4 minutes but the evil wizard caught them in his lair!

Great effort and thanks for coming to play Spellbound.

If you had fun, please leave us positive comments. Thank you 👍

Ray Chan Chiropractor

26/04/2024

"Painkillers aren't touching it" 💊
"I've been waiting for a referral" 📅
"I was given a sheet of exercises without any follow up" 😥

Chiropractors offer treatment modalities recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the management of back pain and neck pain.

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