21 guides
Patient guides
Plain-English guides to how pain works, written for my own patients. Free to read, no sign-up, and no email address needed.
What these are, and what they are not
After an appointment I usually send people away with a guide about what is going on with them. They kept getting long enough that emailing a PDF stopped making sense, so they live here instead. Anyone is welcome to read them.
They explain the modern science of pain in ordinary language, and they are honest about what is and is not known. What they cannot do is tell you what is causing your pain. That takes a history and an examination. These guides are general information, not medical advice, and not a diagnosis. If you have not been assessed, read them as background and see your GP, a chiropractor, a physiotherapist or another qualified clinician about your own symptoms.
Some symptoms need urgent care, not reading
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you have any of these:
- Numbness or tingling around your back passage, genitals or inner thighs
- Difficulty passing urine, or losing control of your bladder or bowels
- Sudden or worsening weakness in an arm or a leg
- Chest pain or breathlessness, or a sudden severe headache unlike any you have had
Contact your GP or NHS 111 the same day if your pain comes with a fever, unexplained weight loss, or followed a significant fall or accident, or if you have a history of cancer.
Back pain, sciatica and the upper back
Ten guides. Pick the one closest to your situation, and do not worry about picking perfectly: they overlap a good deal.
Neck pain and headaches
Neck pain, nerve pain down the arm, and headaches that start in the neck.
Shoulder pain
Rotator cuff, impingement, frozen shoulder, and what scans of shoulders really show.
Other areas and other circumstances
Elbow pain, and how a long-term condition changes recovery.
About these guides
All of them are written and reviewed by Tom Wikeley, a chiropractor registered with the General Chiropractic Council (registration number 05268), trained at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, practising in Loughborough. Each guide carries the date it was last reviewed. I review them at least once a year and when the evidence changes.
They are written for general education. They are not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and reading one does not create a patient relationship between us. The only way to find out what is going on with your pain is for a qualified clinician to assess you in person.
Where a guide points to another organisation, I link to it because its information is good, not because it has any involvement in your care. If a clinician who has examined you has given you different advice, follow theirs.
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Tell me and I will look at it.
Book an appointment
Reading about pain is no substitute for someone examining you. If you are in Loughborough and want that done properly, book in.
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