When symptoms keep coming back

Ask yourself: Are you treating the cause, or just managing the signal?

Pain, stiffness, fatigue, tension, digestive issues.
Most people don’t wake up with one isolated problem. Things accumulate. The body adapts. Symptoms appear.

At UMOYA Chiropractic, we look beyond the symptom itself and ask a more useful question:

Why did this show up in the first place?


What are “secondary conditions”?

Many common complaints are not the primary problem.
They are secondary responses to how the spine and nervous system are functioning over time.

When the nervous system is under strain, the body compensates:

  • posture subtly changes
  • movement becomes restricted or guarded
  • muscles overwork to stabilise
  • certain areas become overloaded

Eventually, something complains.

That complaint might be pain.
Or stiffness.
Or fatigue.
Or a recurring issue that never quite resolves.


The pattern we assess: Neuro-Functional Shifts

In our assessments, we often find a pattern we refer to as a Neuro-Functional Shift.

This means there has been a change in how:

  • the spine moves and stabilises
  • the nervous system communicates with the body
  • the system adapts to daily stress, posture, and load

These shifts most commonly develop at the top of the spine (neck/skull) or the base of the spine (pelvis), but their effects can be felt anywhere.

Importantly:
This does not mean something is “broken”.

It means your body has been adapting as best it can, but has been running out of resources.


Common secondary complaints we see in practice

Rather than an endless A–Z list, here’s how this typically shows up.

Head, neck & jaw

  • Neck pain or stiffness
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Jaw tension or jaw-related pain
  • Facial pain
  • Dizziness

Upper limb & nerve-related symptoms

  • Arm pain or heaviness
  • Numbness or tingling in hands or arms
  • Reduced grip strength
  • Carpal tunnel–type symptoms
  • Shoulder pain or frozen shoulder

Lower back, hips & pelvis

Posture & movement-related issues

Fatigue, stress & functional complaints

  • Chronic fatigue or low resilience
  • Digestive discomfort
  • Sleep-related tension or unrest
  • General sense that the body “never fully settles”

This list is not exhaustive.
It’s meant to help you recognise patterns, not label you.


What we focus on (and what we don’t)

What we do

  • Assess how your spine and nervous system are functioning together
  • Identify areas where adaptation has become strained or inefficient
  • Work calmly and progressively to restore better movement and regulation

What we don’t do

  • Chase symptoms in isolation
  • Promise instant fixes
  • Treat diagnoses without understanding the bigger picture

Not sure if this applies to you?

That’s normal. Most people aren’t.

A complimentary consultation allows us to:

  • listen to what’s been happening
  • explain whether your symptoms may be secondary in nature
  • clarify whether our approach is appropriate for you

No treatment.
No obligation.
Just clarity.

👉 Book a complimentary consultation