Manipulation therapy is used to treat many types of pain, including:

• Injuries. Sprains, strains, dislocations, fractures and other traumatic injuries are sometimes treated with manipulation therapy. It may be used in addition to other types of treatments such as immobilization, medications and physical therapy.
  
  
• Back pain. This is one of the most common medical conditions in the United States and other Western nations. Patients often receive chiropractic treatment for conditions such as herniated discs.

• Neck pain. Most conditions affecting the neck cause pain and stiffness along the base and sides of the neck. However, problems with the structures of the neck can also cause pain over the top of the head (tension headache), over the upper back (neck strain and fibromyalgia) or over the shoulder (neck strain or a pinched nerve in the neck). A common source of neck pain that may be treated with manipulation therapy is whiplash.
  
  
• Arthritis. A group of more than 100 conditions involving pain in the joints. Types of arthritis treated by manipulation therapy include:
  
• • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Ankylosing spondylitis

• Shoulder pain. Frozen shoulder is a term used to describe a stiff shoulder joint with decreased range of motion. Other painful shoulder conditions include injuries to the rotator cuff (the muscles that attach by tendons to the upper arm bone) and shoulder impingement syndrome, which results from compression of the rotator cuff tendons and subacromial bursa (a fluid-filled sac that separates bones in the shoulder joint).
  
  
• Tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon). The most common cause of tendinitis is overuse.
  
  
• Bursitis (inflammation of a bursa). Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that function as gliding surfaces to reduce friction between the tissues of the body. There are 160 bursae in the body, located in areas such as shoulders, elbows, hips and knees.
  
  
• Headaches. Types of headaches include tension headaches (sometimes described as a tight band around the head), migraines (characterized by throbbing pain and other symptoms, such as nausea) and cluster headaches (characterized by excruciating, piercing pain on one side of the head).

• Carpal tunnel syndrome. Involves pain or numbness caused by compression of a nerve in the wrist. It is the most common nerve entrapment disorder.
  
  
• Fibromyalgia. A chronic pain condition characterized by musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances.
  
  
• Complex regional pain syndrome. Pain that may occur after an injury to the arm or leg. It is often described as a burning sensation and is much worse than anticipated for the injury.
  
  
• Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles). MPS may involve a single muscle or a group of muscles. It may be caused by injury or excessive strain in various areas of the body.
  
  
• TMJ disorder. The temporomandibular joints connect the lower jawbone (mandible) to the skull. These joints are used more than any other joint in the body and can become damaged through means ranging from infection to stress.
  
  
• Other sources of joint pain or muscle pain.