Start by Understanding Why Your Back Hurts
Back pain can show up when you bend to put on your shoes, stand after sitting, roll over in bed, or try to lift something you normally handle without thinking. It can come from joints, muscles, discs, irritated nerves, repetitive strain, or the way your body is moving. Dr. Jason Godo, DC, RN evaluates your symptoms and physical findings to determine what may be driving the problem and whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
Late appointments up to 8 PM
Does Your Back Pain Feel Like This?
People seek an evaluation for many different types of lower-back symptoms.
Can Chiropractic Care Help Lower Back Pain?
Chiropractic care may be appropriate when back pain involves restricted joint movement, muscle tension, mechanical irritation, reduced mobility, or other musculoskeletal factors.
The examination is used to determine whether those findings appear relevant to your symptoms. Care is not recommended automatically. Imaging, medical evaluation, or referral may be recommended when another approach appears more appropriate.
Depending on your findings, care may include:
- Chiropractic treatment adapted to your condition and comfort
- Joint mobility and manual therapy techniques
- Soft-tissue treatment
- Applied Kinesiology and manual muscle testing when appropriate
- Mobility or strengthening recommendations
- Advice about sitting, sleeping, lifting, exercise, and daily activities
- Coordination with another healthcare provider when appropriate
What Is Included in the $29 Evaluation?
Your first visit is designed to determine what type of back-pain pattern you have and whether conservative chiropractic care is appropriate.
- Consultation with Dr. Godo
- Review of your symptoms and health history
- Posture and movement evaluation
- Lower-back, pelvic, and hip mobility testing
- Muscle function assessment
- Orthopedic testing when indicated
- Neurological testing when indicated
- AI-assisted posture assessment when appropriate
- Review of findings and recommendations
If chiropractic care appears appropriate, treatment may begin during the same visit. Treatment is separate from the $29 evaluation unless specifically stated.
Schedule Your $29 EvaluationCommon Factors Behind Lower Back Pain
Back pain can involve more than one structure or mechanical factor at the same time. These are some of the patterns considered during the examination.
Restricted Joint Movement
Reduced movement in the lower back, pelvis, or hips can change how forces are distributed during sitting, standing, bending, walking, and lifting. Tight hips can also contribute to lower-back pain patterns in some people.
Disc or Tissue Irritation
Discs and surrounding tissues can become sensitive after repetitive strain, prolonged sitting, lifting, bending, or injury.
Muscle & Movement Compensation
Previous injuries, limited mobility, muscle imbalance, repetitive activity, and movement habits can increase stress on the lower back.
Does the Pain Travel Into Your Leg?
Lower-back pain and sciatica can occur together, but they are not the same clinical pattern.
Not every case of leg pain is sciatica. An examination helps determine whether nerve involvement appears to be present.
Learn About Our Sciatica EvaluationWhat Does Dr. Godo Evaluate?
The examination is based on your symptoms rather than a fixed checklist. Depending on your presentation, Dr. Godo may evaluate:
Do You Need Imaging Before Chiropractic Care?
Not every person with lower back pain needs an X-ray or MRI before beginning conservative care.
Imaging may be recommended when your history, trauma, neurological findings, symptom pattern, or other clinical concerns suggest that additional information is needed.
For general information about back-pain evaluation, visit the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases .
What Happens at Your First Appointment?
Discuss Your Symptoms
We review how the pain began, what affects it, previous care, imaging, activity, and relevant health history.
Complete the Examination
Relevant movement, joints, muscles, and neurological findings are evaluated.
Review the Findings
Dr. Godo explains what appears relevant and whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
Discuss the Next Step
Treatment may begin, or imaging, medical evaluation, or another referral may be recommended.
You Work Directly With Dr. Godo
Godo Chiropractic is an independent practice. Your examination, recommendations, and chiropractic treatment are provided directly by Dr. Jason Godo.
Back Pain Symptoms That Need Prompt Medical Evaluation
Most lower-back pain is not an emergency, but some symptoms should be medically evaluated rather than managed as routine back pain.
- New loss of bowel or bladder control
- Numbness in the saddle or groin area
- Rapidly progressing leg weakness
- Severe or progressive neurological loss
- Significant recent trauma
- Possible fracture
- Fever or signs of significant infection
- History or concern for cancer with new unexplained back pain
- Severe or rapidly worsening unexplained pain
Frequently Asked Questions About Back Pain
Can a chiropractor help lower back pain?
Chiropractic care may be appropriate for some cases of lower-back pain involving joint, muscular, mechanical, postural, or movement-related factors. An examination is needed to determine whether conservative care is appropriate.
Do I need an X-ray or MRI before seeing a chiropractor?
Not every patient needs imaging before conservative care. Imaging may be recommended when your history, trauma, neurological findings, or other clinical concerns indicate that more information is needed.
Do you evaluate both new and long-standing back pain?
Yes. Dr. Godo evaluates both recently developed and recurring lower-back pain when the examination indicates that chiropractic care may be appropriate.
Can chiropractic care be considered for a herniated or bulging disc?
Some people with diagnosed disc problems may be candidates for conservative care. Recommendations depend on symptoms, neurological findings, examination results, imaging when available, and the overall clinical presentation.
How do I know if my back pain is sciatica?
Sciatica commonly includes pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness traveling from the lower back or buttock into the leg. An examination helps distinguish nerve involvement from other causes of back, hip, or leg pain.
Does the $29 evaluation include treatment?
The $29 evaluation includes consultation, examination, appropriate assessment procedures, and discussion of findings. Treatment is separate unless specifically stated.
Can treatment begin during the first visit?
Treatment may begin during the same appointment when the examination indicates that chiropractic care is appropriate.
Are same-day appointments available?
Same-day appointments may be available depending on the office schedule. Call (773) 525-0007 for current availability.
Back Pain Chiropractic Care in Lakeview Chicago
Godo Chiropractic participates with many insurance plans, including PPO, POS, HMO, and other plan types. Benefits and network status vary by plan, so complimentary insurance verification is available.
Godo Chiropractic 3118 N. Sheffield Avenue, Unit 1S Chicago, IL 60657 View on Google Maps →The office serves patients from Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville, Northalsted, Roscoe Village, Uptown, River North, and other nearby Chicago neighborhoods.
Ready to Have Your Back Pain Evaluated?
Schedule your $29 new patient evaluation online or call the office with questions about your symptoms.
Individual results vary. Information on this page is educational and is not a substitute for individualized medical evaluation, diagnosis, or emergency care.
