Manual adjustment
A quick, shallow thrust through a restricted joint. Often produces a popping sound, which is gas moving in the joint fluid rather than anything shifting into place.
Spinal & soft-tissue care
Care for the back that has to get through tomorrow.
Vireo Vessel is a small chiropractic studio for people carrying stubborn neck, back and jaw complaints. Every course of care starts with an assessment, not an adjustment — and ends with movement you can keep doing on your own.
- Evening hours
- Tuesday and Thursday appointments run to 8pm for people who cannot take time out of a working day.
- No referral needed
- You can book an assessment directly. We write to your GP or physio only if you ask us to.
- Plan included
- Every patient leaves the first visit with a written movement plan — usually three exercises, not thirty.
Start where it hurts
The complaints we see most weeks
Chiropractic is not right for everything, so this index says plainly what the first appointment looks at for each presentation — and where we would send you instead.
-
01
Desk-bound neck and shoulder tension
Assessment looks at cervical rotation, thoracic extension and how your shoulders behave under load. Usually a mix of mobilisation and two positional changes at your workstation.
3–5 sessions typical -
02
Lower back pain that keeps returning
We test hip hinge, single-leg control and lumbar tolerance before any adjustment. Recurring pain is usually a loading problem, so the plan leans on graded strength work.
Loading review included -
03
Sciatic-pattern leg pain
Neurological screening comes first — reflexes, sensation and strength. If the pattern suggests anything beyond mechanical irritation, we refer before treating.
Screened at visit one -
04
Tension headaches from the neck
We check the upper cervical joints, jaw and breathing pattern. Headaches with a clear neck origin often respond quickly; those without one are referred on.
Jaw & breathing check -
05
Pregnancy-related pelvic and back pain
Side-lying and supported positions only, with pillows and a table that adjusts. No forceful techniques through the abdomen or pelvis at any stage.
All trimesters, adapted -
06
Return to sport after a strain
We build back from what you can already tolerate, with clear criteria for each step up. Useful if you have been cleared to train but do not trust the tissue yet.
Criteria-based return
How we work
Four ways we treat, and how each one feels
You can ask for any of these by name, or ask us to leave one out. Nothing is done to you without being explained first — that includes the techniques most people find unfamiliar.
Instrument-assisted
A spring-loaded device delivers a small, measured impulse instead of a hand thrust. Useful for nervous first-timers, older patients and anyone who dislikes the sound.
Soft-tissue release
Sustained pressure and slow stretching through muscle and fascia. This is the part that can feel tender at the time and pleasantly loose an hour afterwards.
Loaded rehabilitation
Bands, dumbbells and bodyweight progressions done in the room so you know the technique before you take it home. Usually the part that keeps the result.
Your first visit
Fifty minutes, in four parts
Most people who put off booking do it because they do not know what happens in the room. Here is the whole appointment, in order.
-
1
History
What hurts, when it started, what makes it worse and what you need to get back to. We ask about sleep, work and training because they usually explain the pattern.
About 15 minutes -
2
Physical examination
Movement testing, joint-by-joint assessment and neurological screening where the symptoms call for it. You stay in comfortable clothes throughout.
About 15 minutes -
3
Findings and consent
We tell you what we think is going on, what we propose to do and what we would not recommend. Treatment only starts once you have agreed to it.
About 5 minutes -
4
Treatment and plan
First treatment if it is appropriate today, then your written movement plan and an honest estimate of how many visits this should take.
About 15 minutes
Who you will see
Dr Imogen Rask, chiropractor
Imogen founded Vireo Vessel after eight years in mixed musculoskeletal practice, mostly working with people whose pain had already been through two or three clinicians. She treats every patient herself; there is no rotation between practitioners here.
“If three visits have not changed anything measurable, the plan was wrong. I would rather say that out loud than sell you a fourth.”
- TrainingMaster of Chiropractic, followed by postgraduate study in pain science and rehabilitation loading.
- FocusPersistent spinal complaints, headaches with a cervical origin, and return-to-activity work after strain injuries.
- Referral scopeRefers on for imaging, inflammatory presentations, unexplained weight loss, progressive neurological signs and anything outside musculoskeletal care.
- In the roomExplains each technique before using it, and will happily treat without manual thrusts if you prefer.
Practical detail
Hours, and what to bring
The studio runs one patient at a time, so appointments start when they are booked and there is no waiting room queue.
| Monday | 8:00am – 4:00pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10:00am – 8:00pm |
| Wednesday | 8:00am – 4:00pm |
| Thursday | 10:00am – 8:00pm · new-patient evenings |
| Friday | 8:00am – 2:00pm |
| Saturday | 9:00am – 1:00pm, fortnightly |
| Sunday | Closed |
What to bring
- Clothes you can move in — leggings or shorts and a t-shirt are ideal. There is a changing corner if you come straight from work.
- Any scan reports or letters you already have, even old ones. You do not need to chase anything down before booking.
- A list of medication you take regularly, including anything for blood pressure or blood thinning.
- The single activity you most want back. It gives us something concrete to measure against.
Good to know
- Appointments are fifty minutes for a first visit and thirty for follow-ups.
- Ground-floor studio with step-free access and an adjustable-height treatment table.
- You are welcome to bring someone into the room with you at any appointment.
- We do not sell treatment packages or ask you to commit to a block of visits in advance.
Questions
Asked before most first visits
If your question is not here, put it in the notes field when you request an assessment and it will be answered before you come in.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. Chiropractic is a primary-contact profession, so you can book an assessment directly. If your insurer requires a referral for reimbursement, check their terms first — some do and most do not.
What is the popping sound, and is it necessary?
It is gas coming out of solution in the fluid inside a joint — the same thing that happens when knuckles crack. It is not bones moving back into place, and it is not a measure of whether treatment worked. If you would rather avoid it, instrument-assisted and soft-tissue techniques achieve similar results without it.
Will I be sore afterwards?
Mild soreness for a day or so is common after a first treatment, particularly following soft-tissue work. It usually feels like the ache after unfamiliar exercise. Sharp pain, new numbness or symptoms that worsen over more than forty-eight hours are not expected — contact us if that happens.
How many appointments will I need?
Most straightforward complaints settle within three to six visits, and you will get an estimate at the end of your first appointment. We reassess at the third visit; if nothing measurable has changed by then, we change the plan or refer you rather than continuing.
Is treatment safe during pregnancy?
Yes, with adaptation. We work in side-lying and supported positions on a table that adjusts, use no forceful technique through the abdomen or pelvis, and keep to gentle mobilisation and soft-tissue work. Tell us your stage of pregnancy when you request an appointment so we can allow extra time.
What if you decide chiropractic is not the answer?
Then we say so at the first appointment and point you toward the right practitioner — a GP, physiotherapist, podiatrist or specialist depending on the findings. You are not charged for treatment that does not happen.
How do cancellations work?
Give us twenty-four hours' notice and there is no charge. Because the studio runs one patient at a time, late cancellations leave a slot that someone on the waiting list could have used, so we do ask for the notice where you can manage it.
Request an assessment
Tell us what is going on
Send the form and we will reply with two or three appointment times that fit what you have told us. No phone tag, and nothing is booked until you confirm.
- First visits are fifty minutesHistory, examination, findings, and treatment only if it is appropriate on the day.
- Replies within one working dayRequests sent over the weekend are answered on Monday morning.
- Thursday evenings held openReserved for new-patient assessments through October.