“I have had sich a great experience seeing Dr. Bergin. When other offices have told me I just had muscle damage or the only thing they could do for me was give shots, he said he had others ways to manage my pain and numbness, along with improving mobility. And he was right! I feel so much better! With such friendly staff and welcoming office environment, it makes for an amazing experience. I'll definitely continue seeing him!”
Condition
Back Pain Treatment
in Lakeland and The Villages, FL
Back pain that keeps returning is usually a mechanical problem, not a mystery. We examine the spine, show you the findings, then build a plan that does not start with surgery.
- 22 years in practice
- Doctor of Chiropractic led
- No surgery, no injections
- $47 new-patient exam
Medically reviewed by Dr. Justin Bergin, DC Updated September 18, 2026
Quick summary
Most back pain is mechanical, which means it comes from the discs, joints, muscles and ligaments of the spine rather than from a disease. That is also why it answers to care that unloads the spine and restores movement.
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC examines your back, explains the findings in plain language, then builds a non-surgical plan at the Lakeland or Lady Lake office.
Understanding back pain
Back pain is pain coming from the spine and the soft tissue around it. In most people it is mechanical rather than caused by disease. A joint, a disc or a muscle is carrying more load than it can take, and that load can usually be changed.
What separates a back that settles from one that keeps flaring is load. Pain is the last symptom to appear and the first to leave. That is why people feel better long before the mechanics change, then flare three weeks later.
A scan alone rarely settles it. Plenty of people carry disc bulges with no symptoms.
How it works
What carries the load
Your body weight travels down the lumbar spine through five vertebrae, the discs between them and a pair of small facet joints at every level.
Where the spine meets the pelvis
Below those five levels sits the sacroiliac joint, where the spine meets the pelvis. Each of those structures has a nerve supply, so each of them can hurt.
What happens when load shifts
A thinning disc changes how the facet joints behave, and a hip that will not extend pushes work into the lower back.
Have you already tried rest, stretches and waiting?
You have probably been told to rest it, stretch it, take something for it and wait. Maybe an imaging report came back with words nobody explained.
Maybe someone mentioned surgery and the room went quiet. That is usually when people come to ChiroMed Wellness Centers.
Which structure is actually causing the pain?
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC has spent 22 years with backs that other offices called a muscle problem. His first job is finding which structure is causing the pain.
A disc behaves differently from a facet joint. A sacroiliac joint behaves differently again. The examination sorts that out before anyone treats you.
What does the plan look like before care starts?
What follows is a written plan you see before care starts. Adjusting, computer guided decompression, soft tissue work and prenatal care all happen in one building, on one schedule.
Both offices run the same lineup, Lakeland and Lady Lake. No surgery. No injections. No open ended course of care.
Independent background: Back pain causes, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Symptoms
Most people recognize their own version somewhere in this list. Each one maps to a specific finding the examination checks for.
- A deep ache across the low back
- Pain that worsens after sitting
- Stiffness on getting out of bed
- A catch or lock with bending
- Pain spreading into the buttock
- Difficulty standing for long
- Muscle spasm along the spine
- Pain on lifting or twisting
- Relief from changing position
Common causes
Disc degeneration and disc bulge
Discs lose water and height with age and load, which changes how the joints above and below behave. The disc itself can also bulge and irritate nearby tissue.
Facet joint irritation
The paired joints at the back of each level take extra load when a disc thins. They produce a local, one sided ache that is worse on leaning back.
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
A pelvic joint moving too much or too little refers pain into the buttock and the back of the thigh. Common after pregnancy and after a fall.
Muscle strain and overload
A bad lift, a long drive or an unfamiliar Saturday job strains the muscles stabilizing the spine. The spasm that follows is protective and painful in itself.
Spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the canal or the nerve exits hurts more on standing and walking and eases on sitting or leaning forward. It becomes more common with age.
Pregnancy related change
Ligament laxity, a shifting center of gravity and a widening pelvis change how the lower back is loaded, mostly in the second and third trimester.
How we treat back pain in Lakeland and The Villages
We treat back pain by taking load off the painful structure and restoring the movement that was lost. The examination decides which of these you get: chiropractic adjusting, computer guided spinal decompression, soft tissue therapy, prenatal care, or a combination. It all goes in one written plan.
Spinal Decompression for a Loaded Disc
When the examination points at the disc, decompression addresses it directly. The table applies controlled, cycling traction to one spinal level so the disc is unloaded rather than compressed. It is quiet and painless, and Dr. Bergin sets the level and angle from your findings rather than from a preset.
Chiropractic Adjusting for Stiff Spinal Joints
A joint that has stopped moving recruits the muscles around it into constant guarding. Adjusting restores that motion so the guarding switches off. This is the part of the plan that bills insurance, with benefits verified before your first visit.
Soft Tissue Work for Guarded Muscle
Active Release Technique and Graston instrument work address the thickened, adhered tissue that builds around a back painful for months. It is often what keeps an adjustment holding from one visit to the next.
Prenatal Care for Pregnancy Related Back Pain
Back and pelvic pain in pregnancy has a mechanical cause and mechanical answers. Positioning and technique are adapted as the pregnancy progresses, trimester by trimester.
Available at our 2 locations
Treatment at our Lakeland office, and also at:
What recovery usually looks like
Settling the pain The first stretch of care
The goal is calming the painful structure and getting movement back. Mornings usually change first. Flare ups still happen here and are expected.
Changing the load As the plan progresses
Care shifts from settling pain to changing what produced it. Visits space out as gains hold, measured against your original findings rather than the mood of the day.
Maintenance After the active plan
A small number of planned check visits to protect the result, not an open ended schedule. It is discussed openly and it is your choice.
If nothing changes The honest checkpoint
A back that has not moved by the agreed reassessment is telling us something. That is the visit where the plan changes or you are referred on.
When to seek care sooner
For a back that has been sore a few days with no warning signs, keep moving. Short, frequent walks beat bed rest, which stiffens the spine and weakens the muscles that support it.
Change position every twenty minutes if you sit for work. Use heat for tightness and cold for a fresh strain, whichever helps more.
Avoid the one movement that brings on the sharpest pain, rather than avoiding everything. If it has not started improving in a couple of weeks, get it examined.
Loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness between the legs, a weakening leg, fever, unexplained weight loss, a cancer history, or pain from a crash or fall means a doctor today, not us.
Cost, insurance and financing
What back care costs depends on what the examination finds, not on a package chosen in advance. The one figure we state plainly is the new patient offer. The rest is quoted in writing at the report of findings.
The one published price
Consultation, Exam, X-Rays (If Needed) & Report of Findings: Only $47
What affects the cost
- Whether imaging is needed to settle the diagnosis
- Whether the plan adds a device protocol to adjusting
- How long the back has been painful
- Visit frequency, which falls as the plan progresses
What a course includes
- The examination and the report of findings
- Digital X-rays where they change the plan
- Reassessment at the agreed checkpoints
Payment:
Chiropractic care at ChiroMed bills insurance, and our team verifies your benefits before your first visit. The decompression protocol is a self-pay program, quoted in writing before it starts. Payment plans are available for self-pay care. Ask the front desk which plan fits your course of care.
Who you would be seeing
Who examines your back, and for how long?
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC has been in practice 22 years and treats the back personally, from examination through to reassessment.
His own history with chronic pain and scoliosis is why this practice rejects the rushed-appointment model. You get the time it takes to be examined properly and to have the findings explained until they make sense.
What is the approach, in one line?
The approach is simple. Find the structure causing the pain, change what is loading it, and stay honest about what care can and cannot do.
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC, 22 years in practice, performs the examination personally and explains the findings before any program starts. Lakeland: 6595 Florida Ave S, Suite 13, Lakeland. The Villages market office: 929 US-441 #404, Lady Lake. Both offices run the same program.
Getting to us
How easy is the Lakeland office to reach?
The Lakeland office at 6595 Florida Ave S, Suite 13 sits on South Florida Avenue near the Polk Parkway. It is an easy drive from Highland City, Christina, Grasslands, Scott Lake and the Southgate and Lakeside Village side of town.
Many of these Polk County backs belong to people still working, still lifting, still driving for a living.
Who drives to the Lady Lake office?
Lady Lake, at 929 US-441 #404 just north of CR 466, serves The Villages, Summerfield, Fruitland Park, Oxford, Wildwood and Leesburg across Lake, Sumter and Marion counties.
Those backs want to keep gardening and keep getting in and out of a golf cart without planning the movement first.
Browse every condition on the conditions we treat index.
From the ChiroMed Journal
Related reading on back pain from the ChiroMed journal. They go further into the causes, the self-care that helps and the point at which you should stop waiting.
- Back Pain That Keeps Coming Back: What to Try Before Surgery
Recurring back pain usually has a disc or joint driver nobody named. How non-surgical decompression works, who suits it, and what the traction research shows.
- Chiropractor or Physical Therapist: Who Should You See First?
Back or neck pain and unsure who to call? How joint restriction and lost capacity point to different first visits, and what to do when nerve symptoms appear.
Back Pain in recent research
These sources are independent of this practice and none of them endorses it. They are listed so the reasoning behind the care can be checked rather than taken on trust.
- Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians
The guideline that places non-drug care, spinal manipulation among it, ahead of medication for most low back pain, which is the order we work in.
- Spinal manipulative therapy for adults with chronic low back pain
The current Cochrane review of manipulation for chronic low back pain, reporting modest rather than dramatic benefit, which is what we tell patients to expect.
Options compared, honestly
This is treated very differently depending on who you walk in to see. Here is the full set, including the options this practice does not provide.
| Option | What it is | Typically considered when | Invasive? | Offered at ChiroMed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinal decompression Our approach | Cycling traction that unloads one disc level | The source looks discogenic and adjusting alone has not been enough | No | Yes. Self-pay, quoted in writing first |
| Chiropractic adjustment | Hands-on restoration of movement at a stiff joint | Joints are not moving and muscles are guarding | No | Yes. Billed to insurance |
| Soft tissue therapy | Manual and instrument work on adhered tissue | Movement returns on the table then goes again | No | Yes. Delivered alongside adjusting |
| Physical therapy | A supervised strengthening program | Strength is the limiting factor, not joint motion | No | Not performed here. Right when graded strengthening is the main need |
| Prescription pain medication | Drugs aimed at the pain signal, not the mechanics | Pain is blocking sleep in the short term | No | Not performed here. We do not prescribe |
| Epidural or nerve root injection | An image guided steroid injection near a nerve root | Severe nerve pain has not moved with non-surgical care | Minimally | Not performed here. Reasonable before rehabilitation can start |
| Fusion or discectomy surgery | Surgery to remove disc material or fuse a segment | Imaging confirms a surgical lesion or strength is being lost | Yes | Not performed here. Some backs need a surgeon and we refer |
The options we do not sell are on this table on purpose. If your examination says the answer is an injection or an operation, you should hear that at the first visit.
What to expect
From evaluation to a plan for your back pain
A course, not a single visit. The examination decides the length and the cost, and both are written down first.
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01Evaluation
Orthopedic and neurological testing, with imaging on site where it changes the plan.
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02Findings, in plain language
What the examination actually found, and honestly whether this is a case conservative care can help at all.
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03A written program
Which disciplines, how many visits, over what period, and what it costs. Decided before anything begins.
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04Reassessment as it runs
Function is re-measured through the course. If the response says the plan should change, it changes.
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Find out what is actually driving it before choosing a program.
“Love this place!! Cynthia and Angie are amazing! So nice and helpful!! The chiropractor’s are also amazing!! Just a great place overall! I highly recommended it!!”
“Look them up I waited so long to see a chiropractor and I found this place and am so happy that I did . Love the Drs they are so helpful and make feel like family.”
“The staff is super friendly and they walked me through the whole process. I’ve been going for a few weeks now and I’m already feeling results! The treatment the offer is very hands on and informative. I’ve never had manual adjustments until coming to this office and the staff makes you feel comfortable and takes care of your needs. Highly recommend !”
“The best Chiropractic center in South lakeland! love it here the Doctors are very urged to help with any of your needs, the beautiful assistants are nice and helpful they really make you feel welcomed. Most highly recommended Chiropractic Center. :)”
“Muy profesional la atención es formidable todos los empleados son muy amigables.Y muy efectiva sus terapias..Los recomiendo 100x100%”
“My pain has decreased dramatically, I’m no longer stretching and moving my neck in every angle trying to find relief. Every part of my body I can feel is finally getting closer to symmetry! All I can say is you should give new city a try!”
“I love this place!! They're very caring for their patients and strive to help you feel better. I strongly recommend giving them a try. I promise you won't regret it”
“The staff is very knowledgeable and organized, they get to know you and are flexible about fitting your treatment in to your life. They use proven methods to treat the root of your issues and the results are incredible. I was in a lot of pain after a car crash and within a few weeks I was able to go back to my normal routine with no discomfort.”
“I have seen and feel the change in my body since I started, I use to have major pain in my knees and neck ache. I'm an athlete and constantly need more adjustments, and every time I come I always without a doubt feel welcomed and important.”
“Dr. Bergin at Chiromed Wellness Centers is the best chiropractor in town. I no longer have to take pain meds. If you still have pain, you’re not seeing to best chiropractor.”
“Took a good amount of time going over my preliminary results and going over potential care plan. Great adjustment and doesn’t sugarcoat when discussing. Would recommend”
“The environment is incredible at this office with the staff and also both doctors are extremely friendly and great at what they do”
“Amazing, Super friendly and talented Staff and Doctors! My back was a hot mess after a semi hit my car on my first day moving to Florida. But after going through the treatment program I was able to get my neck, my back and my life in alignment. It was a total transformation. Thank You New City Chiropractic!”
“Hands down the best chiropractic office out there! They are super friendly and make me feel comfortable to tell then what’s wrong. They always ensure the best treatment for their patients!”
“I absolutely love this place , it is like going to visit family. They are always so pleasant , happy , and professional. I always enjoy seeing the ladies , they always put a smile on my face and even if I am having a bad day. The doctors are always so friendly and concerned with my well being. I actually look forward to going there and miss them on the days that I don't go.”
“I only wish it was closer. You are welcome it's definitely a compliment and I have read the great comments people made about the facility and staff! Amen Open one in Auburndale please!!”
“HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend coming here if you have any pains in your back or neck!! These guys are AMAZING at what they do!! Just a few months into coming here, I feel a change in the way I walk, the way my head sits on my shoulders, and I just feel GREAT; ALL THE TIME!! Crazy what some little adjustments did for me!!”
“This is an awesome chiropractic!! They are all nice and kind! Ever Since I have been adjusting my back, I don't need to take medicine before I go to bed. Also, I have been sleeping without waking up in the middle of the night because of the pain!! I really recommend the chiropractic 😊”
Get in touch
Schedule your back pain evaluation
Tell us what you are feeling and which office is closer. The front desk answers during office hours; leave a message after hours and they call back the next open day.
- 1
Send the form
Two minutes. Tell us what hurts and which office is closer.
- 2
We call you back
A real person, during office hours, to find a time that works.
- 3
Exam and answers
History, orthopedic and neurological testing, imaging on site when it changes the plan.
- $47 consultation, exam, X-rays if needed and report of findings
- Payment plans available on the self-pay programs
- 4.8 out of 5 from 225 Google reviews
- Choose Lakeland or The Villages on the form
Back Pain questions
Tap a message for the honest answer. Call Lakeland (863) 940-3444
What is a red flag in chiropractic?
A red flag is a sign that the problem is not mechanical and needs a doctor rather than an adjustment. The short list of them sits in the red-flag note under When to seek care sooner.
Dr. Bergin checks for every one of them at the first examination, and refers rather than treats when one shows up.
What is the average cost of a chiropractic adjustment in Florida?
It varies so widely by office, region and insurance that a single published figure means little.
Ours we can tell you. The consultation, exam, X-rays if needed and report of findings is $47.
Chiropractic care bills insurance, with your benefits verified first. Any self-pay program is quoted in writing before it begins.
Can a chiropractor fix a pinched nerve?
Often, when the nerve is irritated by something mechanical such as a narrowed opening, a bulging disc or a joint that has stopped moving.
Care aims at taking pressure off the nerve and restoring movement around it. A nerve losing strength rather than simply hurting is a different situation and gets referred.
Why do doctors discourage chiropractors?
Some do, and many no longer do. The friction was about training and scope, and it fades where a chiropractor screens properly, documents findings and refers when a case is not mechanical.
Ask any provider how they decide a case is not theirs. That answer tells you more than any certificate on the wall.
How do you know if your spine needs to be decompressed?
The disc pattern is pain that is worse on sitting, worse bending forward and worse first thing in the morning. It often travels into the buttock or leg.
The examination confirms it by reproducing your pain with disc loading tests. Imaging is used when it would change the plan, not by default.
Does spinal decompression actually work?
For the right case it is a reasonable non-surgical option, and the mechanism is simple: cycling traction unloads a targeted disc level.
It does not suit every back, and honest candidacy is what separates a program that helps from one that disappoints. If your examination does not point at the disc, you will not be put on the table.
Same-week appointments
Start with an examination, not a package.
Find out what is actually driving it before choosing a program.
- 4.8 out of 5 on Google
Consultation, Exam, X-Rays (If Needed) & Report of Findings: Only $47