What Conditions Dr. Murphy Treats
Every condition below has a specific cause — and every patient is different.
See conditionsCommon conditions
Sound like what you're experiencing?
These are the conditions we see most. Each one has a cause — and each one responds to the right treatment.
Low Back Pain
The most common spine disorder. The specific source can be disc, joint, muscle, nerve or a combination and usually responds to treatment targeting that source.
Neck Pain
From acute injuries to chronic conditions, including whiplash. The key is evidence-based solutions that address the root cause, not just the symptoms.
Sciatica
Radiating leg pain from nerve compression. We find the source and relieve the pressure through conservative care.
Spinal Stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal causing pain and numbness, especially when walking. Surgery is only occasionally necessary. Research shows one non-surgical approach that helps, and that is the one I apply. In fact, I helped do those studies.
Herniated Discs
Disc herniations causing nerve irritation. Most respond well to conservative care when properly diagnosed.
Cervicogenic Headaches
Headaches originating from the neck. Often misdiagnosed, but a detailed examination can identify the source.
Degenerative Disc Disease
A common x-ray or MRI finding that often is not the cause of the pain. The key is finding out whether it is relevant — and if not, identifying what is. Non-surgical approaches usually help.
Pregnancy-Related Back Pain
Safe, effective treatment for spine pain during and after pregnancy using gentle evidence-based techniques.
How we approach your care
Your condition is unique. Your treatment should be too.
Dr. Murphy doesn't apply the same protocol to every patient. He applies his CRISP® method to diagnose the problem, then build a plan around you.
Here's what that looks like:
- Precise clinical diagnosis without unnecessary imaging
- Patient education and self-management strategies
- Targeted spinal manipulation (usually without "cracking"), other manual therapies and simple exercises
Not sure what you have?
Many patients come to Dr. Murphy after seeing multiple providers without ever getting a clear answer - or a clear solution.
Condition questions
Questions about your condition
What patients ask before their first visit — and what you should know.
If your pain has lasted more than a few days, keeps coming back, radiates into your arms or legs, or is affecting your daily activities, it's worth getting evaluated. Early intervention typically leads to faster recovery.
The vast majority of spine conditions respond well to conservative care — the right kind. Surgery is rarely the first option, and many patients who've been told they need it find relief through evidence-based non-surgical treatment. But if in the uncommon case you do need injections or surgery, Dr. Murphy has a great relationship with the best in Rhode Island.
This is one of the most common things we hear. Many patients have seen multiple providers without getting a clear answer. Our approach is specifically designed to find what others miss — the specific source of your pain.
These are the conditions we see most often, but I treat the full range of spine-related disorders. If it involves your spine, I am happy to see you to determine what the best options are.
Chronic pain is often the result of an unidentified or poorly managed underlying cause. Dr. Murphy's approach is designed to find what's driving the pain — even when it's been present for years — and build a path forward.