Chiropractor~~~

[Guest greatness]

So I have been seeing a chiropractor for 3 weeks. I don't see any improvement yet. What are your opinions about chiropractic? Did it help you or worsen your symptoms?

[doitb4ugo]

Greatness,

 

I have a couple of suggetions for you to think about:

 

1. Have a consultation with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) see this site for info: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ost_omt
   
2. See your doctor to get a referral to a highly qualified Physical Therapist.
   

I have had a bad back problem on and on for 40 years....I have learned how to minimize the pain and get my mobility back fairly quickly. I received nothing from my doctors or the orthopedic guys they sent me to (other than pain meds).

 

I have had very good luck with both a DO specializing in OMT which seems to work fairly well and a terrific physical therapist (sports guy) who gave me good treatment (covered ny my insurance as was the DO) plus gave me some sound advice on what to do when my back goes out...My back problem is caused by a narrow channel in the base of my spine which pinches on the nerves exiting to my legs etc...Surgury was an option I could not accept...and have found my ownways to deal with it...

 

I ahve alsways been reluctant to try a chiroprator because I was concern that they only provided quick temporary relief and woudl want me to visit regularly for long periods of time...without insurance coverage, that ends up being expensive...

 

Hope this helps and I hope you get better soon.

 

rich

[seattlebottom]

My brother had sciatica and it worked wonders for him.

[orbital sander]

Chiropractors never did anything for me, I always stuck to good therapeutic massage which has always worked wonders if I get a tight back (but I really like deep work, which can be painful if you are not used to it). I think that there are good chiropractors out there and there are also those who are "quacks". Perhaps you should get a second opinion.

[+ purplekow]

Chiropractors are frauds. I guess they just rub me the wrong way.

[Guest greatness]

Thanks

 

Great advice! I will look into it. Thank you.. You are so sweet~~~

[Poolboy21409]

I had disc problems in the neck-numb arms, hands and right chest area. No pain but really annoying especially when it woke me every 1/2 hour at night. Went to a chiropractor for three weeks. Did nothing for me. He "fired" me as a patient, referred me to a neurosurgeon, made the appointment with the neuro himself for me. Had a minor bit of surgery and the chiro visited me in the hospital. He was great. They are not all frauds. He is married but I bet he swings both ways. And he is HOT.

[+ Charlie]

I have gone to chiropractors for years. Like doctors, some are great, and some are not. My current one (who is gay) is more effective than most orthopedists in relieving my aches and pains.

[Lankypeters]

Monthly visits to qualified deep tissue masseur have been far more effective in treating my lower back problems than appointments with a chiropractor.

 

Incidentally, beware of the "masseurs" on this site, the ones that offer "full release," "erotic massage" and all that. If you want a sanitary jerk off, they're fine. But be very wary of their massage work. I visited two such "masseurs" and walked away (luckily) with muscles that were tender and sore for too long. One of them, highly touted on this site, was nearly reckless in the intensity of his pressing and pushing -- he seemed almost angry about my allegedly tense back. He clearly does not know what he's doing as a "masseur." I'm not sure if I was tense when I arrived. I certainly was tense when I left. It doesn't help that he lives on a very foreboding street.

[whipped guy]

Get a proper diagnosis and then go from there...

 

I have a lower back problem... Sciatica emanating from L 3 and 4 to be exact. I went the doctor route.... MRI etc... was referred to a chiropractor by my physician... and it really did not do much... though it did feel good while I was there. In fact it came to a point where he actually admitted that he could not do much more for me... a lot of chiropractors like to string their patients along. This guy was honest with me. Then did the pain management specialist route... injections into the area... and that was not successful either. I would get things under control with NSAIDS... some of which have since been taken off the market due to safety reasons...

 

On day I went for a massage with Jake in NYC... and this was just before he left for San Francisco several years ago... Now I was going for the "Happy Ending"... but the really happy ending concerned he fact that I asked his input regarding the matter and he actually told me what to do for it at home regarding self-massage... and that worked better than all the MD's and chiropractors that I had seen. Perhaps not for everybody, but the massage route worked best for me.

 

A proper medical diagnosis should absolutely be the starting point. Also, as doit mentioned a DO might be a better choice as opposed to an MD in such a case if you want to investigate that route... I definitely agree... I recall a DO really helped my mom years ago. Doit also mentions a sports therapist... that is exactly the type of input I got from Jake.

 

Now as Lanky mentioned above... a lot of guys really have no clue... Jake was quite knowledgeable at least as as far as my particular situation was concerned... so it definitely would be best to see someone who has the proper certification... I got lucky because I got two happy endings out of the deal... but that might no always be the case...

[josephga]

before becoming a massage therapist I was injured in an accident that turned into 7 years of chronic pain. I saw a Chiropractor and it did absolutely nothing for me but made the pain worse. I then went to a physical therapist who suggested deep tissue massage and Myofascial release. and that made all the difference. Id suggest contacting a physical therapist to see if they could recommend a good massage therapist in your area.

[+ ArVaGuy]

I agree with Whipped and with Lanky. See a doctor first and make sure you get the right diagnosis. See what he says about regular massage as a way of alleviating the issue. I've had off and on lower back issues for years, much of due to traveling those horrible airline seats. As well as my line of work which often can require that I spend hours on my feet in convention centers. I started seeing a CMT on a regular monthly basis three years ago and nearly all my back pain is a thing of the past.

[playwrestler]

I agree with Whipped. I also saw Jake and was completely amazed at the expertise in those hands. A great chiropractor told me years ago that the most important thing to do to maintain back health was to become a regular yoga practitioner. It's the best recipe for growing older. Go at your own pace with gentle poses and you'll be both fit and happy with the relief.

[Guest greatness]

thanks!

 

Should we call this site answers.com ! You guys are wonderful... I can ask about anything and honest answers show up within minutes. You guys are so resourceful... Thanks~~ I have seen several chiropractors. Some are good and some are not. I get massages often. I have pain all over my body. I wish I were pain free and in my 20s again.. lol..

[Greathands]

About 15 years ago I had very bad pain in my lower back and legs, which made it difficult to stand for more than 5 minutes at a time. My doctor sent me to physical therapy, which I went 5 times a week for 3 weeks for a variety of treatments and had minimal improvement.

 

A friend of mine recommended a local chiropractor. After three visits, I was pain free.

 

A few years later, I took my nephews and nieces horseback riding and found myself back in debilitating pain. Because I had recently moved, I sought a new local chiropractor.

 

I saw the new chiropractor for a couple of weeks, and the treatments he did were very similar to the physical therapy that I had previously had. And again, I had minimal improvement.

 

I decided to travel the 45 minutes back to the original chiropractor, and again was pain free, this time only after two appointments.

 

On a side note ... when I first saw this second chiropractor, I had an interview with their office administrator. The form she had me fill out asked how much $ I would be able to afford to pay per session. When I asked about this, I got a long (and confusing) explanation about this being my copayment since the insurance didn't cover the total cost. She further explained that they would consider this to be my "office visit" payment and would not therefore receive any further charges for office visits beyond what insurance covered. Then when I stopped seeing them (because I wasn't getting any relief), I received a bill for hundreds and hundreds of dollars. When I called them, they said this wasn't for the "office visits", this was for the "treatments" that weren't covered by insurance. I fought them to no avail ... until I wrote a letter to the Better Business Bureau with a detailed account of what I had been told, etc. Shortly thereafter, I received a notice in the mail from the chiropractor that my account was paid in full and closed.

 

So my experience has been mixed. I have found a wonderful chiropractor who has been able to help more than my regular doctor and physical therapy. I've also found that some chiropractors ... like any professional ... are sheisters.

[Guest greatness]

Yes

 

I have seen irregular billing practices of some chiropractors. I left one immediately when they charged 20 dollars for just giving me a piece of paper that shows how to stretch and that was an extra to my co-pay since my insurance will not cover that. Another thing was he didn't even know how to read X-ray. What a fraud! On the other hand, I've met a medical doctor who can't read EKG properly so I guess it happens in every profession. The chiropractor called me back to explain things but I simply ignored him.

[+ Charlie]

Insurance policies are very unpredictable about what they will pay for chiropractic, and chiropractors tend to get creative when applying for payment. My current chiropractor stopped taking my insurance, but he charges me a flat $50 fee for any appointment, regardless of how simple or complicated the procedure he does that visit, and that is fine with me.

[Lankypeters]

What does it say about the average age of posters here that a thread on sciatica and lower back pain is one of the hottest topics on the day? Hmmmmmm....

[Guest greatness]

lol

 

Well young people have lower back pain too~~~

 

What does it say about the average age of posters here that a thread on sciatica and lower back pain is one of the hottest topics on the day? Hmmmmmm....

[josephga]

all of mine has been in the upper back and shoulders. I tore the muscle that connects to the scapula in 94 and never recovered from it. my diagnoses has a long name lol. myofascial pain syndrome of the subscapularis muscle.

then diagnosed with MS a little over a year ago

[azhiker]

I had a pinched nerve in my neck last March that made my left shoulder very sore and left arm numb. Saw my regular doctor and he recommended either a PT or a chiropracter. Asked him which one he would do as my past PT experiences were poor for other problems and I had never been to a chiropracter. He said his patients raved about the chiroproactor. I did and the problem/pain was mostly fixed within six visits and I stopped after the 12th due to no further improvements. Insurance company was pretty good about it, out of pocket was just co-pays.

[whipped guy]

Funny Story

 

Interestingly, I purchased an electrical TENS unit to use for electro play... that is to induce pain.

 

Ironically there was a period when I ended up using it more for it's palliative relief of pain... still the effect was very temporary and mostly psychological as well... Fortunately I have not had to use it for that purpose in years.

 

Still it is amazing how when attached to certain body parts the type of response elicited can change an abrupt 180 degrees!

 

Incidentally the professional version of the TENS unit used by the chiropractor felt like magic fingers and was quite stimulating!

[edjames]

One of the saddest moments of my life occurred this year when I received the news that my long time chiropractor dropped dead suddenly of a heart attack. 55 years old and a wonderfully talented man who helped me overcome my back problem. I had been seeing him for almost 25 years. He was a good friend and a major part of my health care team.

 

Years ago, I woke up one morning and my back was in severe spasm to the point that I could not walk. Although I was not in severe pain, I could not get out of bed for almost two weeks. I went to the Emergency Room and they told me there was nothing wrong with my back and gave me a fist full of Tylenol with Codeine to take. Needless to say I could still not get off the gurney and had to take a private ambulance home.

 

When I finally got off my feet, I went to see my primary physician, who examined me, and also said there was nothing wrong. "Go home, and take some more Tylenol." was his comment!

 

The next 8 months were painful. I had problems sleeping, walking, standing and sitting. I had another back spasm, less severe, again after about 6 months.

 

Finally I sought the advice of a friend I knew who used a chiropractor regularly. I made an appointment and the diagnosis was degenerative discs in my back. After three visits, my back was in good working order and has stayed that way since!

 

Now I am faced with finding another chiropractor for regular visits. I just saw one recommended by a massage therapist I know and my former chiropractor's wife. Although he was well qualified and a nice guy, I was not impressed with his office and booking follow up appointments was not easy. I've decided to look into a "holistic chiropractor" and have an appointment to see him this week. They all accept my health insurance.

 

I believe that if you are having problems, find a good chiropractor and use him, or her, with the assistance of a good massage therapist (those are the ones who are listed as "certified and therapeutic” not sensual or erotic! LOL). Just like other medical practitioners, you should speak to friends and family who might have a recommendation and you may need to search around. If you do not see any changes or improvements, discuss the situation and let the chiropractor know that the problem is continuing. Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, might be investigated for your problem.

 

Good luck, I hope your problem will be solved soon.

 

ED

[Guest Spanky]

Many PTs will tell you that visits to your chiropractor can be a good means of relieving pain (depending on if your chiro knows his stuff, which seems to be questionable based on this thread). But a PT will also tell you that chiros only manipulate and contort your body to relieve the pain and they never address the underlying issues so you're basically stuck going to the chiro forever. I've even heard claims that chiros deliberately avoid telling you about self-relief measures, etc. in order to retain your business. Who knows.

 

Personally I've had lots of luck with deep tissue (read: painful) massage and PT.

[Guest Tristan]

So I have been seeing a chiropractor for 3 weeks. I don't see any improvement yet. What are your opinions about chiropractic? Did it help you or worsen your symptoms?

 

Years ago, I had a lot of soft tissue pain in my back, with one shoulder frequently lower than the other. After giving up on pills, I went through a $10,000 five-month outpatient rehab program. I learned good exercises and body mechanics, but left with as much pain as I had when I entered.

 

So I got good references on a chiropractor, and that changed everything. It took a lot of sessions, but he was able to get me back to a reasonably normal state. He couldn't believe the rehab program had left me in that condition. Since then, after moving, I've seen two other good chiropractors. If you get regular adjustments, that helps a lot.

 

Yes, there are lots of quacks out there. But a good chiropractor won't damage your back. Over many years, no chiropractor has ever harmed me. When people talk about the sound of the back crack, it's not bone you're hearing. It's the release of gas when the tight areas are loosened and go back into place. A chiropractor is basically re-aligning your spinal column by releasing all the tight areas and spasms. That's what's known as an adjustment.

 

A PT is great for giving you exercises. If you do them daily, that helps keep your back loose and prevent spasms. Even if you do get spasms or tight areas, the exercises, together with other treatments help a lot. Massage therapy is excellent support for chiropractic treatment.

 

Caution: If you have a disk problem, that is trickier. A chiropractor may still be able to help, but you also need to be evaluated. If you see an orthopod, beware. Many orthopods are too quick to do surgery, which can result in worse problems.