Chiropractors-yay or nay

walter

Fourth Party
Back in late April I had a pretty bad fall at Allaire, bad enough that I called it a day and went home and scared the crap out of my wife when she saw the knot on my back. Later in the week, I went to see the PA at my work and after she gasped and asked me what the hell I did to myself, she told me it was just really bad bruising, should feel better in a few weeks. I then went to my normal doctor just to make sure I would be OK and he sent me for x-rays and an mri, both came back with no startling news, I should be OK soon.

Well here we are 7 months later and while I have full mobility I do notice that if I stand for extended periods of time, or when I sleep on my stomach I start to get aches in the spot that I fell on. My doctor suggested a chiropractor to help me out. He thinks I may be slightly out of line and a chiropractor may be able to set me straight again. I have never been to see one and was wondering if anyone could share some stories, advice, etc. I told someone today that due to certain things going on around me and the fact that I should start listening to my body more makes me want to explore all options.

Thanks kids
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
worked for me. slight scholiosis(sp), 10 or so visits over a month or two, stopped going because i'm lazy, but it made a world of difference. it's not entirely fixed, but is still better than it was. worth every penny.
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
I have never been but...

My theory on the chiropractor is that once you go once your always are going to be going back.

My gf goes to the chiropractor pretty frequently and a few weeks later she says how she needs to go back.

I just never liked the idea of having to rely on someone to keep making you right. But thats just me. Some ppl swear by them. Which is why i dont like em.
 
N

Neen

Guest
I swear by mine and if you live somewhere near Bridgewater, you should definately give her office a call. It's a husband/wife team and they are both great. In fact I consult her about most medical issues. Seems like my regular dr. just likes to hand me a prescription and send me on my way. I've gone off and on since I was about 16 or so and since I started seeing Dr. Kim (almost 3 years ago) I go twice a month.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I agree with Fred. And I think Neen's story is why we both feel that way.

It also goes to show that reality is subjective.
 

VanDbtRiver

Well-Known Member
my father herniated a disc about 20 years ago. He was either in intence pain or general discomfort ever since. At the time he didnt believe a chiro could do anything for him. He had his first appt. 6 months ago and made it a big secret, pride i guess, anyhow, he would describe his condition now as miraculous. He has flexibility, agility, and restored youth. You may run into him on the trail, he may even have an mtbnj account.:)
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
it depends entirely on the condition as well. some are curable, some are just treatable. the spine isn't just a bone. refusing to go to the chiropractor if you have a genuine missalignment in your spine for the reasons fred and norm are stating would be like refusing to go see a doctor for some other disease or condition of any other part of the body for the very same reason. i've been going to doctors for asthma nearly my entire life. no, they haven't cured, yes, i keep having to go back, but they have made it a hell of alot better and more managable.

that said, a huuuuuge amount, probably the majority, of back pain is caused by nothing other than stress.
 

elzoller

El Guac-Oh
I've never believed in chiropractors. I was surprised to see how people here in the USA sworn by them. About 2 years ago I started with a pain in the neck, and I thought it was my wife :p and it would go away, but it never did, it lasted about 5 days so I gave up and I decided to go try a chiropractor and see what all the fuzz was about. In about 3 sessions he got rid of the pain. He of course told me that I had bad posture because I am sitting in front of the computer all day. So he gave me a few pointers and kept scheduling me to come back, about once a week. I kept going just 'cause the lady at the front desk kept giving me a card with my next appointment....eventually I figured out he was just taking my money so I stopped going. They called me to reschedule and I just told them I was going to call them back. So where was I? Oh yes, guess you can try it, but be careful, they just want you to keep coming back. They tell you you will need Xzillion appointments and then you will need periodic tune ups.
My pain never came back...I am more aware of my posture now. So who knows...
 

walter

Fourth Party
it depends entirely on the condition as well. some are curable, some are just treatable. the spine isn't just a bone. refusing to go to the chiropractor if you have a genuine missalignment in your spine for the reasons fred and norm are stating would be like refusing to go see a doctor for some other disease or condition of any other part of the body for the very same reason. i've been going to doctors for asthma nearly my entire life. no, they haven't cured, yes, i keep having to go back, but they have made it a hell of alot better and more managable.

that said, a huuuuuge amount, probably the majority, of back pain is caused by nothing other than stress.

Good point Sean. The thing that makes me curious about seeing a chiropractor is this, one morning a few months after my wipe out, I was lying in bed and reached in a weird way to grab something. My hip popped, and almost immediately the pain I had subsided, which leads me to believe I may have just whacked my self good enough in the crash to throw something a little off.
 
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jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
..something more

I have a personal friend who is a chiro so I go to see him both for adjustment as well as a social call now and again.

Overall my yoga practice has more impact on my back and body health than adjustment. I started at a local gym and I now visit a Yoga only studio 2-4 times a week.

A greater impact without the hard work can come from a deep tissue session.

Both my Aunt and Uncle do Hellerwork for a living.

Check it out: www.hellerwork.com

Hellerwork usually has a profound impact on anyone who tries it. It can be painful at times but it is rewarding beyond expectation. This type of bodywork can and will redefine what it your normal stance and posture.

I have about a dozen of my regular customers who have gone for Hellerwork and swear by it.
 

Sircrashalot

New Member
Every now and again I slip a disc and cant move, or lift my head off a pillow. First time it happened I went to chiro out of desperation. 5 visits later I was perfect. Happened a couple more times over the years and each time I responded very well to chiro. Have not had a recurrence in several years now, so at least for me chiro did not lead to a need for constant adjustments.

That being said, in my work I have had training about good vs. bad chiro & overtreatment. Experts in the field and retired legit. chriopractors indicate that anything that can be fixed with chiro will show dramatic improvement after very few visits, and maximum benefit results form less than 10 adjustments. If chiro doesnt fix it in that many, it wont.

Signs your chiro is a quack:

-THey have a 'consultation' where they try to sell you on a long term 'maintenance plan' and tell you how amazed they are that you have functioned at all over he years due to your severe need for maintenance of your spine. RUN FOR THE DOOR

-They want to treat you every day (muscles need time to adjust to the adjustment- daily treatment can actually cause injury to muscle)

-They do not take x-rays before first treatment. They should take them to make sure that there is no spinal injury that they could worsen by an adjustment (broken bones, ruptured discs, etc.) and they should show you a bone that you as a layperson can tell is misaligned. Be careful that they are not showing you your posture in preventing pain and telling you it is a misalignment. A true misalignment or slipped disc is blatantly obvious on an x-ray, and this is what chiro is beneficial to treat. It is different from a curved sinal column due to your standing in an unusual way to prevent pain from your current muscular injury.

-Based on my training and personal experience I believe that like any other kind of specialist, chiro is practial legitimate and beneficial only if your injury falls into the realm of what can be treated using that method, and the Dr. you use is on the level. Comes down to personal choice, the nature of your injury and choosing the right professional.
 

scalpel6

Member
This is my husband's account and when he was reading this thread, he thought I might be interested because I am a physical therapist. So I know this question was about chiropractic care, however another option for treatment of these kinds of conditions is physical therapy. The goal of physical therapy is to help you regain your mobility and strength as well as get rid of your pain and any inflammation you may have. They can also see if you have any other mechanical dysfuntions and unlike chiropractors, physical therapists want to eventually teach you a home program that you can continue on your own so you do not have to become dependent on them forever. In phyiscal therapy you could potentially receive moist heat, ice, ultrasound, electric stimulation treatments as well as hands-on therapy, soft tissue mobilization, and stretching and dynamic stabilization/strengthening exercises depending on your specific injury and sport/hobby.
Chiropractic care is warranted for certain injuries as well due to alignment issues of the spine and in some cases P.T. and chiropractic care work well in conjunction with each other. Hope this helps you out. :)
 

Shaggz

A strong 7
Walt - my experinces have been real positive with lower back issues. one my "L" facettess (right above the tail bone) occasionally locks. I am usually right-as-rain after about 4 or 5 visits. This is usually a lifestyle or activty related issue, mostly having to do with tight ham strings, and not warming up and stretching properly.

As part of the chiro visits, the did neck and upper back alignments. There was an immediate satisfaction from that, but I would not want to depend upon that for long term managemnt for a reoccuring injury in that area. If I had a neck or HD issue, I would consider the Heller stuff J metioned, or look into "Rolf", which focuses on whole body realignment.
 

DD-

New Member
Chiropractor - "swear by them" or "swear at them"

I started going to a chiropractor 20 years ago when I was in a boat accident that compressed my lower spine. I had difficulty walking for over a week, and my regular doctor told me that it would take time to heal. Then I went to the chiropractor, who was able to help relieve the pain and stiffness in the back. It was the only thing that really worked, short of massive amounts of drugs for the pain.

Fast forward to present - I still go about 1-2 times a month, just to keep everything "happy". I find my back has a tendency to stiffen up after long technical riding, and the monthly visits seem to help alot.

But as the title of my response, you either really believe in chiropractic care, or you think they are a bunch of quacks. :hmmm:

If you live near Flanders, I go to a father/daughter practice that I highly recommend.

DD
 

TonyC

Active Member
yes/no

I've been to a few diff chiropractor offices. Although they help in the short term it doesn't last.

Like elzoller said they keep handing you appointment cards and you tend to keep going. Yes, it feels good to get your neck and back aligned, but they are out to earn a buck. It's a business. They'll tell you stuff like OMG how are you not in pain looking a your x-ray. Then they'll say will fix this than that.

One doc wanted to put me on a payment plan. Wanted me to go 3x/week for a month, then 2x/week for a month and so on. As soon as I left the office was the last time I went to him. Then had a $270 x-ray bill to pay.

Another doc was 20 bucks each visit. It adds up quickly. They even sent me x-mas card to come in for a visit.

Thinking back in my 20's I was sent to a chiropractor for allergy relief. What a crock that was. They used heating pads for like 20 minutes and aligned my neck. It was a nice nap especially after a long day in the office.

AON is right that people swear by them. My wifes has two friends that doesn't take their kids to the doc. They bring them to the chiropractor and alternative med doc. No messing around when it comes to kids for me. Right to the MD.

I'm a big med guy. If it's there and it helps I'll be the first on line.
For the time being a few advils and some shut eye helps me.

Walter, to answer your question.. Yes go for a week, but don't get suckered.
 

walter

Fourth Party
Thanks everyone for all the stories/opinions/tips/advice, much appreciated. Like I said, I am not in a constant state of discomfort, I just get the feeling something isn't right. Definately going to do some research on the different options mentioned and decide what I think is best for me.

special thanks to Mrs. scalpel6 for taking the time to respond:)
 
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