Quick question...

I hurt my back again, BADLY, for the second time in 6 months.

I am in so much pain right now I can hardly stand it.

My question is, has anyone had any experiences with chiropractors? Would you recommend, or suggest against? How many times does one usually have to go, and how expensive is it?

A good Chiro can do wonders... I've been lucky to find some who know what they are doing...
With back trouble, make sure x-rays are taken, as any good Chiro will not work on you if something is serious...
Also: One time, I had some really bad pain and went to an Acupuncter and she worked wonders on me.. Relief was almost instance...

Thanks!

I guess I am just afraid of going. There is that fear of the unknown. Plus, I don't think our health insurance covers it, so money is an issue.

Plus, I have this mental image of chiropractors twisting heads and popping necks etc..which just gives me the willys!

Most insurance companies will cover the cost...

Used to be that Chiropractors where considered quacks, but through the years they have established themselves in the medical community as providing a very real and helpful medicine.

Many insurers will now cover Chiropractic visits - unfortunately due to the long years of being considered as quacks people and insurers continue to think that they are not really doctors.

Yes they do twist heads and crack spines back into alignment - and if this injury to your back is caused by a misalignment the chiropractor will help you - a lot.

Even if insurance will not cover it, one office visit will give you the best idea of chiropractics is for you. Give it a try.

David

If you have insurance I suggest that you go to an MD, maybe an orthorpedic surgeon, and have him look at your back. You could have a compressed disc, pinched nerve, cartilage loss...there area multitude of things that could be causing your pain. I do not suggest going to a chiropractor. Some swear by them, but I have never met a doctor that would recommend them. And I have known many people to go to chiropractors only to end up being berated by a doctor and being in more pain after a chiropractic visit than before. Where the spinal cord is involved, I would not risk putting your back in the hands of someone who is going to "adjust" it. My opinion.

quote:

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(DvdGStwrt) Used to be that Chiropractors where considered quacks, but through the years they have established themselves in the medical community as providing a very real and helpful medicine.

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Well, I hate to rain on the parade but chiropractors are still considered quacks. Unlike real science, chiropractic makes claims that fail every test of scientific validity, including the whole vertebral subluxation theory of disease. Check out Chirobase or Chirotalk. The AMA couldn't get rid of them 40 years ago because of abundant supportive testimonials. That fraudulent health care remains legal, and even paid for by medical insurance, demonstrates (1) a powerful lobbying influence and (2) the extreme credulity of the scientifically ignorant American consumer.

By the way, the X-ray doses that chiropractors use are huge. Ionizing radiation raises the risk of leukemia and other cancers. 'Nuff said.

Great....

Well, I have an appointment at 10:15 with a chiropractor.

Maybe I'll make one with the doc too...cause this is the worst back pain I have ever had, and its getting worse each day. Couldn't even get out of bed this morning without crying.

1 percocet, 1 flexeril and 2 alleve later, I can sit without severe pain...can't wait to try to drive.

Well, it's a fact that many people go to chiropractors and come away feeling better. I hope you'll be one of them.

At best, the treatments are probably as harmless and helpful as a good massage, and as satisfying as (for some people) cracking one's knuckles (another type of subluxation).

Then there's the "talk therapy" that comes from a sympathetic and supportive listener, an area where traditional medicine is often lacking. Indeed you might do just as well talking to a "psychic" about your back, if you are of a certain temperament.

Just don't deny or delay a real medical diagnosis to learn the nature of your back pain, especially to rule out other causes that are unlikely but potentially serious. I think that was Georgia85's sentiment as well.

If you have neurologic symptoms (numbness, weakness, or pain radiating down one or both legs, for instance) then cancel the chiro and see a real doctor forthwith.

And decline the total-body x-rays if possible. Why would they need to see more than your lumbar spine, if even that? Remember that when you seek orthodox medical care, you're probably going to be x-rayed or scanned again.

Chronic low back pain is relapsing-remitting by nature, so it will eventually get better on its own. Even with the help of a statistician you may never know which treatments actually worked (coincidence vs. causality).

But I heard that prolonged bedrest is no longer recommended for most relapses of lumbar strain (pulled muscle).

You could try a pain clinic run by real doctors, where they might suggest a series of epidural steroid injections through a needle in the back. I heard that the injections help some, but not all, back patients by reducing local swelling and inflammation under certain conditions.

Good luck & hope you're feeling better.

An update......

I went to the chiropractor on tuesday. He talked a lot, but not much about my back. He said he thinks its just that my pelvis was in the wrong position, possibly from lifting with poor body mechanics.

So he put some sort of electrical muscle stimulator on for 15 minutes (yes, that felt nice) and then cracked every bone in my back from several positions....interesting having some stranger jumping on my body....eek.

So, I walk away with a great feeling in every part of my back and neck, except the one that was hurting in the first place. It still hurts.

He wants to see me again today. I think not. $30 out the window.

I am heading to my family doc today at 2.

I know all the back pain relief stuff...rest, no lifting, moist heat, muscle relaxants etc...none of that has worked and I am in more pain today, than I was monday.

and I am supposed to work (as a nurse...in the hospital eeeek) tomorrow and saturday.

So what the 'ell you expect out of only one visit...
It is rare when one is cured in one visit...
Being a nurse I would think you should know that.

well thats true, but some sort of difference would be good, don't ya think?

I mean, how many times does one throw $30 out the window before one gives up?

I didn't see whether you had an x-ray done, or not. A good chiropractor will not treat until they've had a chance to consult, and look at those x-rays. You may very well have a blown disc or may not but he needs to know. Mine would not even touch a portion of my back until the inflammation went down, after a car accident. This was the second car accident, which gives you a whiplash effect.
I have to say, (from my first car accident) I have tried going to physicians for sciatic nerve damage (severe) and to no releif, just ordered ibuprofen. Both legs were in severe pain, and numbness..... after several months of trying cortizone shots, physician visits, I finally got some relief from the chiro, it took over a month though.
You are a nurse, so you know to apply moist heat, right? Twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off. If that doesn't work, try ice. I'm just curious how you are damaging your back? Did you lift something too heavy or what? I could go into the proper lifting procedure, but I'm sure you know it, but going back to work and not letting your back heal may set you back on the healing process, talk to your doctor, they will let you know whether it's safe to return to work or not.
On the other hand, I have osteopenia, and am considering not going to the chiro again, due to deteriation of the spine. I have scholiosis, badly also, and I've seen the x-rays, they aren't pretty, major problems, bones spurs and all. So now what?, I will not do pain pills unless absolutely necessary, I just am not one to takes meds, never have been. Lord, the antidepressants were pretty bad, they just mess with my mind, and I need to be clear thinking at work. I am hoping you got some relief by now, like I said, it needs to be investigated just to make sure you do not have some other problems going on.

SH, thanks for the great response.

I hadn't been lifting or anything. I guess it must have been waiting to happen from poor body mechanics, and just happened at one of those weird moments when you least expect it. I was shopping, got achy and the next day I was in pain.

The chiropractor walked in the room, introduced himself, and immediately started pressing and poking. Then he asked where it hurt, and he put the electric muscle stimulator thingie on for 15 minutes and then went to work. No xrays or anything.


Went to the doc yesterday. Its a pinched sciatic nerve. She gave me a quick dose of prednisone and an anti inflammatory, as well as pain meds.

If its not better by monday, I am to call her and she may order PT.

I have been trying the moist soaks and stuff. Thats why I waited to go to the doc for so long, because I knew exactly what she would say.

The debate now is.....she gave me an excuse to be off work today. Its christmas eve, I don't want to work...and I am in pain. But I know that everyone at work will think I am just trying to get out of working cause of the holiday.

Shelster, a sciatic nerve is very painful. I know from experience, I have one hip higher than the other(hereditary) so my hips contribute to it. I am going to say that when I first had the nerves pinched, it had pain generating down the legs, and you could literally feel a spot on your side of your upper leg that was pinched. The chiro can take care of this, if he rolls you on your side, and puts one knee across the other leg and then he will adjust it by pushing the bent knee. When my chiropractor went over my first xray, it showed the bottom vertabraes turned, one to the right, next to the left, and next to the right. It was explained to me like if you were to pinch off a garden hose while it is on, the nerves run all the way down into your pelvic girdle, and you know how they transmit thru your legs. I had done the damage falling down steps and hitting hard on each step with my tail bone, that kind of compressed those vertabraes. Another thing he does is when lying on the stomach the adjustment bed can move on the bottom portion. It swings from left to right, while you're on it, that makes the back looser somehow. You will need to keep up with the appointments for a little while to get the vertrabraes back in alignment. It's sad that you're insurance doesn't cover this, mine is BC/BS and they cover it. It's a $20 copay. They allow only 20 visits, then I become a self pay. I think the reason he didn't do an xray, is because you will have to pay out of pocket for that, mine usually charges $45 (if no insurance) for those, and then also the doctors visit. But it was worth it, to know there were no blown disc. Sorry to hear you're in pain on the holidays, hot baths help, but you need to follow up on this, Good Luck and Happy HOHO!
PS: Don't worry about the people at work, you do have yourself covered with the doctors excuse, and you may also want to get the chiro to write one out too. This is very painful, and you need to get it fixed.