Anone have chiropractic success?

[Michelle&Lolli]

I have started to see a chiropractor for my spine problems.  Today was the first visit with xrays.  What the xrays showed is that my tail bone is perpendicular to my spine.  Apparently I was born that way according to my dad.   The chiropractor did some light adjusting today to correct my tail bone.  And it made all my symptoms – including pain – flare up.   The chiropractor thinks she is going to be able to put my tail bone back into the position it’s supposed to be in.  And the rest of my spine is all messed up too but the tail bone is the worst.  And it seems like my symptoms of tingling and numbness in my feet and down my legs are due to the vertebrea that are being compressed from the tail bone.  Not the spinal stenosis which wasn’t bad enough to be causing my symptoms anyway according to the surgeon.

I have never been to a chiropractor before and have always been skeptical of them.  i do like and trust the one I’ve found.  My question is this – has anyone had long term results from serious spinal problems with chiropractics? 

Obviously I’m still skeptical.  I just don’t want to continue this for more than a few weeks and not get any relief.   I’ve been off work and have to decide what to do by Nov 5th when my medical leave extension runs out.  I don’t know if chiropractic care is consider a legitamate medical care for Metlife who my company goes thru for short term disability approval and pay.  If not, I have to have some other form of medical care.  AHHH!  I hate being an adult with medical problems.  LOL 

[LizzieKnittyBun]

I’ve never seen a chiropractor because my father-in-law is an orthopedic surgeon and they don’t take chiropractors seriously ><

But I have *heard* success stories from other people who have seen chiropractors for various problems and had great results.

So it may just be that orthopedic surgeons consider themselves a cut above, but most of us can’t really afford that kind of thing! If you like and trust her, I think it’s worth a shot.

[MayaConsuelo]

Hey, I’m an acupuncturist and sometimes we are skeptical of chiropractors as well. The only ones I go to have also been through acupuncture school. Usually with chiropractic work you feel relief right away, but there is residual soreness in the area due to the bones and muscles realigning, I don’t think your symptoms should flare up badly though… I would try at least two more treatments as long as you can afford it. Acupuncture could help a lot, especially once your tailbone is positioned a little better… also, does your chiro do electro-stim? They send a current through the problem areas, that can really help with relaxing the muscles and lowering the pain level.

Sorry to hear you are going through this. Since it’s a chronic problem it’s going to take awhile to fix unfortunately, being as aggressive as possible with treatments is a good idea in my opinion.

[MayaConsuelo]

Oh sorry, also call your insurance company to find out what they cover. It’s a pain to call and will take a long time to get a human on the line, but a lot of insurance companies cover chiropractic, much more than acupuncture gets covered. They will be able to tell you exactly how many treatments you can get and what percentage they pay so you can figure out what treatment plan to follow. They might even cover physical therapy and other things like that.

[Michelle&Lolli]

I had already checked with my insurance and it does cover it. Plus my mom really doesn’t want me to have surgery, so she is paying for what insurance doesn’t pay.

I will definitely be letting my doctor know how badly my symptoms and pain flared up. I had to take 2 vicodin tonite get any relief and I only take vicodin when the pain is REALLY bad.

[MayaConsuelo]

Oh good! Back surgery should be an absolute last resort, for some reason it almost never gets rid of the pain and oftentimes people are in as much pain or more after their surgeries. I can’t even tell you how many people we treat at the clinic who have had back surgery which didn’t fix their problem. It’s scandalous that it’s done as much as it is.

[Monkeybun]

My mom used to go to a chiropractor for chronic back pain.. and wow did he ever help! She was able to do stuff she hadn’t been able to in years because of it. So sometimes, it DOES work wonders. I had to go a few times for neck pain, and it helped me as well.

[cactuspancake]

There are “two kinds” of chiropractors; the kinds that charge you for each crack and have their shops by wal mart, and then there are the types that are M.D.s and only operate out of actual hospitals. I sprained my neck and back during an airborne operation and after the first three visits I could move my neck again. I’m fine now! I’ve never been to the first type but they sound horribly fishy and I don’t think you should go to them honestly. Mine took x rays every time and actually moved my bones. I don’t see one anymore. (also I’m 23 lol)

[jerseygirl]

There are many different methodologies. If you feel the one your seeing is upfront and understanding your issues, then it’s worth a try. Be sure to ask how long they estimate you should be seeing some results. It may take more then a couple treatments.

My Dad has/had back problems. He does have imcomplete spinal bifida but his back problems actually started from an injury at age 16. In his twenties he had fusion surgery. He had trouble for many years- yet works a physical job. He’s now in his 60’s and is really good with his back. He sees a chiropracter every couple months who has helped him greatly. He is quite wholistic in his approach but is able to help with alot – even in other health issues. His philosophy is that issues can stem from different basis. It can be structural, emotional or nutritional. There’s probably others but I can’t remember. Various members of my family have seen him and he’s been able to assist in lsome of their chronic problems.

bunbuns1, I’m interested to know if your surgeon had picked up on the thing with your tail bone?

[Michelle&Lolli]

Jerseygirl – nope. I don’t think anyone really has because whenever x-rays are done of my back, it never includes the tail bone. I’m tempted to call him and tell him about and see what he says. However, I was apparently born this way and I’ve never had the general uncomfortable, numbness/tingling in my feet and back pain before and I really don’t know what changed.

To all – the one that I am seeing is also a licensed acupuncturist and an actual doctor and is holistic in her treatment. But I am in such bad pain right now. I had to a take a darvocet when I got home, took 2 vicodin last night to help me sleep and just took another darvocet this morning. I slept just a little bit. Not more than 2 hours before I was awake again because of pain. So I don’t know. Hopefully this gets better and provides some relief.

[ScooterandAnnette]

I have chronic back problem and have been seeing my chiropractor for over 20 years. I have tried a few others in that time and have found that not only is the skill of the chiropractor essential but the relationship with them is as well. If you don’t feel comfortable with them, then the adjustment just isn’t going to work as well.

Since I’ve had such a good experience with him my mother has also seen him and Scooter has as well, both with good results. Scooter woke up one morning and I have no idea what he was doing during the night but it looked like someone had taken a 2×4 to his hips and knocked them over a few inches. It was weird.

What I’ve found with the the chiro is that initially things are going to feel worse after the first few visits, especially if your spine is really out of adjustment. My theory on this is that the surrounding muscles etc are so tight trying to deal with the way the spine is that as the spine is adusted it creates more tension in those areas until they get used to the spine being in its new spot. And then as everything gets used to what’s going on it settles down and the relief starts in. Sometimes this can happen within days or hours, sometimes if things are currently very bad then it’s not going to happen for a little while. Just try to keep in mind that some of the pain you’re feeling right now is your body trying to deal with having to adapt. Kind of like when you have a cast removed, and the first thought is yay I’m all better only to find out they hey it hurts when I try to use my hand or foot, because it’s not used to it.

Hope that helps.

– Annette

[Andi]

I have been seeing Chiropractores for amost 20 years. I started when i was 11 years old as I had issues growing to fast and my poor muscles couldn’t keep up.

I was actually at the Chiropractor yesterday. There are two different Chriropractic meathods one that is more ‘hands on cracking’ (which I belive is the older stsyle) and then the ‘activator’ meathod (which i believe is newer) and used my manipulating through the legs/feet and with the little activator tool. I have had Dr’s that have done both.

My only word of caution, ask people for reccomendations don’t go just because one guys cheaper then another. Some adjustments may cause some pain after at least the first time i find. I had found a ‘discount’ Chiropractor and had a bad experiance where I ended up gettign migrane headaches after seeing him and did for months until i found a new Chiropractor. i had never had a migrane before, adn sicne the second Chiropractor I’ve not had ocne since.
Many will X-Ray fist and see whats going on, i had an amazing one who also made sure I was getting massage therepy as well, though the kind I was getting was called like muscle imprinting or something (OMG it hurt the first time! I was a massage vergin LOL). When my adjustments were not ‘staying’ i was reccomended to a Naturalpath and sent out for blood work. After work with her my spine was fixed, it was my neck that no longer had that bend in it, it went straight out, pretty much only my muscles were holding my head

Anyways, I love Chiropractic, but I definetly wouldn’t just go to anyone. I woudl reccomend the ‘activator’ technique for people nervous to being touched and ‘crunched’.

[MarkBun]

Realize that if your tailbone is perpendicular to your spine and she’s going to be putting it back in the correct position, you are going to get some pain. We’re talking about rotating a bone 90 degrees after it has been in that position for X amount of years and the body developing around it. But it is definitely something that needs to be done and if she can do it without surgery, all the better.

I have had some immediate relief from visiting a chiropractor but I often see them in conjunction with a massage within 24 hours of getting it done or 24 hours before it gets done. I feel that if my muscles are all tense then any adjustment she does will be fought by the muscles. But that is just my personal belief. I try to go to her about every other month for ‘maintenance’ work – it costs me around $50 a visit but she is very good with me (I’m a weird softy type) and it helps to prevent any undue pressure from building up.

[Michelle&Lolli]

We are focusing now on the vertebrae that are compressed due to my tailbone for right now. She’s not sure she could even correct my tailbone and said she did the lightest adjustment she could. I am trying to find a way to get better so I can sit longer than 1 hour and go back to work. So if we can accomplish that with adjusting my tailbone, then that’s what I’m wanting to try.

So today went better. She did a different type of adjustment on my lower back and I haven’t had a flare up like Monday. Soon I will hopefully be starting massage therapy as well.

Thank you everyone for your input! I really appreciate it!

[Author]

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