Chiropractic care

[P man]

What's the general consensus? I used to go many moons ago and it seemed to help. I am having pain in my lower back and it shoots down my butt and leg.

Is massage or acupuncture a viable alternative if my pain levels are high?

 

[Chris]

It works wonders! At least it has for me and everyone I know who uses it.

 

[Ocho]

What's the general consensus? I used to go many moons ago and it seemed to help. I am having pain in my lower back and it shoots down my butt and leg.

Is massage or acupuncture a viable alternative if my pain levels are high?

do it all.. i go to a sports chiropractor who offers all three of the above treatments and haven't had to use any pain meds in the 6 months i've been going. adjustment every couple of weeks with massage or acupuncture sprinkled throughout works for me.

 

[Apparition]

Tre3top was our forum chiropractor.

 

[P man]

Tre3top was our forum chiropractor.

You spelled proctologist wrong

 

[B252]

What's the general consensus? I used to go many moons ago and it seemed to help. I am having pain in my lower back and it shoots down my butt and leg.

Is massage or acupuncture a viable alternative if my pain levels are high?

A good Thai massage will do wonders for you. Ask for the "works".

 

[TJ Jim]

A good Thai massage will do wonders for you. Ask for the "works".

With a happy ending?

 

[B252]

With a happy ending?

That's automatic.

 

[diggerwolf]

Lots of folks like to bash Chiropractors but my wife has been seeing one for years in order to delay neck surgery. I would absolutely recommend at least a visit.

 

[steelhd]

I go to a chiro every four to eight months for manual adjustments to relieve back pain and it works wonders. Avoid any chiro that claims to be able to do anything other than that. You wouldn't believe the quackery they teach in some (all?) chiropractic schools.

 

[06lj]

I offer you my opinion. In no way is it to be meant as medical guidance. I highly recommend following up with your physician.

What you are describing is radiculopathy or "nerve pain" that is most likely the result of the compression of a nerve root. Many times this is a result of a bulging disc or possibly stenosis. If this is a new pain it may improve with some anti-inflammatories and rest. If it had been going on for a while or is not improving you may have more severe issues. Annular tears can happen and the best treatment may depend on the intensity of the injury. Degenerative joint disease and stenosis are also common. If severe enough there are different treatments available. There are several other conditions that can also occur.
If this has been going on for while or is getting worse I would follow up a physician (preferably a D.O.) The gold standard for diagnosis would be an MRI. This would give a complete visualization of the area and would allow for an accurate diagnosis. However, a physician may feel confident in diagnosing from a physical exam and your pain descriptions.
I would personally recommend you determine your injury prior to beginning treatments. Lumbar injuries can progress to chronic conditions or cause permanent deficiencies.

 

[Mike_H]

I go every 4 weeks to maintain. Very minor case of degenerative disc in my L2 and some exercises and maintenance keeps me pain free most all the time. The caveat is that you have to get a good one. I’ve been to some that are not.

 

[P man]

Anyone have first hand experience on how body weight affects back issues?

 

[Zorba]

I've gone on and off for years, lessening as the years go by.

BE FOREWARNED: Many chiropractors consider Belly Dancing to be one of the VERY best things that can be done for many back problems. Belly Dance classes are full of women who have been sent there by their chiropractors. And the occasional man - we had one older guy in one class I was in for several years. He was there every week. He wasn't particularly "good" at it, but that wasn't why he was attending. Not interested in performing, his chiropractor sent him and he said the class really did help. I believe it, I showed my chiropractor some basic undulations when I first started, he told me "You keep on doing that, and you'll never have back problems again!". So far, he's been right.

So if you need help finding a class/teacher, let me know!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I offer you my opinion. In no way is it to be meant as medical guidance. I highly recommend following up with your physician.

What you are describing is radiculopathy or "nerve pain" that is most likely the result of the compression of a nerve root. Many times this is a result of a bulging disc or possibly stenosis. If this is a new pain it may improve with some anti-inflammatories and rest. If it had been going on for a while or is not improving you may have more severe issues. Annular tears can happen and the best treatment may depend on the intensity of the injury. Degenerative joint disease and stenosis are also common. If severe enough there are different treatments available. There are several other conditions that can also occur.
If this has been going on for while or is getting worse I would follow up a physician (preferably a D.O.) The gold standard for diagnosis would be an MRI. This would give a complete visualization of the area and would allow for an accurate diagnosis. However, a physician may feel confident in diagnosing from a physical exam and your pain descriptions.
I would personally recommend you determine your injury prior to beginning treatments. Lumbar injuries can progress to chronic conditions or cause permanent deficiencies.

This. This. THIS.

I believe chiropractors can have a place treating conditions they are qualified to treat. I don't believe they are qualified to make diagnoses or universally treat all of the conditions they will lead you to believe they can treat.

When I was about 30 I started having random aches and pains in one arm and a chiropractor was my first response. Years and 3 chiropractors later, I had only gotten worse and ended up with pain in the other arm too. I finally wised up and went to a real doctor, got an MRI and found discs bulging into the space where the medial, radial, and ulnar nerves leave the spinal column in my cervical spine. A physical therapist was able to teach me a few exercises that will get rid of the pain almost immediately and it won't return for months or years. I firmly believe the chiro adjustments added trauma, which increased inflammation and swelling against those nerves and may very well have accelerated permanent damage. Yet even after they knew I wasn't getting better they kept letting me come in and pay them once a week.

I could see going back if I feel like my hips are out of alignment or something, but I'll never let another chiropractor touch my neck or try to treat nerve pain.

 

[Zorba]

This. This. THIS.

I believe chiropractors can have a place treating conditions they are qualified to treat. I don't believe they are qualified to make diagnoses or universally treat all of the conditions they will lead you to believe they can treat.

When I was about 30 I started having random aches and pains in one arm and a chiropractor was my first response. Years and 3 chiropractors later, I had only gotten worse and ended up with pain in the other arm too. I finally wised up and went to a real doctor, got an MRI and found discs bulging into the space where the medial, radial, and ulnar nerves leave the spinal column in my cervical spine. A physical therapist was able to teach me a few exercises that will get rid of the pain almost immediately and it won't return for months or years. I firmly believe the chiro adjustments added trauma, which increased inflammation and swelling against those nerves and may very well have accelerated permanent damage. Yet even after they knew I wasn't getting better they kept letting me come in and pay them once a week.

I could see going back if I feel like my hips are out of alignment or something, but I'll never let another chiropractor touch my neck or try to treat nerve pain.

No chiropractor worth his salt will proceed in a case like this without an xray, mri, etc. In my particular case, conventional medicine let me down BIG TIME, got much worse very quickly. Chiropractor fixed it in about 3 visits. YMMV and all that - everybody's different and every situation is different.