Chiropractor advise

[Popeye]

My back has given me trouble now and again for the past 10 years or so. Always before if I'm just carefull and don't lift anything it's back to normal in about three days. Not this time. Bent over wrong at work on Saturday and it's still killing me. Probably didn't help myself by working the next three days and walking all over the Georgia Aquarium with my grandson yesterday but....
Two of my kids have been trying to get me to go to one for years. I need to get my back fixed but dang I'm on the fence over if these folks are for real or not. (no offense if you are one) One thing for certain, I can't function this way for much longer. Pat

[Knottscott]

Hi Popeye - Sorry your back is bothering you. Been there a couple of times myself. About 10 years ago was the first time it bothered me enough to go to a chiropractor. I went to a guy recommended by a coworker and he turned out to be great....he took a quick look, spotted the issue right away, told me what he was going to do, then did it. There was some immediate relief, followed by improvement and healing over the next couple. It was well worth the $30 fee. I've gone back a couple more times since when it goes out...I've learned to go sooner before things get really bad. For the cost of one visit it's worth a try....wish I could give you a recommendation or tell you how to pick one. Good luck!

[kirkroy]

I went from having difficulty walking due to back pain to being pain free for years after spending a weekend reading a book (Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection)... Dr. John Sarno believes that a large number of back issues are caused by stress and other emotional issues (with a real, physical effect, not an imagined one). It's a controversial notion but it definitely worked for me. I went from using the powered wheelchairs at malls and grocery stores (since walking/standing for that long was pretty much impossible) to no issues at all.

Anyway, there's a wikipedia entry on Dr. Sarno, which includes some info on his ideas and links to his books.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_E._Sarno

[cabinetman]

My initial injury wasn't from carrying heavy bed parts up a spiral staircase. Once in the bedroom, hooked up some lighting underneath and then had to flip it upright. I herd a snap, and had to be 911'd out. It put me in traction for over a week. I've got some herniated discs, lower back, and at times all it takes is leaning over to pick up a cup of coffee, and whammo, it feels like a knife going into my back. It's been bad enough to give me sciatica, and then I can hardly walk for almost two weeks.

Orthopedic surgeon gave me a 60% success rate if I chose surgery. I didn't like those odds. Tried a few chiropractors, and did get some relief. My best treatment came from the suggestions for living with my condition. First, not to twist and lift at the same time. Second, not to lean forward and perform tasks if I can help it. Third, try to squat straight down to do any lifting. It was explained that because of an injury to the discs/vertebrae, stressing the area makes the surrounding nerves and muscles react to protect the area and I get "bent" over and can't move easily.

I try to be careful, but it's hard to constantly think about how not to agitate the condition. I did get some literature from a chiropractor showing exercises and relief moves. There are some exercises to improve the abdominal muscles, as weak muscles seem to be one of the causes of back problems. I have a method of reclining that I try to do when going to sleep. It's laying on the opposite side that's in question and having the top knee on a pillow and twisting the hips away from the knee. It works and gives immediate relief. I guess it twists the spine to take the pressure off the discs in that area.

I wouldn't count a chiropractor out, rather try to get one recommended from someone you trust that has good things to say. Don't disregard the bad comments either.

Hope you feel better.
.

[cgallery]

I agree w/ Kirkroy, in that much back pain is due to stress.

I have also had good luck with these:
http://www.amazon.com/Joint-MD-Iovat...7223946&sr=8-1

I injured my back at a job site about 13 years ago. I lost strength in my left leg, lots of ankle strength, and all of the ankle reflex. I was a surgical candidate, and was going that route when my doctor and an orthopedic surgeon in his office had me read a book by two neurosurgeons. I can't remember the title of the book, but the authors insisted people avoid back surgery at all costs, because much of their job was putting the pieces back together after botched back surgeries.

I decided to do physical therapy for 30 days and tried every treatment possible (including chiropractic).

After thirty days I decided I could live with the pain, and the doctors told me if I could live with it, it would continue to improve. And it has.

But every once in a while I do have flare-ups. They often do occur when I'm stressed.

Almost everyone I know understands that my back is "touchy." I recently had a flare-up and a friend told me he was going to give me a bottle of pills that he says he discovered by talking with a doctor that was a runner. They are sold as supplements, and he said the doctor said they work well for joint pain because they contain hyaluronic acid.

I did some more research about hyalyronic acid and was led to the Joint MD pills. They don't contain as much hyalyronic acid as the pills my friend was going to bring me, but Joint MD was available at my local pharmacy and my back hurt then and I didn't have to wait for two days to get them.

So I purchased them, and have used the entire bottle (and also the bottle of the stuff my friend gave me). They seem to have helped quite a bit.

My back had been particularly "crappy" for the last six months. I was doing early morning walking at the gym. I was watching what I ate, doing other exercises, etc., with no improvement.

Within two weeks of taking the pills, my back improved substantially. So much so that when I ran out of pills I didn't buy more. It hasn't gotten worse, but I do wonder if it will.

[lebomike]

I feel your pain, back in 1989 I had back trouble and I worked with the pain for a long time, went to physical therapy for six months the whole nine yards. I finally got to the point that I had to crawl to the bathroom in the morning,get on my knees to brush my teeth.
I ended up having surgery on disc between L4 & L5, felt like a million bucks when I got out of surgery.

This past August I had a severe case of back spasams and ended up in the hospital for two days while on vacation. Came home and went to a chiorpractor that was recomended by a friend, he was great got my back ,back to being normal again.
I would recomend chiorpractor in a minute. If that does not work find a good orthopedic Dr and have them check your back out.

Hope you get to feeling better real soon.
Mike

[Popeye]

One, thanks for all the quick responses.
Two, alittle background:
I'm not stressed, For the most part I haven't been since I got rid of the OL.
Each time I've screwed up my back it's been doing normal walking or bending, never lifting anything, or twisting as far as I can remember.
I am overweight, all in the middle. But I wasn't 10 years ago when I first screwed this up. Gave up cigarettes for taste buds.
Regular doc can't get me in till Monday. I think I'm gonna at least try a Chiropractor if I can get into see one today or tomorrow. Thanks again and please keep up the input. I can tell I'm not the only one with this issue. Pat

[AAJIII]

back problem

The loml has had major back problems ever since she fell in the bathroom over 25 years ago. She tried the orthopedic doctors, traction in the hospital, etc..

Then she found a good chiro, in my humble opinion chiropractic treatment has kept her moble and healthy.

You should also know that not all back problems can be solved with chiro treatment and a good chiropractic doctor will tell you if that is the case and be able to refer you to a good orthopedic doctor.

Try the chiro first and give it a chance, get recommendations from people you know.

Good luck and feel better.

Al

[luteman]

I have suffered with chronic lumbar spine pain for years. Chiro was very helpful for a short time. There are several methods of chiro. The latest one I tried was called "low impact". This worked but effects did not last long. I then completed a regimen of treat at Mich Spine & Pain clinic. I am sure something like this can be found where you live.
To make a long story short. The most successful treatment modality for me was a short series of spinal injections which eliminated much of my pain. Beyond that, there is radio frequency ablation which I was considering until I was advised the process would need to be repeated as the nerves would regrow back. Anyway what I am suggesting is that you seek out a physician who specializes in "pain management" as this can be your ticket to a relatively pain-free life. Worked for me!

[steve-norrell]

Been there, done that, and all within the last three months. Here is what worked for me:

1. Get the proper diagnostic tests to ensure that surgery or some equally aggressive treatment is not needed (X-Ray, MRI).

2. Use pain killers as moderately as you can stand. I used something called Mobic, but found that aspirin and tylenol worked almost as well. Fortunately, I did not need surgery, cortisone injections, or increased medications. Did not need to see a chiropracter, although that was next on my list.

3. Learn to avoid incidents that trigger the pain -- very careful lifting, bending over (bathroom and kitchen sinks are famous for causing these problems). I have moderate to severe stenosis and severe arthritis -- so the condition is permanent.

4. Evaluate whether or not your tools (saw, router, etc) are at an appropriate working height.

I believe that all of the suggestions given here are good -- provided they are appropriate to the injury. Thus, the first suggestion may be the most important.

Best wishes, Steve

[andrew.r.w]

There are plenty of back-pain experts out there. Mostly they are experienced users. I am one of them.

Chiropractors might help. Remember that back troubles differ and thus solutions differ. I saw several chiropractors for years and it was massage therapy that finally solved my problem. Not that I never get back pain, but when pain comes to visit I know how to get rid of it quickly.

Read about trigger-point massage therapy (http://www.triggerpointbook.com/). You might learn that your pain is a long way away from your problem. TPMT can be self administered so it is cheap. All you need is the book and a golf ball.

Two things:

1) If the treatment you're getting doesn't help, change. There are many chiropractors, all different. Try physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, etc. until you find something that lasts. Doing what you always did gets you what you always got.

2) Take charge of your treatments. Be your own doctor, not some other guy's patient. Every time you visit a chiropractor or therapist he/she gets paid. Do you think there's a conflict of interest there perhaps?

Back in the 60's ulcers were all the rage, back pain was much less common. Now it seems back pain is everywhere but you hardly ever hear about ulcers. Seems like back pain is like the new ulcer. Ulcers were caused buy stress, weren't they?

[MilDoc]

I have to admit that chiropractic medicine helps a lot more for some back problems than standard medical techniques.

It's the chiropractors that claim to cure all kinds of illness, use useless "massage beds" to jack up the $$$, etc. that I avoid.

[stocktr8er]

I want to second on what Steve wrote. Get a solid diagnosis first. I am in middle of fighting a herniated disk in my neck, so am talking from first hand experience. I have a couple of close friends that are chiropractor that I trust; neither would touch me with the degree of severity of the herniation.

Also, get a second opinion if the subject of surgery comes up. There are some very good pain treatments, as have been listed above, which can work. Get a neurosurgeon that only wants to cut as a last option. They are out there.

Remember, pain is a method your body tells you that you are hurt. It reminds you of your limitations. Every doctor I have seen says that I can live with the injury for as long as I want as long as I can tolerate the pain. The disk might heal itself but could take a year or so. What you want to take very serious is the loss of strength. That is a sign of nerve damage and can very well become permanent.

The best way to find a good Doctor or Chiropractor is word of mouth. As you can see in this forum, back injuries are much more common than one would think. It doesn’t take long to find someone with a good reputation.

One last comment, limit your lifting until you have a good grasp on the real problem. You would be surprised at how little weight it takes to exaggerate the problem.

Best out luck to you and a quick recovery,

Curtis

[kirkroy]

Back in the 60's ulcers were all the rage, back pain was much less common. Now it seems back pain is everywhere but you hardly ever hear about ulcers. Seems like back pain is like the new ulcer. Ulcers were caused buy stress, weren't they?

This is exactly one of the points in the Sarno materials...

[docrowan]

Plus one on what Andrew said. About 10 years ago I had back pain bad enough I would have signed away everything I owned to get it to stop. As a point of reference I was an exceptionally healthy 28 year old, but under considerable stress. I tried back pain bills, a GP, and massage therapy before seeing a chiro. Chiro gave me immediate relief and pain free in 4 or 5 visits. I've had to see one for a few more incidents since then, but never like the first time. I'm sold on them with a few cautions:

I've talked with a number of people about back pain, some swear by chiros, some hate them. My personal opinion is that there a certain types of back pain that chiros can treat and some that they can't and neither the chiro or an MD can tell the difference. There are some quacks out there, quite frankly there are a few in the mainstream medical field. I believe many of them will try to sell you into coming to them weekly or monthly even after you are pain free. Like Andrew said in his post, be your own doctor. Get an actual reference from a trusted friend or co-worker.