Does Chiropractic stuff really work?

[Nervous Guy]

About a week and a half ago I was doing a bunch of yard work on Saturday and Sunday, chopping down trees, spreading mulch etc...about 8 o'clock Sunday night I went to sit down on the coach and read the paper and I felt a click in my back and then a bunch of pain...I messed up my back before but this one is different...pain is still there and now I think I have sciatica...I have pain going down my right leg and a slight numbness in my foot...anyway, both my wife and boss think I need to see a chiropractor...now being a scientist I am pretty skeptical about this chiropratic voodoo and might be content to continue taking ibuprofen and waiting it out...does anyone here really think these guys do any good? I just don't want this to get any worse...but this discomfort is really starting to piss me off! Opinions please.

[KRC]

About a week and a half ago I was doing a bunch of yard work on Saturday and Sunday, chopping down trees, spreading mulch etc...about 8 o'clock Sunday night I went to sit down on the coach and read the paper and I felt a click in my back and then a bunch of pain...I messed up my back before but this one is different...pain is still there and now I think I have sciatica...I have pain going down my right leg and a slight numbness in my foot...anyway, both my wife and boss think I need to see a chiropractor...now being a scientist I am pretty skeptical about this chiropratic voodoo and might be content to continue taking ibuprofen and waiting it out...does anyone here really think these guys do any good?  I just don't want this to get any worse...but this discomfort is really starting to piss me off!  Opinions please.

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Yup. Chiropractors do work. I was in a car accident a while back and the chiropractor worked wonders on my neck pain.

 

Of course, there is always Reiki.

[taterhill]

works good for me in moderation...when they start talking about it curing everything, and that you need to come every other day, run the other way

[KD in CA]

I think so. I hurt my back two years ago, was in significant pain for a couple of months and started seeing a chiropractor. She took X-rays, ID'd the issue and treated the injury, as well as the spine in general (since an injury in one area can impact other areas if you start to compensate for the injury). You should at least have it looked at and talk it over with the chiropractor. Few things can ruin your quality of life like a bad back.

[Mark VI]

Yes it does. I've been through so-called Physical Therapy before, which was the biggest waste of time. I received much faster and better relief through the Chiropractor. I've had sciatica and know the symptoms well. They know what the hell they are doing. You should listen to my advice because...

 

I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany !

[Rayzer32]

I see a chiropractor regularly and she does great work. I was skeptical at first with the "adjustments" they do, but she does a great job and they work awesome to loosen me up.

 

I would see one in your case.

[Beerball]

anyway, both my wife and boss think I need to see a chiropractor

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If T-Bone says go to a chiropractor---go to a chiropractor.

 

My wife swears by her's. I have always taken your route--ibuprofen and time and 1 week to 10 days later I have always been fine. If you don't want to go the chiropractor route right away...see your doctor.

[IDBillzFan]

Of course, there is always Reiki. 

359134[/snapback]

Lake?

 

(Sorry.)

 

Nod, personally I don't care for them because aside from him bending and snapping a few things while he presses his body against yours in some cases, I hate sitting in some room with a stupid machine (tines, or something like that) hooked up to me. Also, they're not a quick fix. You likely need to go back every week for a while. But I'm the chairman of the He-Man-Immediate-Gratification Club when it comes to pain, so don't go by me.

[Fezmid]

About a week and a half ago I was doing a bunch of yard work on Saturday and Sunday, chopping down trees, spreading mulch etc...about 8 o'clock Sunday night I went to sit down on the coach and read the paper and I felt a click in my back and then a bunch of pain...I messed up my back before but this one is different...pain is still there and now I think I have sciatica...I have pain going down my right leg and a slight numbness in my foot...anyway, both my wife and boss think I need to see a chiropractor...now being a scientist I am pretty skeptical about this chiropratic voodoo and might be content to continue taking ibuprofen and waiting it out...does anyone here really think these guys do any good?  I just don't want this to get any worse...but this discomfort is really starting to piss me off!  Opinions please.

359128[/snapback]

 

Well, my mom had sciatica about 15 years ago. She was in excrutiating pain, could barely get up and move. She SHOULD have had surgery, but was too afraid...

 

Anyway, my aunt finally convinced her to go to a chiropractor and it was amazing -- she was fine after a few visits. Of course he recommended that she come every few weeks or whatever for "maintenance," but she didn't.

 

The last couple of years it's been getting bad for her again, so it's not a permanant thing.

 

I think that a lot of it IS based in science to be honest, and that a few quacks have ruined it for everyone (sort of like used cars salesmen - they're not ALL slimy).

 

If you don't want to go, I'd recommend going to get an MRI done to see what that looks like.

CW

[KRC]

Lake?

 

(Sorry.)

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I say do both (Reiki and Chiropractics). He already knows a good Reiki practitioner, so what could it hurt.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

From what I have seen and experienced the answer is definitely chiropractic can work, BUT like traditional doctors there are good ones and bad ones and one needs to find a skilled and trained person you are comfortable with as a medical professional to have it work for you.

 

My two experiences are these:

 

1. Way back when in college I suddenly began having shooting back pains. Despite hiking a dozen or more miles in a day with a backpack back when I was young and used to be immortal something weird was going on.

 

I walked to the school infirmary and by the time I got there felt like I might suddenly pass-out from the pain.

 

I saw a traditional doc who had training in chiropractic manipulation. He asked a variety of questions about where the pain was and how it felt, he proded a little bit along my spine. He then gently placed his hands on my back and then informed me he was going to pull my lower back in one direction while thrusting my upper back in another. Before I could object he sharply did this and I screamed like a little baby.

 

He then asked me to roll over, and I sniffingly objected and he then ordered me to roll over and stop being a baby. Sniveling I did so and he once again sharply adjusted my back. He then ordered me to get up and not believing I would ever walk again I gingerly did this.

 

Amazingly (to me) I was fine and felt no pain. I resumed my life hiking and dancing in no time.

 

Since he had the credentials of a medical doc and was confident I think he had no problems doing stuff I considered radical, but what he did took no special instruments and just training any good chiropractor has and it worked.

 

2. I merely witnessed this but as the "victim" was a skeptic retiree who was treated at a cocktail party by an alternative healer he clearly did not know I think this was real.

 

This fellow and I were talking sports and he and I were both from Chicago long ago and the conversation turned to him lamenting the fact that he could no longer play golf 3-5 times a week as he loved to do as a retiree. He could no longer raise his arms above his head to swing without excruciating pain.

 

One of the folks I met earlier through the party through a friend was a woman who did alternative healing an massage (even the up above maligned Reiki). She really talked an interesting game in the cocktail party conversation we had before and i decided to push through a real test to assess how she sounded with a skeptic and introduced the two of them.

 

I had expected that they would arrange an appointment and I would listen in. However, this fellow loved golf so much and was desperate he clearly wanted immediate help and was willing to try almost anything.

 

On a couch at the cocktail party she asked him questions and prodded and poked his spine in an eerily similar manner to my youth experience.

 

She also had him assume the position after her cocktail party exam and wrenched his back and muscles firmly and then asked him to raise his arms. he skeptically said he could not do this but tried it gingerly to see if this manipulation had done even the smallest thing.

 

He looked like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove yelling he could walk as he got out of the wheelchair. He suddenly had full range of motion in his arms and clearly his golf game was back.

 

You want someone good for chiropractic and it is hard to really assess this because as it was not formally accepted unitl the last 15-20 years, there are not the same schools, degrees and standards that at least give some objective guidance as to quality (though even in traditional medicine it is a gurantee that 50% of doctors finished in the bottom half of their class).

 

However, I have seen and felt it work wonders I wouldn't have believed until I saw and felt it.

[Kelly the Dog]

I have had sciatica twice, once on either side. If it is minor, a chiropractor will definitely help you. It will take a while, and several adjustments, and you won't necessarily be fixed immediately but it will almost certainly speed up the process. In the meantime, just walking a lot will help you greatly.

 

If it is bad, you will know it, because it's really bad. That time I got acupuncture and it totally took it away in a week, never to return (now 10 years later). I was extremely skeptical about the acupuncture but it worked amazingly. Good luck. I would recommend a no frills kind of chiro that just gets you in and out and gives you a simple adjustment, 3-4 times a week until it is gone.

[Cugalabanza]

Here's my hasty uninformed opinion of chiropractic...

 

Start with a strong accounts receivable department. Then start making wild promises (pain relief, increased energy, sexual performance, spiritual healing, etc...) to get people interested. Then give 'em the old, "well, this takes time...dedication...many many visits" spiel to keep 'em coming back.

[BillsFanNC]

I aggravated my sciatic nerve last December. It started as just a tightness in my back. I could get around reasonably well for a few days, then it spread down my hip and all the way down to my foot which was numb. On the Sunday the Bills played at Cincinnati I was in excrutiating pain, it was absolutely unbearable. It got to the point where my 8.5 month pregnant wife had to get out of bed and drive me to urgent care. Once there they gave me a shot, some muscle relaxers and wrote me a prescription for naproxen. The shot helped within 10 minutes and the naproxen / muscle relaxers helped get it under control over the next few days. The most concerning part was that even after the pain and discomfort went away my foot was still numb for about three weeks. I went to my doc and was told it was normal and it would eventually subside. It did. So I can't help with the chiropracter, but my doc did give me some exercises to do that probably would be similar to what a chiropracter would suggest. I really hope you are not in as much pain as I was.

[VABills]

Yup. Chiropractors do work. I was in a car accident a while back and the chiropractor worked wonders on my neck pain.

 

Of course, there is always Reiki. 

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But the shots are a pain in the ass.

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

Here's my hasty uninformed opinion of chiropractic...

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One has to appreciate your honesty, at least...

 

In truth, I've known a few chriropracters. I've never seen a reputable on that claimed to do anything more than fix your back.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

I went to sit down on the coach and read the paper and I felt a click in my back and then a bunch of pain.

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You just can't accept the fact that you're getting to be an old fart and your body is falling apart.

[Guffalo]

I have been to a Chiropractor a few times, Last year I had really wrenched my back, I asked her if she could get me back in shape for an upcoming ski trip, she had me in for about 5 visits and I was fine. Prior to the visits I was walking like an 80 year old man with rickets, afterwards I was jumping steps 2 at a time.

[KRC]

But the shots are a pain in the ass. 

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They are not shots. They are very long needles. Stop scaring the guy.

[stuckincincy]

When I lived in the Pittsburgh area, there was a chiropracty call-in radio program on the weekend (chiropractors are the union man's best friend ).

 

A lot of folks I knew swore by them. I think they have merit, but I've never had occasion to have a visit.

[Buckey]

As a person with 25 years experience with back problems (from motorcycle stunts) take it from me. Go to an OSTEOPATH. ESPECIALLY for what you have described. This is a physician that specializes on the back. Chiorpracters are not doctors, and they love to keep you comming in repetitively...$$. You should only need 1 or 2 visits to correct the problem. I also suggest wearing a weight belt as tight as you can stand it for a few days after your visit... it works wonders for securing the adjustment and the lower back pain. My problem sounds exactly like yours. The foot numbness is most likely a pinched nerve in the lower back. Trust me, you will be very glad you didn't rely on a Chiropracter and instead sought out a more experienced professional.

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

You just can't accept the fact that you're getting to be an old fart and your body is falling apart.

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He probably forgot to mention the part where he was carrying T-Bloat around on his shoulders, too...

[col_forbin]

I had two herniated discs in my lower back about five years ago. I would not recommend going to chiorpracter first. I would first go see an Orthopedic Surgeon who specailizes in these types of injuries. In my case he took a MRI and then sent me to a Neurosurgeon for the operation. My .02.

[erynthered]

Just do some squats with about 450 LB's. That should knock that pain right outta ya.

 

 

 

 

 

BTW, dont you get free samples of pain med's at work?

[stuckincincy]

BTW, dont you get free samples of pain med's at work?

359227[/snapback]

 

They might have free stiffeners...dunno if that falls in the spine catagory.

[#89]

Whenever I get a pain in the back I go. Two treatments and you are good as new(sometimes just one)

[aussiew]

I worked in a clinic in So California with an osteopath, 2 chiropractors, and an ortho (yes, they can actually get along).

 

All the previous advice is good...depending on what's actually wrong with you.

 

But I would still recommend going the natural way first:

 

1. An Osteopath (D.O.)

 

2. A Chiropractor (Educated at Palmer School)

 

Then

 

3. An orthopedist

 

Caution, don't trust a Chiropractor who will manipulate your spine without first taking x-rays.

[Buckey]

I worked in a clinic in So California with an osteopath, 2 chiropractors, and an ortho (yes, they can actually get along).

 

All the previous advice is good...depending on what's actually wrong with you.

 

But I would still recommend going the natural way first:

 

1. An Osteopath (D.O.)

 

2. A Chiropractor (Educated at Palmer School)

 

Then

 

3. An orthopedist

 

Caution, don't trust a Chiropractor who will manipulate your spine without first taking x-rays.

AMEN to that.

But I would put #3 before #2.

[PromoTheRobot]

They are great for curing certain back ills. They rest of their claims I find dubious. I still hate it when they crack your neck, though. It just seems WRONG!

 

PTR

[The Tomcat]

Chiropractors are wonderful....I think they are well worth the try...I'm going to one now are hes done wonders for me.....

[Live&DieBillsFootball]

Like every other profession, there are good chiro's and bad ones. I have been to a number of them over the years and most have helped. You can usually tell the idiots after the first visit.

 

Get the name of a good chiro from family or friends and give it a try. It can't hurt and usually they can get you out of pain in the first visit.

[Fan in San Diego]

Yes, they do. I was in a motorcycle accident long ago and they have helped immensely.

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

. Go to an OSTEOPATH. ESPECIALLY for what you have described. This is a physician that specializes on the back.

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Actually, if I understand things correctly, an Osteopath works on the whole body. It's also preventative in nature, as opposed to reactive (traditional western approach) Here in the states you need to be an MD to be a DO (I think). I don't think it's like that in England. Their DO program may be different.

 

CHiropractic is good. Osteopathy is good. But, there are always good and bad ones. Choose carefully.

[Phil Hansen Forever]

I can give first hand account of the power of chiropractic. After herniating four discs in my back in 1990, the Air Force had me on bed rest, then scheduled me for surgery to cut them out. I spent the entire summer flat on my back, and the week prior to my scheduled surgery, friends came and picked me up (literally) and took me to their Chiropractor. The guy looked like Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future, but didn't say a thing. He just examined me, and prounced I had a torn hamstring. I obviously thought he was a kook, and demanded my money back. He ignored me and explained my herniation was the result of torn hamstring. He used the TENS machine on me for a few minutes, then adjusted me. The initial adjustment hurt like hell, and I was no better than when I came in. He of course made another appointment for me, for which I declined. He also told me I would feel great in about 30 minutes, but since I had to be carried back into the back of my friends pickup truck, I certainly didn't think so. However, after 30 minutes had passed, I realized I could move again. For nearly 4 months, I had no feeling in my left leg and only partial feeling in my right.

 

I called back and made a second appointment. During the second appointment he re-adjusted me and asked me to come back one more time. I was scheduled to fly out to Minot the following Monday for the surgery. I came back in on Friday for the final treatment and walked out on my own. I never did have the surgery and its been 15 years since the injury. I have had another four herniations since then, but was well enough within a few days to return to work, through Chiropractic help.

 

I did learn a few things from my Chiropractor, which happens to be one of my best friends. Question #1: If Chiropractic is so dangerous, then how come Chiropractors only pay $2500 per year in malpractice insurance, compared to $55,000 for General Practioners and over $200,000 for surgeons?

 

Question #2: Did you the AMA was successfully suided by the American Chiropractor Association for slander and bias? It was proven in a court of law during 1997, that the AMA had lied about the validity of Chiropractic, and were openly opposed to homeopathic medicine, since it didn't rely upon pharmacutical or surgical methods (loss of income).

 

Question #3: Why did the World Health Organization come out and give total support to Chiropractic treatments, and welcome them to the WHO, over the objections of the AMA?

 

Question #4: What do you put on your ankle when you sprain it? Ice is the normal answer. Then why do doctors prescribe heat when you sprain your back?

 

There are bad Chiropractors and there are bad MD's. If they tell you they can fix you by sensing your Chi force, hit the road running. I don't buy into the Palmer exclusionary concept. I have two friends that attended Palmer, and they prefer Northwestern Chiropractic here in Minneapolis. Another graduated from Logan in St. Louis. There are plenty of styles of Chiropractic, and for my back, I really enjoy the Sacral Obcipital Therapy (SOT) which doesn't require the reknown "cracking", but instead uses wedges under the body to actually move the body parts by gravity.

 

My wife and step-daughter can attest to the affectiveness. My step-daughter had essophagial spasms for years, but when I was dating her mother I took her to see my Chiropractor. She was taking tons of medications prescribed by the MD, and none of it worked. After three treatments the problems were resolved and never returned. Her MD was outraged to hear that she had stopped taking the medications, and even more so when she found out why. MD's hate Chiropractors, and refuse to refer a patient to one, although Chiropractors often refer patients to Osteopaths and Surgeons when they feel they would be a better course of action.

 

I trust my Chiropractor for everything, and when she says she can't help, I know she means it.

 

Good luck

[Stussy109]

I would say it helps, worst case scenario it improves with a little bit of placebo effect, and relaxation (because its relaxing to have someone working on your back). In addition, I read in a book somewhere that hanging for 30 seconds a day is great for your back, it's supposed to reverese the effects of gravity, and allowing your spine to extend and allow for slipped discs etc to move back into place. Try the hanging stuff, and ask the chiropractor for traction, the same thing, (basically them slightly pulling the base of your head, used to feel great.

[Spikes16]

About a week and a half ago I was doing a bunch of yard work on Saturday and Sunday, chopping down trees, spreading mulch etc...about 8 o'clock Sunday night I went to sit down on the coach and read the paper and I felt a click in my back and then a bunch of pain...I messed up my back before but this one is different...pain is still there and now I think I have sciatica...I have pain going down my right leg and a slight numbness in my foot...anyway, both my wife and boss think I need to see a chiropractor...now being a scientist I am pretty skeptical about this chiropratic voodoo and might be content to continue taking ibuprofen and waiting it out...does anyone here really think these guys do any good?  I just don't want this to get any worse...but this discomfort is really starting to piss me off!  Opinions please.

359128[/snapback]

 

I also was a sceptic about chiro's, about two years ago I was having awful headaches, I had a catscan and saw eye doctors. All tested fine. Then I went to see a chiro and started getting regular adjustments,headaches are gone and I feel much better. I feel worse when I dont go to see him. Read up on the practice. It all makes sense, the spine is the Highway to your body. If it is functioning poorly,you function poorly. Definetly go see one. Pain down your leg is from a nerve called,I believe, the sciatic nerve, (excuse my spelling), which also explains your numbness in your foot. Let us know how you make out.

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

MD's hate Chiropractors, and refuse to refer a patient to one, although Chiropractors often refer patients to Osteopaths and Surgeons when they feel they would be a better course of action.

359858[/snapback]

 

I would alter this a little. Here in California, some MDs have begun to see the light and share office hours with Chiropractors.

 

Ever have a doctor tell you he has no idea what is wrong with you? THat's the point at which most people start exploring alternative methods.

[Greybeard]

I say they work. I've crawled in a couple times and walked out. I hurt my lower back as a kid and once a back is hurt, it always seems to come back.

 

The guy I currently see would realign and then say but ice on it 3 times a day the next couple of days. Now at the first sign of trouble, I use the ice routine. Haven't had to go in for 2 years now. I suggest you try ice. It may provide the required relief.