# Please share your Chiropractor experience with me



## mercedes (Sep 1, 2012)

I have been plagued by lower back pain for over a year now,just took some motrin and kept going.Finally,the pain was getting annoying enough to make me go to the doctor.All he did was give me a prescription for muscle relaxers and another one for narcotics(tramadol) with made me sick(vomiting,hives,hard to breath).Went back to see him again the next day and he handed me a prescription for vicadin.I told him that I did not want any more narcotics and reminded him that I was allergic to codeine,he took the prescription out of my hand and told me that there was nothing else he could do for me.Thats how I ended up at the chiropractor.I have been going for almost three weeks now and my back is no better except now I have numbness down my leg when I sit.Her adjustments are VERY painful and have left bruises on my back.She keeps telling me that it will take weeks,maybe month to fix my back.I am concerned that she is doing more harm than good.Has anyone been in this situation and what do you all think,should I continue or quit?


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I go to a great chiropractor and the adjustments are not very painful at all. Did your chiro X-Ray you before doing the adjustments? Did she give you some gentle stretching exercises to do between visits? Some chiros are real "bone crunchers" but many these days take a much gentler approach. And you should not be bruised after visit! I hesitate to make recommendations, but if I were you, I think I'd be looking for another doc (both medical and chiro).


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

I went to one for headaches....he made them worse. A relative was nearly paralyzed by what a chiropractor did. I feel that you should not be bruising or have numbness after treatment and would find another one.


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## Barn Yarns (Oct 7, 2012)

go back to your dr and ask for MRI thats the best way to see whats going on. numbness in your leg tells me that you are involving nerves... specifically the syatic.

how do i know? I ruptured L5 and it rubbed against my syatic for 6 weeks before i got an mri. 

i still have issues. if your dr will go for it, ask for a full spinal one. that way if something happens again, then they have that to fall back on. 

as your chiro for stretches to do or even ask dr for referal to physical therepy sometimes strengthening muscles will help.

that being said... Ive loved every one of my Chiros. one uses the Graston Technique on me (google it for website) and it has helped both me and SO greatly.


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## mercedes (Sep 1, 2012)

Thank you all for your reply.Yes my chiro did x-rays and had me pay well over $300 for a month worth of treatments.We are now in week 3.I would love to go for an MRI but I don't have insurance and everything comes out of my pocket.................


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## Izzybeff (Sep 29, 2005)

The bruising and numbness would concern me. I've been seeing a chiro for three years and he's great. I don't pay near $300 a month either and I go every week.

I've never had a bruise. I have had a painful adjustment, but generally right after it's done, the pain goes away. You may need to shop around for someone else. Ask your friends & relatives if they go to anyone. Word of mouth has rarely done me wrong.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

mercedes said:


> I have been plagued by lower back pain for over a year now,


To adjust the lower back they have you lie on your back, stand on your right side and put thier right hand on your left hip to keep the pelvis flat. Then they take hold of your left knee and twist it over the right side of the table to pop the lower back. And again they do the same thing on the opposite side.
At every session they will gently push on any vertebrae out of place all the way down your back, but it is gentle, not painful. 
One adjustment session should fix whatever is out of alignment in the lower back. There are no bruises. And there is no pain in the adjustments. And, I pay $15 not $300.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

I'd get a different Chiropractor. You should not have bruising! Not all Chiropractors are alike. There are 3 Chiropractors in my town, but I travel 4 hours 1 way to go see a really good one. The 3 local ones are horrible, but the one I go see is incredible!

I snookered my entire spine and left hip this last spring when I picked up a motorcycle off of a buddy of mine that didn't make a curve, then held the bike(full dress Harley) up off of him and dragged his 6 foot frame out from under it. Gotta love adrenaline! I pulled muscles, pulled vertebrae out of alignment, a few ribs, did something really vile in my neck up near my skull and somehow twisted the left side of my pelvis out of whack. 

At one point I didn't think I could be fixed. I even listed my motorcycle for sale because I thought I'd never ride again. 6 months later and my Chiropractor has reassembled me! There is a spot or two that isn't perfect, but it's getting closer all the time. My pain is gone and I'm riding again.

I know that Chiropractors work, but like anything else, you have to find a good one. Good luck!


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## BoldViolet (Feb 5, 2009)

Wow, yes, absolutely get a new chiro.

The one I go to is great, and he's not one of those who claims to cure cancer by properly adjusting your back. I run from those.

My chiro also uses a little tool for most adjustments which is more gentle than doing the adjustments manually.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

You can also look for a physical therapist who is trained in McKenzie manipulation or osteopathic methods. My friend is one and seriously, in one or two treatments, she's got most everyone fixed. I'm going to go back to her because I realize that my spine is not bending to the right like it is to the left. That will be one visit and she will release those vertabrae. It's important to find someone good and I'd guess a good portion of chiros are not that great.


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## mercedes (Sep 1, 2012)

The little tool is what left black and blue marks alongside my spine(40 pounds of pressure)I think the decompression therapy is what got me.The first treatment felt pretty good,after the second one I was on the floor on an icepack,in tears from the pain.Most of last week I stayed at home because I hurt so bad.Friday I had another adjustment and it felt like she had broken my hip.More ice over the weekend and I feel better today.I have an appointment with another chiro this afternoon,just to get another opinion.No way in **** that woman will lay a hand on me again!!!!


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## simplegirl (Feb 19, 2006)

I've never had a painful adjustment. I love my chiropractor and she pretty much keeps me going. I have lower back and rib issues due to scoliosis. If you are having pain like that you need to see someone different.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I've had three back surgeries, and back crackers never did me much good... Maybe a little relief, but as a whole, not much. Some times it even made me worse. Tried them off an on over 20 years.. 

Best thing I ever found for my back was an Inversion Table... Hanging upside down for 10 minutes a day for a couple days a week would make me pretty much like new again... or as close as possible..


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## BoldViolet (Feb 5, 2009)

mercedes said:


> The little tool is what left black and blue marks alongside my spine(40 pounds of pressure)I think the decompression therapy is what got me.The first treatment felt pretty good,after the second one I was on the floor on an icepack,in tears from the pain.Most of last week I stayed at home because I hurt so bad.Friday I had another adjustment and it felt like she had broken my hip.More ice over the weekend and I feel better today.I have an appointment with another chiro this afternoon,just to get another opinion.No way in **** that woman will lay a hand on me again!!!!


Yeah. It sounds like this person is doing something terribly wrong. I have never been in pain or bruised from an adjustment.


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## Barn Yarns (Oct 7, 2012)

I know that the Graston Technique is capable of leaving 'bruises' but it is removing the scar tissue in the muscles. But its a different tool than what is used for muscle manipulation. the Graston tool looks like a sweat blade. the other is a spring loaded sort of thing. 
I have been in pain after an adjustment. I was so far out of wack! it was explained to me a long time ago by a PT person.... if you bend your fingers back to your wrist, eventually it will stop hurting. When you let go, it will hurt as well. 
Good luck with new chiro!


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## vicki in NW OH (May 10, 2002)

My husband and I no longer go to chiropractors. We have found ortho bionomy far more effective for pain relief. Society of Ortho-Bionomy International


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## Mooselover (May 4, 2009)

Wow...and aarrgghh!!! personally, i love my chiro. he's gentle yet firm and definitely does NOT force anything. i seem to manifest my 'tenison' in the same places. the right side of my neck is more challenging to adjust. he uses heat, massage and what i call the 'duck' technique too loos'n me up and then we try it again. if it don't work the second time, we don't do it again. i drink A LOT of water after adjustment (to release the toxins) and do absolutely NOTHING physical afterwards. i sit or lay in a comfortable position and i'm usually very tired and acky about 2-3 hours AFTER my adjustment. i schedule my appointments when i KNOW i have no physical activity till the next day. i have been sore-ish the next day but usually not. it all depends on how far out of alignment i was. i remember once when he was able to get my neck back into place....the crack was LOUD and i cursed. it hurt like hell but i felt 1000% better the next day. i was sore the next day but not the second day. my chiro also recommends massage therapy prior to the appt to loose'n up the muscles. that also works great for me. my feeling is that if your chiro is 'forcing', find a new chiro. i also know that my massage therapist has been able to 'crack' me just by doin what she do. i hope this helps and strongly recommend drinking a LOT of water and limiting any physical activity after chiro adjustments and massage.


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

I have/had a bad back. Doing certain things will put me flat on my back some times for days. When it really gets bad I can not walk safely without a walker because if it shifts I will fall to the floor with severe pain. My upper body angles to the side and I can not stand up straight when my back is out. I hurt my back when I was 21 and I am now 57.
My first visit to the chiropractor(CP) at 23. I walked in with my wife holding on to me with by back out bad--he X-rayed and then made a adjustment---I walked out almost straight by myself. He wanted to see me again in 2 days. I went back with a little pain---he adjusted me again---wanted to see me again in 2 days---I went back with no pain--he adjusted and I walked out with a little pain but the pain cleared up before I had to come back in 3 days. I again walked in with no pain, walked out with some pain. I told the CP about this---he said we will wait a week before I came back. A week later I walked in feeling good, no pain and after the adjustment I hurt some. I am not the smartest person but I Knew this was not working----My back was trying to heal and the visits with the CP were aggrivating it. Against the CP thoughts of what I needed----I told him I was not coming back unless my back went out again. A few weeks later I did something and throwed it out again. I went back to the CP for a adjustment---He said he wanted me to come back in 2 days. I told him if my back was not getting better I would. It was alot better in 2 days so I did not go back. After that I would only go if I had throwed my back out for ONE adjustment Only. I learned what not to do to keep my back from getting out but my job did cause it to get out a few times a year---some times Bad other times not so bad I needed a adjustment--just some rest. In My early 40's I gave up my business that I had been doing over 20 years(Reupholstering Furniture) and my back has been doing good---Have not needed a adjustment since. It still can start bothering me a little if I am doing something to aggrivate it but as soon as I feel that Built In Feeling telling me I better stop what I am doing---I Stop. My back is probably different than some because i can pick up things like say a 100lb of shelled corn without a problem. I have a saw mill and I can handle heavy timbers without a problem(have to be careful) but I can squat in the floor to play with my grandchild or stay bent over picking beans etc and I have to stop or I know I will be down with my back.
Good Luck with yours.


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

Well.. I've had 2 very good chiropractors. But I'm sure they're not all great. Just like med docs. I would try to talk to friends with postiive results and find a new one to at least try again. He also made a special, affordable pay scale knowing I did not have insurance.

I definitely vote "useless" on the doc and meds. It's no help to the problem, only masking.

I've had neck and lower back issues, and the chiro helped both. I have been meaning to try yoga, as a few friends have had complete turnarounds with chronic pain when doing so. I haven't tried it yet.

Good luck!


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## mercedes (Sep 1, 2012)

WOW,so many interesting replies!!!!Thank you all for your comments.I have since gone to a different chiro and have had much improvement.He has done more x-rays and to put it mildly,my back is a mess.He thinks the first chiro over stretched me,that's why I was in so much pain.He also adjusted my foot (did not know you could do that) and I can now walk pain free.He has me doing a lot of stretching exercises between visits and that also is helping a LOT.Right now the has me scheduled for treatment till january,then re-exam and go from there.He also suggested yoga and I think I will give that a try also.Sure is good to not be in constant pain.I still hurt,but it's at a more tolerable level now.


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

Real glad to hear that mercedes


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Yay!
You got a good chiro!

I LOVE my chiro.
She probably saved my life.
I popped my pelvis joints free of my spine about 4 years ago. The only thing connecting my upper body and my legs were my muscles and connective tissue.
Had I sought modern medicine I would have faced a life of muscle relaxers and pain pills at best, a fused pelvis at the worst.

I was terrified of the thought of a chiro. Back snapping, violent adjustments etc..
I was sobbing in a corner of the waiting room afraid to let her touch me. She talked me down and started me onto the path of healing.
Sometimes she saw me twice a day.

I am fine and dandy now. They still pop out from time to time because I completely stretched out the connective tissues, but she pops them right back in and I am on my way.

I love her. She is intuitive, gentle and caring. Goes out of her way for her patients.
And I am thrilled every time I can reccommend her to people and bring her new patients.

Did I mention how wondeful she is??


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## simplegirl (Feb 19, 2006)

chickenista said:


> Yay!
> You got a good chiro!
> 
> I LOVE my chiro.
> ...


If you didn't live so far from me I would think you were talking about my chiropractor. Simply wonderful.


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## farmer9989 (Apr 22, 2008)

I've been to quite a few of them there are good ones(you'll know when you find this one) and ones that just do a general adj.(these hurt) 
couldn't tell how to get a good one except trying them out
the one i see now was(magna cum loudly of his class) well my 8th grade education can't spell it nether can spell check hope y'all know what It means.


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## Soap Natsee (Dec 6, 2012)

If they're trying and succeeding at moving soft tissue, you may well feel pain after an adjustment. I had a quadricep muscle get so tight that it jumped out of place, I don't know how long it was like that but it took a couple of months of intense stretching to get it to move back on its own, one day while stretching it SNAP!, OUCH!, it was back in place and felt much better.

Some chiropractors are like used car salesman, leave you with empty pockets and tears but there are decent ones.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

My dear friend's husband is a recently retired chiropracter in Indianapolis. One of the really good ones, he sat on peer review boards and worked to get rid of the "quackopracters". He advised me years ago (since we moved away) to look for Palmer School grads and to not go to anyone who offered dietary consultation, crystals, or any of the new agey stuff. His advice always worked for me.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2012)

I went to a chiropracter 30 years ago with agony in my back. 2 weeks later, I had agony in my back, was $700 poorer, and felt like the biggest sucker on earth. A couple weeks after that, about 35 cents worth of rubber inserts for my shoes came in the mail. Which reminded me how big a sucker I had been.


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## NewMoon (Dec 20, 2006)

"Her adjustments are VERY painful and have left bruises on my back."

Yikes! There is something very wrong with a treatment that leaves bruises after the chiropractor is finished. 

My DH has lower back trouble, three herniated cervical discs and torn rotator cuff.

He has been through the mill with several different types of doctors for his issues. He has been to chiropractors, osteopaths and general diagnosticians. He has been prescribed the same meds you have but only gets relief for a short while. He didn't want to become addicted so he sought out other methods.

I was looking for answers on the internet one day and stumbled on an article about Inversion tables. We found one for $300.00 and purchased it to see if it would help.

It has made more of a difference than any other remedy so far. 

DH uses his at night, right after his shower before he goes to bed. The shower relaxes his muscles enough so he is able to let the gravity work to stretch out his back without tensing up. He inverts for about 10 minutes and says on a good night he is able to feel his back crack in several areas. This is the discs stretching out to allow fluid back in so they can heal. If he is in a lot of pain during the day, he will go upstairs and invert for a few minutes. It almost always seems to help.

Our next step will be to purchase a hot tub. He isn't into massage or going to physical therapy. He also doesn't like sharing a public hot tub with others. Too many germs. We stayed at a place with a hot tub while we were on vacation once. It was great to be able to rinse off and go straight to bed without worrying about getting dressed and then having to drive home.

If you have any other questions about Inversion tables please post again. There are a lot of different types out there but here is a link for the one we have. Please have someone with you the first time you use it as it can be tricky to adjust it. You might also want to use a timer. Sometimes my DH gets so relaxed he forgets how long he is there!

Teeter Hang Ups EP 560 Inversion Table
ITEM-NUMBER:-13206638

www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13206638&cp=4406646.4413986.4417719


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

I have great chiropractor here. I have been going to this one for 24 years. He has helped me a great deal and I wouldn't have been able to work in construction for as long as I did without his help.

He told me a long time ago that I needed to have an operation and I had heard so many negative reports and wouldn't have one until I was at the end of my endurance.

I finally relented and he hooked me up with one of the best spine surgeons in the country. I should have listened to him a long time ago.

I will say there are some chiropractors who say they can cure anything but that is bull po. I was lucky to have found this one. We are more than patient/chiropractor we have become friends.

BTW: He also sent me to a surgeon for my rotator cuff and the Dr. is considered to be one of the best in the country also. My chiro had spine surgery at the same hospital the day before my shoulder surgery.

If you are not happy with the chiro you have go some where else. Most MD's don't like chirporactors they would rather just give you pain meds and say to stay in bed for a while. My medical doctor and my chirpopractor work for my best interest. My chiroent me to my medical Dr. who is a D.O. he is also my chiro's doctor.

Good luck.

NJ Rich


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