Random Ramblings

I went to a chiropractor for a few months before I learned of my spine issues. So always be careful with them - I had no idea he was making my problem worse.

My chiropractor has been treating me now for years, Jim.  By going for my monthly adjustment and doing what he says, I stay relatively pain free with a degenerative disc.  He wouldn't adjust me without x-rays and an MRI when I first started seeing him so he would know what was in there.  The first chiropractor I ever visited started adjusting with no x-rays and I hurt worse when he got done.  With my current doctor, that doesn't happen.

I DID see him on Wed.  It was my regular visit, but I already had the crick in my neck.  He was able to adjust me with a tension gun, but the crick is muscular.  So, he gave me some exercises to do whenever I sit down that do help.  However, this is day three with this.  If it isn't gone by next week, he may order an MRI to see if it is a pinched nerve.  I am hoping it is gone by then.

Chiropractors are tricky. My wife had a bulging disc and the chiro made it worse. However, I had an issue with my shoulder and elbow and saw a chiro once a month for about a year and it helped.

I need to go back but I don't like that $40 copay...

I agree that chiropractors and often not be the best way to go (and I used to deride them in total until just a few years ago).  Here is the major difference between a Chiropractor and a Physical Therapist.

A Chiropractor manipulates your bones, typically back to where they are supposed to be. Often this doesn't seem to be a solution that stays put (so to speak)

A Physical Therapist manipulates your muscles to re-align your bones.  They usually give you exercises to help maintain or correct the adjustment.  Most times you shouldn't need to go back to see a P.T. for the same problem year after year.

I think if you need to keep going back to a chiropractor a few times a year, it probably isn't fixing your problem (and could be making it worse).  You might need a physical therapist or even surgery.

My wife is having problems with her hip and lower back, that has been aggravated by her new job.  She has been in physical therapy for a few weeks now and will likely be there for several more.  She has daily exercises she needs to do in an effort to help fix her problem.  If all that doesn't work she might need surgery.

Quote :

A Chiropractor manipulates your bones, typically back to where they are supposed to be. Often this doesn't seem to be a solution that stays put (so to speak)

This is where my doctor is different.  He gives me exercises to do to help strengthen the muscles so that my back doesn't go out so much anymore.  But, making the muscles stronger won't keep a disc from slipping or bulging.  It is worn out.  Keeping me aligned helps hold it in place.

alldatndensum wrote:

Quote :

A Chiropractor manipulates your bones, typically back to where they are supposed to be. Often this doesn't seem to be a solution that stays put (so to speak)

This is where my doctor is different.  He gives me exercises to do to help strengthen the muscles so that my back doesn't go out so much anymore.  But, making the muscles stronger won't keep a disc from slipping or bulging.  It is worn out.  Keeping me aligned helps hold it in place.

That's great!

Staybrite wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

I still have the crick in my neck.  I also had to go to my eye doctor today for another checkup, so my eyes are super dilated and very light sensitive.  I hate this feeling!

Have you seen a chiropractor or physical therapist about your neck.  Often times there is a misalignment that you can correct with some therapeutic exercises.  Also keep in mind you are too old to head-bang....so stop it.

...or an osteopath. Mine was a game-changer for me. Absolutely brilliant!

What is an osteopath?  I've never heard of that.

Osteopath: (n) The way to get to Osteo.

An osteopath looks to balance the body's systems. They look at the symptoms, but also search for the root problem causing the symptoms. For instance, if you have a bad back, they might find that your pelvis is twisted which is causing muscle spasms in the your spine or if you have chronic headaches they might find that you've got an issue with your bite or maybe a misaligned spine or a digestive disorder. It's pretty cool and best of all it's drug free. For me, an osteopath corrected carpal tunnel syndrome...no surgery required. I walked in to my appointment unable to hold a fork in my hand and left healed. Yes, the effect only lasted a week, but after a whole year of physio and acupuncture with no real improvement, it was an amazing result. All up, the treatment took three months to stabalize my wrist, but that's nothing when you look at how much time I wasted with other therapists. My osteopath also fixed my injured back so that after years (like 5 years) of not being able to lie flat, I can now lie flat AND roll over. Years of going to a physio did nothing for me. I'm not saying they don't work, just that it didn't work for me.

There are two types of osteopaths. There are manual osteopaths who act more like a chiropractor but have a much more gentle approach and work the whole body and there are cranial osteopaths who might seem to be doing less during a treatment but who can get awesome results from making very slight movements in the problem area. I go to a cranial therapist now, but it was a manual therapist who made it possible for me to lie flat. Both are awesome.

The trick is finding a good one. You need to do your research. I don't know much about osteos in the US. I do know that they work differently there than here. Here's a good site to learn more...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/70381.php

Hope that helps, alldat
J.

Xid wrote:

Osteopath: (n) The way to get to Osteo.

So I gather you're the class clown on CHM, Xid. Love it.

Jen5 wrote:

Xid wrote:

Osteopath: (n) The way to get to Osteo.

So I gather you're the class clown on CHM, Xid. Love it.

Thank you!  Alas, I'm just one of many that call CHM home.

Xid wrote:

Jen5 wrote:

Xid wrote:

Osteopath: (n) The way to get to Osteo.

So I gather you're the class clown on CHM, Xid. Love it.

Thank you!  Alas, I'm just one of many that call CHM home.

Due to his smart mouth and general weirdness, I call him BROTHER!!!!

alldatndensum wrote:

Xid wrote:

Jen5 wrote:

Xid wrote:

Osteopath: (n) The way to get to Osteo.

So I gather you're the class clown on CHM, Xid. Love it.

Thank you!  Alas, I'm just one of many that call CHM home.

Due to his smart mouth and general weirdness, I call him BROTHER!!!!

...and here I thought you were just brothers in Christ. My bad.  

alldatndensum wrote:

Quote :

Quote :

Due to his smart mouth and general weirdness, I call him BROTHER!!!!

Power, Brother!

Jen5 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

Xid wrote:

Jen5 wrote:

Xid wrote:

Osteopath: (n) The way to get to Osteo.

So I gather you're the class clown on CHM, Xid. Love it.

Thank you!  Alas, I'm just one of many that call CHM home.

Due to his smart mouth and general weirdness, I call him BROTHER!!!!

...and here I thought you were just brothers in Christ. My bad.  

Well, in reality that is all we are.  My actual brother used to post here, but he hasn't been around in a couple of years.

I only went to a physiotherapist to help me to get rid of a pesky hernia.
Hope the chiropractor helps tou solve the problems you have.

Today has been brought to me by John Lee Hooker.  Sing it with me now..."one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer...."  Did I mention I don't drink?

I feel a sinus cold coming on.....ugh.  
I could go the rest of my life without getting another cold and I would not miss it.

That's not good Gary.
I've had a sinus cold a couple of weeks ago and felt sick.
For me the same, how happy I'll be to never get a sinus cold anymore.

Can't believe it's going to take until early November before I can get in with a new doctor up here.

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Can't believe it's going to take until early November before I can get in with a new doctor up here.

Why?  Will it take that long for your insurance to kick in?  Are you talking about a general doc or a heart specialist?

rockerVu2 wrote:

That's not good Gary.
I've had a sinus cold a couple of weeks ago and felt sick.
For me the same, how happy I'll be to never get a sinus cold anymore.

Trying to trick myself into believing I'm not sick....I don't think it's working. 

Staybrite wrote:

I feel a sinus cold coming on.....ugh.  
I could go the rest of my life without getting another cold and I would not miss it.

I am just getting over a so US cold myself. Fortunately, I am on vacation at the moment. Unfortunately I ended up cancelling my road trip to Minnesota. I didn't think it would be wise to try to drive all the way on my own.