Experiences good or bad with chiropractic for low back pain

[radiokid]

If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or some other malady the chiro can't help you. I don't know that they do any real good anyway or than healing touch. You need surgery from a neurosurgeon to get any relief. No orthopedic surgeons, they don't do nerves.

[Cypress Knee]

I once injured my back carrying my young son up some steps to daycare. I arrived at the office in obvious pain. An older co-worker, a former Baltimore Colt during the Unitas era, pulled me aside and said "I can you are hurting with a bad back. You need to go see Dr. Adolph right now." He picked up the phone and dialed - "This is Wingate. I need to speak to Adolph right now.....Adolph, I have a friend with some back trouble, and I am sending him over. He will be there in ten minutes."

I arrived at the office. I was in the waiting room when a wizened little man with forearms bigger than my calves popped out. "Elmer sent you, eh? Come on back."

He took me back into the treatment area, put some type of wrestling hold on me. There was a loud auditory POP, and all the pain was gone.

Story #2: I was at a UMGF NazFest, jamming at two in the morning. Suddenly my left hand froze. I couldn't make bar chords anymore. About the time Spoon Phillips waltzed in and saw me. He beelined over to say "Hello" and introduced a friend. This fellow looked at me and asked, "What is wrong with your arm?" I told him my fingers were locked up. He said not to take it personal, but he was going to get up front close and personal with me. He did, giving me a giant bear hug that lifted off the floor and resulted in and enormous "POP". The freedom returned to my fingers. He then explained that he was a NYC chiropractor who specialized in Broadway musicians. He said that they played so many hours in poor posture that they inevitably developed repetitive overuse syndrome. His practice was to solve their problems.

Later on in life, when I was racing several marathons a year, I developed some muscular skeletal issues. I went to a fellow runner chiropractor who would do an "adjustment" then put me on an electro-stem machine. I eventually found an electro-stem machine (HiDow) at a sports expo, and have used that for the past several years when needed. The #3 Chiro's adjustments were not much of a help, but the first two were.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by spock

I've been dealing with some chronic low back pain for about a year now. A bit of on again, off again sciatica, but nothing debilitating or excruciating. Physical therapy has helped some, but I'm looking for more improvement short of going to an orthopedic surgeon or physiatrist for injections.

If I'm being honest, I have always been somewhat leery of chiropractic as a first line source for orthopedic issues, but must admit that my continued discomfort combined with the near universal positive reviews for many of our local chiropractors, has me at least pondering seeking out their care for the first time.

I would appreciate any first hand accounts you may have had with chiropractic for low back issues, either positive or negative.

Yes I developed chronic lower back pain, sometime in my late 30's early 40's

I went to a chiropractor off and on in various stints for about 4 years Say once a week for 6 weeks or every other week for 6 months etc.
While I get some temporary relief unfortunately it only addresses the symptoms , but does not address the underlying Issues
#1 poor lifting technique i.e. bending over and turning while lifting
#2 (THE BIGGY) not maintaining sufficient abdominal strenght and loosing contracted muscles

What I started doing in my late 50's that does in fact address the underlying issues . Making sure to try to never twist while lifting anything AND more importantly Was forcing myself to establish a daily 5 days a week routine of mild lower back specific yoga stretches and keeping my abs in shape The abs mostly be lying on back on double yoga matts lifting my legs in the air and doing bicycle pumps (lots of them) If I do this religiously I do not have the back issues.

If I slack off for weeks or months at a time (which I have done) I definitely run the risk of tweaking my (which I have also done) But the good news I can mitigate by simply starting up the shretch exercises and then later move to the abs exercises
So that my story

[RP]

I've had varying degrees of relief from longstanding lower back issues when going to chiropractors. FWIW I had the most success from a particular PT who quickly diagnosed my issue as tight hamstrings when I was doing a lot of cycling...

[Rolph]

In the early '80's, Venice, Ca. I awoke with intense pain, my left arm numb, and my skull on my left shoulder. My g/f took me to a blind chiropractor, had me lie on my back, felt my neck muscles, and gently moved the first bone, Atlas in the spine. He ice packed my neck. I got up, arm was woken up, my head was on straight. Been a believer, user since then. Also went to one in my home town after a car crash. She was dangerous, made me far worse. Personal referrals from friends are best.

[Rolph]

Originally Posted by Denny B

All I know about this topic is that my insurance policy specifically states that it does not cover chiropractic or any other pseudoscience practitioners.

That's kind of extreme. They use the same textbooks as MD's.

[LAPlayer]

I know this thread is ancient but someone resurrected it, so here goes. Every human is different as are their problems. What works for one, won't necessarily work for another. Chiropractic has been around for over 100 years and is not a pseudoscience no matter what someone, or whoever, believes.

If you/one is having pain or physical issues, they should be evaluated by their doctor/medical plan to devise a diagnosis and prognosis and go from there. Additionally, anyone going to a physical therapist or Chiropractor once has zero basis to determine or advise whether a treatment plan works or doesn't. All physio treatments take numerous treatments to work through any existing issues. Of course going to a physical therapist, chiropractor or even running one mile when you're not in shape will cause worse pain than when you started.
I don't advise anything, to anyone, other than to see your doctor if you're having a problem and let them - not internet rabble (including me) - advise on medical issues.

[Steve DeRosa]

My wife and I both see a chiropractor twice a week - her on the referral of her primary MD for various musculoskeletal/neurological issues, me initially in response to intermittent blinding lower back pain I had since my late-20's, both of us on the recommendation of a former bandmate...

Fascinating guy: a sturdily-built gentleman in his early-60's who became a believer in his teens when, in the wake of a wrong-place/wrong-time/wrong-guy shooting incident at a party, he was left with a paralyzed arm and written off by a world-renowned New York medical facility after a year of intensive treatment; in desperation he consulted a chiropractor who agreed to take on his case, and within six months he recovered the full use of his arm...

At our very first session he was able to diagnose and treat my pain, such that I haven't had a single recurrence over the last four years - this from a card-carrying 20-year AARP member who still hauls all his own gear to rehearsals/gigs - and between his treatments and PT I was able to recover from a rotator cuff injury for which the diagnosing orthopedist was recommending surgery...

This guy's no quack: he's the first choice for the local uniformed services (police/fire/sanitation/mail), he'll tell you right up front if he can help you, and when/if something is out of his domain he'll refer you out just as quickly - BTW don't ask me or my wife about the highly-respected orthopedist who performed (and botched) her knee replacement, at another world-class NYC specialist facility whose name (and acronym) would be immediately familiar to anyone in the free world...

During my lifetime I've had bad guitar techs, bad home contractors, bad mechanics, a bad lawyer, a bad accountant, a few bad teachers - all of whom caused long-term damage to some degree...

Competence or lack of same is not restricted to any particular field of endeavor - and as with anything else due diligence and a bit of advance legwork ups the odds of a successful outcome...

[zuzu]

It works for me when I need it, but I only go when I have a problem, mostly some form of sciatic inflammation. I'll go two or three times then to get (literally) straightened out, but don't do the "tune up" type of visits, as my chiro and I agree I don't need to. So, I have an episode maybe once every year and a half or so and, so far, I go in and they fix me up in no time. Works for me.

[Kh1967]

I have had lower back issues for years. Pain could get severe at times. Did chiropractic, had MRI, CT, etc to rule out things like tumor, etc.

Long and short, I have a good friend who is a spine surgeon. He reviewed all my imaging, looked at all previous treatments and suggested I order a book called “Treat Your Own Back” by Robin McKenzie. I followed the exercises and it is has made a world of difference.

Backs are tricky, especially as we age. There are some simple things we can all do that in many cases fend off expensive treatments, and surgery.

[Bridgepin]

I had suffered with back and neck pain for years and would go to the chiropractors once in a while but they always wanted me to stay on a regiment of returning. It got to a point that it was unbearable so I tried a new Dr. and he wanted to put me on a return schedule and I was so fed up with this pain I decided to go through with it. At first he had me back three times a week and then two, then one, now I go back once every two weeks I have never felt better, I am completely pain free my range of motion is better I live a pain free life. I was also told that the only way I was going to get relief was surgery and that was a 50/50 chance. The pain didn't go away right away, in fact it took a couple of months but it became manageable and then it just was over with and I haven't felt pain in two years.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Pseudo Science is just an insult pure and simple. My SO went to 3 1/2 years straight of graduate school with no summer breaks...and insurance covers it so I don't know what you're talking about.

Well said. As I pointed out to my graduate Counseling students when I taught, there's a bell curve in every profession. Your charge is to be on the far right in terms of knowledge and skill. The inevitable knuckleheads in any profession don't define the majority of competent practitioners.

[redi]

During my last bout with terrible back pain, a good friend turned me on to this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Ba.../dp/0987650408

My spouse and I have had good luck with this and go through the it if there are any flare-ups. YMMV.

[Tunesalot]

Always find it ironic to see PT’s and MD’s using manipulative techniques to help patients daily with WAY (talking sometimes only weekend seminars) less training than chiropractors. Many adverse manipulation events from that cohort. Yet it is the chiros who are considered perennial quacks despite identical primary care diagnostic education(books/courses) and superior internship in manual skills. There are good and bad in all walks of life. Certainly there are specific dentists and doctors that I wouldn’t present to while having enormous respect for others. As in guitars, YMMV.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by leew3

Well said. As I pointed out to my graduate Counseling students when I taught, there's a bell curve in every profession. Your charge is to be on the far right in terms of knowledge and skill. The inevitable knuckleheads in any profession don't define the majority of competent practitioners.

Thank you. Ignorance is bliss for some. Unless you know what schooling they do, perhaps you should learn.

When we moved to TX, Kathy had to re-board and take her tests all over again to get a license here. She went to Chiropractor school more then a few years ago. I was in the medical field as well and was helping her study. We were studying everything including basic cell structures and functions, metabolism of the cells, the kreb cycle, the citric acid cycle, cranial nerves and functions, every nerve segment of the spine and their functions, various cancers including leukemia and other blood born cancers not to mention oncology of the soft tissue and bone. They don't just learn adjusting although that is of course a major emphasis. I was amazed at the depth of material she was reacquainting herself with, even all the various STDs and treatments. She passed her test again with flying colors.

Perhaps all you folks who have never been to one and will not, should not be so vehement in your opinions.

Just this morning I asked her to look at my lower back as I twinged it yesterday and this AM I still had pain with every forward movement of my left leg and a nerve tingle in my left foot. She palpated the area, did an adjustment with an activator and the pain and tingling are gone and have not come back.