Chiropractor.... Yes or No? - Port Jefferson,NY

I have been seeing a chiro for about three years now and, though I was skeptical before, I now really recommend giving it a try. I used to have a lot of mild back pain, not caused by anything specific, but always achy. I needed to crack my back a lot throughout the day to be comfortable. Things have been much better since I started going to the chiro. At first, I went twice a week, then once, then every two weeks. Now, and for the last couple of years, I just go once a month. He adjusts me and I feel good for the month. I even went all through my pregnancy.

I also want to add that i went to Physical Therapy for YEARS (many different times for the same pain), and it never helped AT ALL! FINALLY, i saw a Chiro, and THAT is what finally helped me.

Oh my goodness YESSSS!! Do it!!! It's not at all scary! I go frequently and I can't even begin to tell you how much it has helped. Give it time and go as often as recommended. It's AWESOME.

Before I had my son, I was a Chiropractic Assistant. I would like to clear up a few falsities I see written below. (No disrespect to the posters!)

-"Chiropractors are educated and taught to believe that most ailments can be "cured" through chiropractic". - Oh good lord, what kind of chiro's did she see? Did they really EVER say that? I have not ever met a chiro that thinks that, and I find it laughable. They can help many things, and a good one will NEVER hesitate to refer you to another doctor, should they feel your problem is not going to be fixed by them. They go through intense medical schooling like every other medical profession. Nowhere in their education, are they taught they are the magical every ailment cure.

(n addition to that, I will add...
-If people go to a chiro for a prolonged period of time, and have no relief...they saw a bad Dr. or the Dr. should have either given them relief, OR sent them elsewhere to the proper type of physician. Any Dr. (no matter the field) that ignores a symptom or pain that doesn't go away, is not one that should be a Dr. They just want the money, or they stopped caring a long time ago.)

-"They are manipulating your spine. This will naturally cause instant relief from some pain. But it's not lasting" - They CAN and do this for many people, by not all people get or need their spine manipulated. And, not all people want to be "popped" so they do NOT have to do that. Chiropractors aren't just spine manipulators, that offer many different treatments. In prolonged pain, rarely is there any instant relief. In fact, it usually hurts MORE in the beginning, because your body has been this way so long.

- "Manipulating your spine over and over is not scientifically proven to cure any problems." (I'm sorry, I'm not trying to call her out. Honestly.) This is 100% false. There are many studies, all you have to do is look! Also, a good chiropractor doesn't just manipulate the spine to help you. They only do, if they feel like that's what it needed. If a spine is manipulated over and over when not needed, of course that will help no one.

Now that I have addressed that, I will say...not all musculoskeletal conditions, can be fixed or improved by chiropractic care. They aren't miracle workers. Just like any ailment, the right doctor has to be seen for the right condition. You might be too far along in this. What I would recommend for you, is to get a referral to a physical therapist first. If you have been dealing with this your whole life, it would take a chiropractor a long time to fix this. Your muscles, ligaments, all of that develop a memory. You would be in the chiro for months and months, every week to keep from your body using it's memory. See a physical therapist, and once you are far along into treatment, then you can see a chiro for maintenance and to keep the problem in check. I do think a chiro can help improve you in conjunction with more intensive work. I am FOR chiropractic care, when the patient needs it, or when their ailment can be helped by it. It's not a cure all, but it can help many people for many things.

Across the medical horizon, there are good and not so good doctors. There are bad and good chiros. If you go to one and feel like they aren't helping, there might be one better for you, or they might not be the right kind of doctor for your pain and discomfort.

**Please don't take my words as fact. (Not that you would.) I am just giving an opinion, based on experience and professional training. I would just keep searching for the right doc, until they give you the answers you need.

Oh, heavens, go see a well-reputed chiro! I've had nothing but good experiences.

Just want to add that I found Bug's answer very reasonable. Chiros are just ONE kind of doctor. If you can find a chiro who will work as a team with your other doctors, even the better. I had one who did a lot of good work on me when I was having some serious pain; he was in touch with my naturopathic doc and tried to get my gyn in the loop (she was too busy) because of the site of the pain and a cyst I was dealing with. I would also say that I've had good and bad experiences with regular medical doctors too-- they are all just *people* and we have to be our own best advocates and detectives for our health.

And to add: with one leg a little shorter, I like the idea of physical therapy and wonder if orthotics would be an effective short-term help.

Do you have pain caused from this misalignment? Do you possibly have scoliosis?

In any case, I have had GREAT results from going to my chiropractor. A good chiropractor can work wonders for many sources of pain, without ever having to pop a pill. I'm married to a doctor, but when I have back pain I don't ask him to help me; I go to my chiropractor.

Yes. I have numerous success stories in my family. But not every chiropractor will be right for you. Start with referrals from friends but if you don't like your first pick after a few visits don't be afraid to try someone different.

another vote in favor

Went to one last year for the first time in my life... and suddenly that nagging back pain that I'd had forever and never really thought about because it had always been there... well, it went away.

The chiropractor also works wonders for my daughter's reflux. I was a bit suspicious - but it's been great for both of us. Just make sure you go to someone with a good reputation!

I cannot believe some of the negative responses... they seem a little alarmist? I have nothing but amazing things to say about my chiropractor. I would recommend her/one to anyone for anything they need that she could help with in a heartbeat. She worked on my youngest daughter when she was an infant and literally cured her of colic in a few weeks' time. We saw instant results when we would take her, it was not just a coincidence.

For me as an adult, and a runner and someone who works on my feet all day every day as a teacher, my chiro has saved me! I had chronic back pain a year ago at this time and went to her at least once a week for the spring and summer. By mid-fall, the pain was not only gone, I was walking taller and straighter, and I got leaner as a result. My gait is better as a runner; more productive, thus I am faster and have bested a lot of my old race times from the pre-kid days. The chiro is not the ONLY reason for this, but it has helped immensely. Adjustments actually help your immune system too, and I have only had one sinus infection in the year I've been seeing her, as opposed to my usual two infections and other viruses on top of it. There is plenty of research and data to back this up.

People do need PT for injuries and things like that, but chronic pain does not always need or respond to PT. Beware of that. They have you do exercises that don't really help when the chiropractic adjustment would have helped. I can't recommend one enough!!! Go!

Yes! I love chiropractors! They have helped tremendously with my headaches!

yes yes yes!! Don't be scared by others who are saying no. Chiropractors, as long as you can find the right one, can change your life for the better. You never know how good your body can feel when they make the necessary adjustments that your body needs. I would highly recommend a visit!

Based on my experience, no. My husband went to one who swore he could get rid of my husband's headaches. We spent a lot of money on a treatment that did nothing (it wasn't covered by insurance). My husband was still coming home from work and going to bed with a pillow on his head trying to get relief. Chiropractic treatment did zip for his headache, which is exactly what I thought would happen.

Do you have Scoliosis?
My sibling has it, and it is as you describe.
Also, she bought a new bed.
An "Aireloom" brand bed. And it has helped her and her pains significantly.
And, she also went to a shoe, specialist. One that will analyze your foot/gait/walking and fit it for you etc.
And she watches her posture, and the chairs she sits in.

Also, if I were you, I would see another Doctor. Not a podiatrist.
But an Orthopedic Doctor. And/or an Neurologist.
Because, numbness... is from nerve issues or nerve, damage.

Go see a chiropractor that went to Palmer(a college in Iowa) .Palmer is the guy that discovered/invented chiropractic. You can call them to get a listing in your area. Trust me there are Palmer chiropractors and then all others. It will help !

Depends on the chiro and the condition. I've been to a good one and I've been to one that was just trying to sell me more stuff. The chiropractor correctly diagnosed some hip pain I was having that had been misdiagnosed, but then his treatments didn't help. He didn't help my neck, but a physical therapist did wonders for it. However, I SWEAR by my chiro for sinus infections. He knows all the right spots to push (it hurts though) and I avoid the antibiotics. It really, really makes a difference to get a recommendation to find a good one and it depends on what you want to treat.

Another vote for yes. I wish I had gone to one years ago. I look back at all of the times I either did traditional medicine (really, what does a PCP do for injury other than rule out things that are broken or torn and recommend ice/heat, rest, muscle relaxers and pain meds?), PT (good for some things but in my experience has never actually cured anything for me) or nothing at all and in many cases, a trip to the chiro would have been more beneficial. I strained a muscle in my back about a year ago. I had a similar injury years ago and it took a couple of months before I really felt like myself again. This time I went to the chiro and I went from nearly immobile to fairly comfortable in one visit and ran a 5K after three weeks and completed a sprint triathlon after 7, both which required consistent training.

IMO, you have nothing to lose. Ask people around you for recommendations and go.

In general, no. As a last resort, yes.

Many people claim to have wonderful results from Chiropractors. They are manipulating your spine. This will naturally cause instant relief from some pain. But it's not lasting.

If you have chronic hip pain you should probably invest in a reputable Physical Therapist, or try deep tissue massage and Acupuncture. Manipulating your spine over and over is not scientifically proven to cure any problems. So if you want long term, lasting benefits, try other modalities first.

You can get immediate, yet temporary relief, sometimes. Just my humble opinion, from someone who has been hit by a car and endured years and years of rehab, including crooked hips, working with a Physical Therapist to correct the root cause of the misalignment will always improve your health.

Are your hips bothering you. You said you were told they are out of line. If they are not bothering you, why go to a chiropractor?

A chiropractor left me in worse pain after being treated than I was before,. I wouldn't let another one touch me if I was dying and he had the only cure.

Yes. Ask around, though, and get recommendations from friends. A good chiropractor is a great blessing, but a bad one can do damage.

Out of my personal experiences, I vote no. I've been to several and also have one in my family. Chiropractors are educated and taught to believe that most ailments can be "cured" through chiropractic. That is definitely not the case. I would talk to your doctor and get his/her honest opinion. If you are not in any pain due to your hips being out of line, I wouldn't worry about it.

***ETA - to the CA that wants to say I have no idea what I'm talking about...I was professionally trained to be a massage therapist and many patients came to LMT's after getting no relief from a chiro. I lived with back pain for years and years after going to chiro's my entire early adulthood. Turns out I was in the beginning stages of RA. I find much more relief from a good mattress, good shoes, and massage.

Love it. Been adjusted since I was a kid, and my kids have since they were born. Spine in line-nervous system at full function. Better posture, immune system, life!