Do You Go to a Chiropractor?

I couldn't have made it through either of my pregnancies without my chiropractor.

My shoulder goes out from time to time and a trip to the chiro is the only thing that helps.

Many chiros have different methods. Some have chairs that do most of the work, and when I had trouble with my neck, he used a pen type of thing that kind of gently jabbed the area. He didn't wrech on me at all.

I really don't think you'll regret going. After all, you're in pain now, right?

It's nowhere near as bad as a trip to the dentist.

:)

Best wishes.

I go about twice a year whenever I get a kink in me back or neck. It does help better than anything else I have tried.
However I only use them for back/neck pain, I don't believe in chiropractors for anything else.

Yes! I love my chiropractor.
And yes, the cracking the neck freaks me out. It always takes a while for me to relax enough for him to do it! LOL
But, it helps SO much and works!!!!
Think of it like the dentist. No one likes to go. But it's so worth it.
Do it!

I am a total convert.

I went once due to an injury years ago - and had a very negative experience and REFUSED to ever go back. Flashforward 10 years, my FIL convinced me to try the place he goes (my back and hips were totally messed up from having 3 babies in 4 years).

Now - I can't say enough good things about a chiropractor!

Now, I go about once every 6 months.

What I didn't like about it was the initial number of visits. Three times a week for about 3 months. BUT - it worked.

This is my chiropractor spiel:

My husband is an MD. I am very confident in his abilities and his knowledge of medications to treat diseases and ailments. That being said, there ain't NOTHING like a good chiropractor when it comes to helping things like back and neck issues.

3 years ago I had my first back problems, when I had a slipped disc. OMG the pain was unbearable and I could barely stand up, nevermind the other things that I couldn't do (like care for my baby). My husband and my primary care provider gave me medications: NSAIDs (non-steriodal anti inflammatory drugs) and even a cortisone shot (steroid anti-inflammatory drug). Both helped, yes, but within hours to days the pain was back, just as bad as before. My PCC gave me a referral to physical therapy, but the progress was SO slow, and I usually felt worse after finishing. My PCC sent me for an x-ray, and told me that if my problems didn't get better I'd need an MRI, and probably would need surgery, which has mixed success rates.

Finally, my husband referred me to a colleague of his who has his own chiropractic clinic. Within the first visit I could once again stand upright, and he taught me maneuvers I could do to get myself back into alignment if I found myself shifted again. He later opened a more comprehensive clinic and I've been going to him for about 2.5 yrs. I now go once a month as a preventative-care arrangement, to just get my adjustment to help ward off acute injuries. That's helped me immensely.

I haven't been to my PCC for about 2 years now. Nothing against her--she's great and knowledgable, but she simply cannot do what my chiropractor can.

I totally understand where you're coming from. I was NEVER interested in seeing a chiropractor. Early last year I started having low back pain that just would not go away, and OTC pain killers didn't touch it. I tried everything. So I thought, what the heck. I'll go to the chiropractor. The thing is, they don't have to do much convincing, because when your pain stops, you'll know that what they do works. The reason people swear by them, is because it works. Nothing speaks better than results. Give it a try, what have you got to lose?

So here is my story and not meant to scare you, but to show you that it can help. Since your husband has a trusted one, this should not be an issue for you.

I had gone to one for years for back issues. I had moved and did not have one so I looked one up and went for adjustment (MISTAKE)!!!!! She did the adjustment wrong and I ended up in the ER with a bulging disc. It took me 6 years before I could bring myself to go to another Chiropractor but I was at my wits end and I could barley move.

I went to one that I got a recommendation from 2 co workers and he was a godsend. After 3 weeks I felt better than I had in years. The first appt was rough because I was so scared after my last encounter with a chiro, but it went great and I feel so good. I usually go about 6-7 times a year, if I could afford it, I would go every week it makes me feel so much better.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my chiro!
He doesn't just "wring me out"...he'll explain how I got in the pain that I'm in, and talk me through how to correct it.
I've been seeing him for 5 yrs for various things (all stem from carrying around kids and fitness!).

Seriously...I'd dump every other doctor I have for him, if I could.
He's a general practitioner with a specialty in chiropractic medicine.

He has drained my sinuses, helped my breathing, corrected migraines, corrected knee, hip, ankle and foot issues...
Everything postural, they know how to address it.

Like any doctor, you have to find the right fit for your personal preferences. They are not all the same. So if you try your hubby's and you don't like him, keep going. A good one is not going to just pop your neck and send you packing with a "3 appointment process" to heal you.
It's ongoing treatment.

Love mine, couldn't and don't want to live without him. They can use a tool called the activator if you're not comfortable with a manual adjustment, but a good neck adjustment can wake me up like no amount of caffeine can. My kids have been adjusted since day one and three, there's such low risk and high benefit from it, it's perfectly safe and will help you! Icing after each adjustment can help to reduce inflammation and any soreness. And massage therapy works hand in hand with chiropractic, try both. A lot of people are more easily adjusted after getting a massage first to relax the muscles.

They give the same rationale because it is the same rationale..nervous system controls all bodily function and is housed in your spins. Remove nerve interference, remove cause of problems/symptoms. Same treatment because they only adjust the spine and extremities. Same as other doctors/dentists treat cavities, bronchitis, allergies the same.

I just got home from chiropractor. Seriously, I walked in the door, grabbed my lunch and am sitting down here goofing on the computer eating.

This morning, I woke up and because of everything that's been going on, my neck and shoulders were stiff and sore. I was starting to have issues with being able to turn my neck...so I set up the appointment.

I went in, got a massage (my chiro has a massage therapist who helps relax the muscles before an adjustment). I went in, got my neck aligned and my spine. He put my hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and ankles back in place. I walked out feeling so much better. I am now able to turn my head a bit further to the right and all the way to the left. I go back in a week for another massage and adjustment.

I know it seems scary. I was nervous the first time too. Now I swear by them!

I went for awhile to see if he could help my migraines; he couldn't.

My husband goes and gets great relief for his back pain, though!

Our chiropractor is a close family friend, and we greatly respect his profession. I hope you find relief from your pain.

I suffer a lot of back pain/necak pain because of my scoliosis. I see a chiropractor and a physiotherapist both on a regular basis. I feel better after chiropractic treatment for sure. The neck adjustments freak me out a bit, but they help a lot. I am usually in and out of the office in five minutes. Quick and easy.

I started seeing a chiropractor when I was 19 for back pain, and now I look forward to going. I'm been to quite a few different doctors, and only 1 was no good, the rest have been amazing. My husband and both my parents started going too because of me. My dad is the only one who doesn't like it, but he goes anyway because it's the only thing that helps his headaches.

My mom doesn't like getting her neck touched, she put off trying it for YEARS because of it, even though she's had severe migraines her whole life. She doesn't look forward to her adjustments the way I do, but she's getting used to it, and she makes herself go because it's such an improvement.

Don't think you'll have to go the rest of your life just because you threw your neck out. It could just be a few visits, or even just one before you start to feel back to normal. Or you might love it and start going on a regular basis, you never know!

I went after I had my second child because after a month my back hurt SO bad. My reluctance was only due to $$. However, it was sooo worth it.
After 1 session I felt better and after 2 it was completely gone!
I know there was nothing a MD could have done for me...spine just needed to be adjusted.

Just go! You won't regret it!

I go whenever I have back trouble (which I'm having today -- ouch). I have something scheduled tomorrow. And I love him. He's very gentle, courteous, and respectful -- and he fixes my back pain like magic. Chiros also don't make you put on a hospital gown thingy, which is a huge plus in terms of my personal comfort. In my experience, chiropractors are much better than regular doctors for back and neck pain, and I'm more comfortable in the chiro office than with my regular doc. But there's a range of personalities and approaches among chiros, just like with any other profession. It pays to shop around.

But, I have this ridiculous dental phobia, to the point where I'm seeking out someone who does sedation dentistry, so I can relate to your feeling of the heebies, even if I don't have it around people touching my back.

I went to a chiropractor after injuring my back a few years ago. I was afraid I was going to have to have surgery like my mother, brother, and sister did but had no insurance. He took x-rays and was very forthcoming about what he could and couldn't do. It went very well and I was up and moving around quickly (2 weeks after not being able to stand upright for over a week).

But, you have to trust the chiropractor it will not work. If you do not relax and let him work, you can actually damage yourself fighting what he is doing.

Yes, I love my chiropractor. She is in Wentzville, MO. I go years without seeing her, but I use her when I need her. Right now I am seeing her for acupuncture. I lost by "ability to get things done" and went from being a smiley happy person no matter what was going on, to a crabby mean person. I have taken my kids to her for ear infections. I have used her for my migraines. I hate how medical doctors put you through tests like you are a guinea pig. I prefer non-invasive & short term treatments whenever possible.

I LOVE my chiropractor. I was skeptical at first too but my husband swore by chiropractors. Having seen him go in all hunched up and shuffling along with back pain and then come out walking normally and feeling great I finally decided to try it. Over the years I have tried out maybe 6 different chiropractors and each one was very different. A couple of them were "new-agey" which I did not like. I now go to a chiropractor that many many people we know highly recommend and she is wonderful. She is very smart and explains everything she does in great detail. I struggle with lower back issues and it makes me feel so good each time I go. I keep meaning to go more often than I do. Tell your chiropractor about your thoughts and how you are nervous...they will reassure you and will not do anything you do not want them to. You should try it definitely!

I can tell you there are different ones just like anywhere else.

My favorite one had a heart attack and can't work anymore and no one else takes the time to do what he did.

I have a sore back because I have stuck muscles. If they relax I feel better. So this doc would put me face down on a divided table and massage my back with the ultra sound device with some gel. I could feel my muscles moving along with the device head. It was like they were being pulled.

I liked when he put 3 different devices on my neck, upper back and lower back at the same time then gave me the panic buttons for all three. He put the heated pads on me and I felt like an Eskimo wrapped in fur. I barely had a nose that was showing. He would leave me as long as I could stand the vibrating and stuff the stimulation machine did.

Then he laid me on the table face down and used what looked like a car buffer on my back. It was an intense vibrator and it shook me to the core.

I would often turn over and he's turn the rollers on me. I laid there and these huge rollers would move up and down my back, neck, and lower back. They could be adjusted where I was almost sitting up at some point or I would barely be moving.

All this would get me so relaxed my back would be nearly pain free. He would lay me on the table and never twist me and crack me. He'd occasionally wrap a small hand towel around my neck and pull it about 1/4 to 1/2 inch and my back would crack all the way down to my butt. I felt like a million bucks after that because every little thing was perfectly in line.

So, my advice to you is to go to the chiropractor with hubby a few times to observe the doc, see what treatments he offers and see if there is anything that looks wonderful.

Until then I am going to share my all time go to pain reliever. Get ice, in quart size zip lock baggies then put it behind you. Lean on it, zipper side up so you don't get drenched. I feel so much better after this I just can't say.

Another way to help pain is to fill a Styrofoam cup most of the way full then freeze it. As it freezes it will dome up. Peel the cup away from the dome then have hubby rub you with the Styrofoam cup in his hand and the ice won't make his hand cold. The ice will reduce inflammation and make the pain less.

I went to a Chiropractor for years (One that was supposedly the best in the area) - I regret every minute of it. He caused more harm and in the long run permananet pain in my neck.
Physical therapy is what helped me improve my neck issues, strengthening and conditioning. Massage therapy is also very beneficial.
If you do go to the Chiropractor, ask him to explain the rationale of his treatment. I think it is odd that no matter what issue you are having with your spine or anywhere else in your body the Chiropractor gives the same rationale and pretty much the same treatment for every issue.
Good Luck

Yes! I wouldn't waste time with conventional medicine for body aches and pains ever again. I wrenched my back last year and was running again in 3 weeks. I woke up with a sore neck a few months ago on a Sunday. The chiro was closed that day so I suffered for the day and then got there Monday and felt about 50% better immediately and 100% better after a few days.

They don't actually touch you (mine doesn't, anyway) any more than your regular doctor would. They use an instrument to do the alignment and then you sit with some heat or ice on the affected part and they put these things on that gently stimulate the muscles while you read a magazine or just relax. Overall my treatments have been relaxing and effective.

Oh yea I'd be running to the chiropractor if I were you. They are a god send. And not only do they "go to school", they go to school for YEARS. Have your husband go with you and hold your hand, and make sure you tell the chiropractor how scared you are. He will help you through it.

I went to one that was highly recommended to me (both my parents use him and swear by him) and I was in worse pain AFTER than I was before. I will NEVER let another one touch me.

I was born with a birth defect in my spine AND scoliosis and have gone to the chiro since I was about 3. I should go WAY more often but in my 45 years, have accepted I will have some consistant back pain and I deal with it.

Chiros now use an "activator" which looks like a little gun to make adjustments. My chiro has been doing it for 30+ years and he does both the manual adjustments and the activator (for the chickens!).

I say just go and see if it helps. No big deal. Good luck!

I went once. He cracked my neck and it gave me a terrible headache and neck pain for days.

I have better luck with massage therapy for my headaches. Not only do they make my headaches go away, I feel good when they are done. Maybe it would work for your sore neck. No more heebie jeebies!

I should hope I love my chiropractor ~ she's my sister! All kidding aside, the first time I let my sister touch me was because I had neck pain that was excrutiating. I tried a massage therapist, heat, icy hot...nothing was working. I happened to be at mom's house from traveling (I'm a consultant) when my sister took one look at me and side..."What's going on?" The next thing I knew, my sister was adjusting my neck. I won't lie...the sound that my neck does is disconcerting, but the relief I get makes up for it.

Have you considered going for a massage instead. Find a good massage place and have them work on your muscles first. It is a lot less scary than having someone crack and pop your neck.

I went to a chiropractor for years after I got whiplash in a car accident and he always was able to help me but it didn't seem to last long. I would have to go every 2-3 weeks to get the headaches to stay away. I started getting a massage every 2-3 months a few years ago and that helps me tremendously. Lasts a lot longer plus it's much more enjoyable. And it's cheaper to do it that way.