Chiropractor poll

[mbcdefg]

Curious - have you ever been to a chiropractor? I feel like I could use a good neck crack. I've heard conflicting opinions from friends. 

[spunkarella]

I went to see if they could help my headaches. It didn't work for me, but I would not be opposed to trying again for a different issue. She was awesome at cracking my neck and it felt so good. But I think I would rather have a massage.

DH, FIL, and SIL all had good experiences for lower back problems and did not have to go long-term. DH went for a while, it helped, and he hasn't needed to go back.

[Pom]

There are good/bad ones. If you can get a recommendation, that is best. I've been going since I was 15 and got stomped on by a 1200lb steer. I don't believe I'd be walking at all without chiro care.

[ECB]

So two thoughts:

1- my mom used one. She liked it and said it helped. She had neck issues (and therefore back issues) for most of her life after a diving accident on her 21st birthday.

2- I've been going to PT for a few weeks now due to shoulder pain/ discomfort. The PT actually thinks it was due to alignment issues in my neck. So she's been working on it and doing various adjustments. It's helped a lot. I'm not 100% yet but the discomfort is much less and i don't get a shooting pain down my shoulder when I look up to the sky.

She said that what she does is a gentler version of what a chiropractor does.

[littlemermaid]

I go on a monthly basis.

I tried physical therapy for years and it just never helped plus it would take months to actually get back to a point that I could walk pain-free. When I injure my back now I will be up and around within a week or two. Ever since I've been going monthly I don't have as many reoccurrences. I am not comfortable with the traditional neck cracking so my chiropractor has an adjusting tool that he holds in his hand and he adjusts my neck with that.

There are quacks in every profession, even the medical profession. You have to find someone you like and are comfortable with, just like you do when searching for a general practitioner. Mine still believes in using modern medicine, he definitely is not extreme like I've heard people describe.

[jerseyjaybird]

DW has had good experiences with chiros in the past, although the one she tried last summer was insane. Like, urging her to push for surgery for a herniated disk instead of trying PT first---WTAF? She would try again, with a different chiro, if necessary.

I am totally squeamish and haaaaaaaaaaaaaate the sound of joints cracking, so . . . not for me.

[brooke77]

I fell down the stairs just before Christmas. My back has been in pain since. I have been thinking about going to a Chiro. I've asked around a lot and people have very mixed opinions.

[MrsE]

Nope. I will probably never go to one either.

[Deleted]

Yes, I don't go regularly but have been many times. Especially helps when I get a certain headache that starts in my neck and hurts so bad in my temple.

[phunluvin82]

I went regularly for years, but don't anymore. It used to really help with my headaches and neck/shoulder/back pain. When it stopped seeming to help as much, I tapered off and just haven't been in a while. I would go again though b/c every other Dr I've seen for neck and shoulder pain has only ever prescribed pain killers and sent me on my way.

I agree that you want a good one and to get good recommendations before just going and letting someone mess around with your neck. My dad (who also uses a chiro regularly) always said to find someone that went to Palmer b/c that is the best school for it, but I've never really researched that myself so IDK. That said, the two chiros I've found through reliable recs and reviews both did happen to graduate from there.

[megstoo]

Nope and I never will either. I've heard way to many horror stories.

[phunluvin82]

Mar 4, 2016 10:36:57 GMT -5 ladybug said:

Yes, I don't go regularly but have been many times. Especially helps when I get a certain headache that starts in my neck and hurts so bad in my temple.

Same exact problem and that was what originally got me to try a chiro.  My H is always saying I need to try x, y, z to find the cause of the headaches, and I'm like, "It's coming from the pain in my neck...I can feel the exact spot where it's coming from."

[leeba25]

Mar 4, 2016 10:50:52 GMT -5 phunluvin82 said:

Mar 4, 2016 10:36:57 GMT -5 ladybug said:

Yes, I don't go regularly but have been many times. Especially helps when I get a certain headache that starts in my neck and hurts so bad in my temple.

Same exact problem and that was what originally got me to try a chiro.  My H is always saying I need to try x, y, z to find the cause of the headaches, and I'm like, "It's coming from the pain in my neck...I can feel the exact spot where it's coming from."

ladybug My husband does a really good neck / back / shoulders rub on me when I get that headache. He'll rub my neck and shoulders really hard, and as he's rubbing, I'll feel it in my temple. It's crazy, but it works really well - the harder the better. Never thought to try a chriro for that though. Does it help preventatively? 

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2016 11:09:45 GMT -5 leeba25 said:

Mar 4, 2016 10:50:52 GMT -5 phunluvin82 said:

Same exact problem and that was what originally got me to try a chiro.  My H is always saying I need to try x, y, z to find the cause of the headaches, and I'm like, "It's coming from the pain in my neck...I can feel the exact spot where it's coming from."

ladybug My husband does a really good neck / back / shoulders rub on me when I get that headache. He'll rub my neck and shoulders really hard, and as he's rubbing, I'll feel it in my temple. It's crazy, but it works really well - the harder the better. Never thought to try a chriro for that though. Does it help preventatively? 

Yeah my H will rub it too and it feels better WHILE he's doing it but it rarely makes the headache go away.. Maybe I should have him do it longer and see. But yes the Chiro usually helps! Some relief right away and then it's gone shortly after (majority of the time)
I've never tried it preventatively because I get the headaches infrequently (sometimes a lot close together but then go months without one)
But my mil goes for the same issue and she goes preventatively and it seems to help- she hasn't had a headache in a long time

[starryfish]

definitely get a rec from a friend.

I love mine, but only go when I get injured. I feel like it is physical therapy more than cracking stuff.

[lolo]

I started going in 2004 because I was having frequent migraines. It was seriously life changing.

I also went after a car accident and during my pregnancy (he used several techniques to help baby stay in the right position and keep me as comfortable as possible). He also teaches me exercises I can use to help correct some of my problems.

[insominac]

I'd get an MRI before I went to a chiropractor just to have a better sense of my condition.

[womet]

Yes. I've seen one off and on for years and have had good results. I agree that it's important to find a good one though. My husband went to a new one recently for issues with his neck. He told the chiro that he has fibromyalgia and that dry needling does not work on him. The chiro said that he didn't believe in fibromyalgia (it's not the freaking Easter Bunny) and then recommended H get dry needling. Needless to say, H left and never returned.

[pinkdutchtulips]

I go on an 'as needed' basis much to my chiro bil's chagrin. He's a BIG believer in chiro treatments starting EARLY and OFTEN. He adjusted both of his kids w/in an hr of birth :/

[cruiser]

I have one now that I really like. I only go when I start feeling really sore in my lower back and have a hard time standing fully upright. I just start to feel "off". One quick adjustment and I have a much better "spring in my step" and feel better overall. This probably happens about every 6 months.

[winnieandwine]

Mar 4, 2016 11:27:03 GMT -5 insominac said:

I'd get an MRI before I went to a chiropractor just to have a better sense of my condition.

I wish I would have done this.

instead, I went to a chiro for a year and THEN got an MRI which revealed degenerative disc disease. the neck manipulation/cracking was probably just inflaming my already spastic muscles.

that said, I wouldn't rule out chiros going forward. no more neck cracking -- but the massage, stretching, etc can be helpful. there's a lot of overlap between my PT program and what the chiro did.

[peachdragon]

I went for hip joint problems. It didn't help. Turned out I just needed to stop using the elliptical.

[irene adler]

I love my chiro, who is pretty PT focused. He has given me a bunch of exercises/advice in addition to the adjustments that has made a difference.

I'm also a huge fan of them because they have offered me free race registrations (they sponsor a lot of the half marathon/5ks in the area) in exchange for promoting them (ie, wearing a logo shirt during the race). #shameless

[mainelyfoolish]

I would go to a physical therapist or an osteopathic physician (DO) who does osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT).

[AmyRI]

Yes. When I was younger, I worked way too much at a horse farm and carried a bass drum in my high school's marching band. Regular adjustment was a godsend.

I also saw one when pregnant, in an attempt to get a baby to flip the correct direction. I did not have much hope, but the Webster technique relieved ALL the crazy pains I had in my pelvis by getting hips and back aligned, and baby did in fact flip.

It's not a solution for everything like some crazies believe, but it has solved skeletal alignment issues for me very well.

[meltoine]

I've seen them regularly during my pregnancies to relieve pubic symphysis pain and turn my 3rd, who was breech until 36 weeks.

[dirtyred]

Mar 4, 2016 9:43:02 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Curious - have you ever been to a chiropractor? I feel like I could use a good neck crack. I've heard conflicting opinions from friends. 

I went for lower back pain.  I would never let them touch my neck--a woman here died from a vertebral artery tear after chiropractic neck manipulation.

[Fins]

If you can find a good one and if you have a problem suitable for chiropractic treatment, they can be helpful. There are a lot of quacks, though. My mom was a physical therapist and had little respect for them when she was practicing. Some of them push stupid things like homeopathy and spinal adjustments to treat allergies or they want you to come three times a week for months.

I've recently seen a chiropractor who was recommended to me by an MD and he seems good. He's also in practice with two physical therapists, so he gets points from me for that. I will likely go back to him when my chronic neck problem recurs, unless I can find an osteopathic doctor who I like in the meantime. I haven't found a good one in this area yet, but I've gotten really good results with an osteopath in the past.

Depending on what your issue is, it may be better to go to an MD and/or get diagnostic imaging first, in case another treatment option is better for you.

[phunluvin82]

Mar 4, 2016 11:15:35 GMT -5 ladybug said:

Mar 4, 2016 11:09:45 GMT -5 leeba25 said:

ladybug  My husband does a really good neck / back / shoulders rub on me when I get that headache. He'll rub my neck and shoulders really hard, and as he's rubbing, I'll feel it in my temple. It's crazy, but it works really well - the harder the better. Never thought to try a chriro for that though. Does it help preventatively? 

Yeah my H will rub it too and it feels better WHILE he's doing it but it rarely makes the headache go away.. Maybe I should have him do it longer and see. But yes the Chiro usually helps! Some relief right away and then it's gone shortly after (majority of the time)
I've never tried it preventatively because I get the headaches infrequently (sometimes a lot close together but then go months without one)
But my mil goes for the same issue and she goes preventatively and it seems to help- she hasn't had a headache in a long time

I'll chime in that the chiro did seem to help preventatively for me at least for a while.  But now that you mention it, a great massage therapist is also awesome for this.  My H can help a bit on that, but nothing like an actual therapeutic massage.  Like, the kind that actually hurts while you're getting it, lol.  Now if only I could afford a weekly massage!

[Deleted]

Yes, if there are still any good one's out there, I'd be more than willing to go. After seeing several specialists as a kid I was told repeatedly that the source of my ankle pain was because one leg was shorter than the other. I wore a shoe insert for several years and still had immense pain through much of my childhood. As a last resort my mom took me to a chiropractor. He said my hip was out of place, adjusted it, and it never hurt again.

For that reason I can't knock chiropractors. But I went to see one years later and he was full of woo and bullshit. I guess it depends on who you see.