give me your experience with chiropractors

[sarahlindsay]

I bought an Amazon Local deal a few months ago for 3 sessions of acupuncture (along with an exam and that sort of thing) and am currently redeeming it - the acupuncture is done at a chiropractic office. Since I have chiropractic care covered for up to 20 visits/year with my insurance (and unlimited acupuncture with copays), I had an evaluation done and have received a couple of adjustments - focusing on my migraines (infrequent, but they're a bitch when they happen!) and throwing my back out more lately.

I've only had two sessions of adjustments and acupuncture, and I have another one scheduled this week - but I'm not sure what I should really be noticing to know whether this is really a benefit that's worth the continuing copays.

I've always been intrigued and wanted to try things like acupuncture, and have been interested in chiropractic care - I'm just not sure if it's something I should really keep up with when we're on a pretty firm budget. My migraines are only about once every couple of months so I wouldn't know if something is working on that front for a while....and the doctor did tell me that the frequency of appointments could taper off eventually.

Any experiences/thoughts?

[ijack]

I was about to respond to this and tell the OP to page SL

[sarahlindsay]

Bwahahahaha

[Deleted]

I've gone to a lot of chiropractic appointments and while I usually felt good afterwards, they didn't seem to do anything long-term for my back.

Nor did PT though.

I highly recommend this book for people who suffer from back/neck issues:

www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446557684/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349816009&sr=8-1&keywords=healing+back+pain

It goes after the causes behind the pain and has helped me go from almost three solid years of pain (caused by arthritis and disc issues) to pain only every once in a while. I would imagine that the thinking behind it could work for some forms of migraine as well.

[mellie35]

Given that your migraines are intermittent, I am not sure what you would notice either.

I went to a chiropractor when I had a pinched nerve in my neck and was in severe pain on a daily basis. I started going to her for adjustments, massage, ultrasound, etc. In the beginning I was going three times a week. As I slowly got better, my visits became less frequent. I have not been back since I recovered.

I do know some people that go on a regular basis (like monthly) for maintenance. Maybe, you won't know if it is helping until you get a headache or maybe you won't get them as often.

I suffer from migraines as well, but did not go to the chiropractor for that.

[GailGoldie]

i went to a chiro for lower back pain- he did adjustments but i think what helped the most is he had me work with a PT at his office doing exercises and stretches and i did them at home, too.

i may try accupuncture soon if the botox doesn't help my migraines (that i get next month)

[UnderProtest]

I love my chiropractor, but haven't been lately because I can't schedule an appointment because of the kids. I was on a maintenance schedule so I went about once a month to keep everything in order. I had horrible mid back pain and after several sessions, it went away.

But be forewarned, there are some quack chiropractors that ruin the validity of the practice. I had a friend who signed up with one who was just trying to get her to come as often as possible so he could collect as many fees as he could. The one I love is in the hood, but he is great (and works on the local professional sports team's players too). I never feel like he is trying to make money off me, he just wants to help with back pain. He does give stretches and exercises which are vital to keeping things in order and not having to go as often.

Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any specific questions. I tend to ramble.

[rex]

I went in high school after complaining to my father for YEARS that I had serious back pain.

Turns out I actually had an issue.

I stopped going after about a year, but I find myself wishing to go again because my back is in pain about 99% of the time. It makes everyday tasks (driving, sleeping, sitting, holding a baby, etc) very painful and difficult.

I would also try yoga if you haven't. I do yoga weekly and it makes my back feel SO much better for awhile after. I really should just do yoga everyday.

[biscoffcookies]

I love my chiropractor. I had a recurrent issue in my upper back -- it didn't hurt all the time, but when it did, it was always in the same place/way. Seeing the chiropractor really reduced how often that issue flared up. It wasn't instantaneous, though -- it took a few months for things to get aligned. My chiropractor also gave me some stretches to do that helped.

I also saw him every week when I was pregnant. I didn't have much back pain when I was pregnant, which I attribute in part to getting adjusted regularly. When my lower back started aching a bit in the latter half of pregnancy, though, I found that an adjustment typically helped a lot.

I haven't gone as much since DD arrived due to life being more hectic, but I absolutely want to go. I ditto though PP about needing to find a good chiropractor. I was worried about getting a quack, so I looked around on Yelp. My chiropractor had great reviews with several mentions about how he really was an advocate for stretching/improving core strength as a component of treatment, which suggested to me that he would be a good fit for me.

[womet]

When I was training for a marathon (over a decade ago), I started having major sciatica that affected my walking. Certainly an issue if I was going to complete 26.2 miles on my feet. I started seeing a chiropractor, and she worked wonders on me. Yes, my visits were frequent at the beginning, but they did taper off. I always left her office feeling as though the world looked right again. It was as though I went into her office looking at it from a slight angle, and then I saw it as it should be when I left.

And recently, I woke up with my head almost stuck to my right shoulder. After a week or so, I had absolutely no discomfort. I saw immediate relief after the first visit.

I think the combination of chipractic care and accupuncture could be really helpful for your migraines.

[Doggy Mommy]

My dad was a doctor, and he did adjustments on my whole family as we were growing up. A few years ago, I was having a lot of back pain and started going to a chiropractor. I went twice a week for a few weeks, then once a week, then once or twice a month. Now I go every few months. It's about time to go again and I'm looking forward to it. It has really helped me.

[Pilsy]

I've always wanted to visit a chiropractor, but the one time I was about to pull the trigger (and had amazing insurance that would cover it, without so much as a copay!), I was also in PT, and my physical therapist asked me not to go while under her care.

[dcannie]

i was able to be migraine free for 3 years while under chiropractic care. i went 3 times a week in the beginning, and eventually tapered to once a month. once i moved away and stopped going it took about 7 or 8 months for them to come back. i've been lazy in finding a new chiro, so i just take meds right now. they don't always work for me so i really do need to find a new one here.

[Some Funny Name]

Mine pretty much cured my migraines and my sciatica. He is a godsend and a miracle worker. Seriously. I really only go when I have a specific issue--no maintenance visits.

[womet]

Oct 9, 2012 20:30:06 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

I've always wanted to visit a chiropractor, but the one time I was about to pull the trigger (and had amazing insurance that would cover it, without so much as a copay!), I was also in PT, and my physical therapist asked me not to go while under her care.

Of course she did, PTs and chiros basically have opposite views. The chiropractor fixes you by moving your bones. Then the muscles eventually get reprogammed to that new normal position. The PT manipulates and retrains the muscles and then the bones eventually come around. Yes, this is oversimplified, but you get the point.

[ellipses84]

I've seen chiropractors on and off my whole life and I definitely notice a difference in my overall wellbeing when I go for regular maintenance. After a couple of years of not going and having a desk job, I was having neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches frequently and begging my DH for massages daily. I started going to a chiro a couple of times a week and tapered off to once a month eventually. At first, my back would pop back to its old ways afterwards, but eventually I felt no pain and didn't even feel like I needed a massage. I also have frequent sinus issues and a back adjustment can completely uncongest me.

[Pilsy]

Oct 9, 2012 20:52:00 GMT -5 womet said:

Oct 9, 2012 20:30:06 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

my physical therapist asked me not to go while under her care.

Of course she did, PTs and chiros basically have opposite views. The chiropractor fixes you by moving your bones. Then the muscles eventually get reprogammed to that new normal position. The PT manipulates and retrains the muscles and then the bones eventually come around. Yes, this is oversimplified, but you get the point.

Good point, Womet. I hadn't thought of it this way before mentioning it.

Maybe I'll trade in my PT for some work with a chiropractor, because it's not working, anyway!

[hopecounts]

I love my Chiro. He's helped my back so much. It was all messed up from dislocating my knee twice and my body trying to compensate for the bad knee.
I'm at once a month right now and if all is well this next visit we'll go to 6 weeks and so on until I only go in as needed.