Is this guy serious?

Chiropractors are fine for temporarily alleviating some pain in the low back or neck, but it's not science. They're not doctors and shouldn't be thought of as any more qualified than massage therapists. The popping noises not "adjustments" any more than cracking your knuckles are adjusting your fingers. It's just air.

Not saying don't go, but the idea that they can magically heal everything from herniated discs to allergies is silly. You're going there to crack your back, which feels good, but it's nothing more.

 

I know some very well educated medical professionals that would disagree with pretty much everything you wrote.

 

You speak from experience?

In 2010 I fractured my T7,T8 and T9. Fast forward couple of years and I could barely even function because I had spasms where my back would lock up after working all day off of a ladder. I also had constant back ache. I'd get home lie on the floor and damn near cry like a bitch because my back would just spaz out.

I was very skeptical as well but I didn't have anything to lose so I went. Guy worked on me for a good three months but he saved my life as far as I'm concerned. I've been pretty well ever since. So I''m convinced there is something to it.

 

In my experience, there are two kinds of chiropractors. The first type are total loons who think they can clear up your sinuses and cure allergies by cracking your back. The second kind are more akin to physical therapists, and many times will work together with massage therapists to not only line out your joints, but to stretch and strengthen the related muscles to keep the joints together.

 

Your pelvic musculature is all connected with everything, from your feet to your lower back. If you strained a lower back muscle, it’s possible other muscles are compensating and creating a muscular imbalance and tension. Also, it’s possible the injured back muscle has tightened and is causing the imbalance and tension. The muscles that suspend your testicles are tied into that same pelvic musculature that’s tied into your lower back.

I’ve been dealing with pelvic floor spasms since early 2017 and haven’t been able to work since early 2018. Since the urethra and rectum pass through the pelvic floor, bowel and bladder are the constant issues. The next level of severity causes my right testicle to be pulled clear up into my body cavity and severe testicular pain. This can go on for weeks. The next level up is my lower back muscles will start in with severe pain and tension. When this starts in, getting to my feet to get to the bathroom is about all I can do and can only get to a hunched position. My pelvic floor condition has resulted in a stint of Mondor’s disease, which resulted in every vein and artery in my penis to swell and harden, yet, no erection. I’ve had countless tests, images, physical therapy, visits with my primary, colorectal surgeon, two urologists, and three spinal specialists. The second urologist is who diagnosed me. He’s the department chair at a medical school and stated my conditions are very rare and has only seen them in truck drivers. I’m a 27yr veteran of the transportation industry and continually holding my bowel, bladder, and stomach had trained all my pelvic musculature to tense up, which has wrecked my quality of life. I spend most days in bed, focused on staying relaxed, so as to not stir up musculature tension.

I can’t help but think your injured lower back muscle has tightened from the injury, causing imbalance and tension throughout your pelvic musculature. You might enlist the help of a massage therapist to work on your lower back and look into yoga to try and get things stretched out. Lastly, if you find yourself tightening your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles when you encounter pain, try and keep them all relaxed.

Read through this whole article.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14459-pelvic-floor-dysfunction

 

I'll take a good massage therapist over a chiro every day of the week.

 

Thanks to all. My wife uses both a massage therapist and chiropractor. I have used the massage therapist for general aches but never had great results. My work is very physical but my muscles have atrophied as I don’t do any training at all since my son was born three years ago. Before that I was working hard on cardio and flexibility and was in the best shape of my life. Where I am at right now is not debilitating, but I fear that since it has been about a month since the initial injury I may be creating further problems with my body trying to adjust to the pain.

 

Drugs should always be the last resort. Always.

 

I've been going once a week for a half hour massage for a couple years now, also using a inversion table. Between the 2 my back is in better shape than it's been in years, always had lower back pain and knotted up muscles. Gave my wife some gift cert. for xmas a couple years ago and now she's hooked too. $30 a week well spent. I go every Fri. morning for 9, be leaving soon, wife goes Thursdays after work.

 

Damn dude

 

I've heard mixed results on the inversion table. My doc did recommend one but there are a few potential issues that can come from hanging upside down. The chiro also has a computerized traction machine which does the same thing as the inversion table but in a more controlled and adjustable manner, while not requiring you to hang upside down.

 

Wasn't that known in days gone by as the rack?

 

Pretty much...now it is a computer controlled rack.

 

Mines adjustable on the angle, I'm only doing 45 degrees on it now. It goes to 60 and then 85. I started at 45 and it seems to be enough to be helping, figure I can go steeper if I find 45 isn't enough down the road. I try to do 15-20 minutes, ankles getting sore is usually the limiting factor. It's actually pretty comfortable otherwise, can almost fall asleep.

 

Lol complete truth. I have cancer everyday. Then it goes away. Oh, heart attacks too. I've had 57.

 

Even weed?

 

I'd look for another therapist that specializes in rehab and or athletes. Mine is amazing, I usually only go see her when needed and it often requires working more on an adjacent area to fix the problem area that is causing my issue. She's $60/hour and worth every bit of it.

 

I know smart people too but I don't speak for them. Don't you have light bulbs to change or something?

 

Okay, maybe, but we tend to attribute results to the last treatment we received before they occurred. Correlation does not equal causation.

Another argument could be that your body adapted and you just healed. One area where I believe chiropractic may be somewhat effective is that it causes inflammation, which could lead to faster healing. I buy that, but I think that physical therapy does the same thing with the added benefit of better strength and mobility.

 

I've been to a bunch of chiropractors, and it's always the same story. Ever notice you pretty much always get the same "adjustments", no matter what they're treating?

The last time I went was when I tore my L3/L4 disc. After 6-8 weeks of adjustments, I asked what I thought was a reasonable question, "When do we do more x-rays?"

The answer was, "We don't". Really?

You just told me that I was way out of alignment and that the adjustments were going to move things back. All I'm asking is that you show me progress. I got a myriad of excuses that didn't make sense to me. Turns out they don't adjust a damn thing. There was a study done years ago that tested the amount of force that would be required to actually move a vertebrae to a different position, and it's a lot. It actually takes as much force as it would to break or dislocate your spine.

I started doing research and found out that Chiropractic was invented by some kook in Iowa who had zero medical background. His "expertise" was in magnetic healing and spiritualism. He said he discovered chiropractic when he adjusted a deaf guy's spine and made him hear again. Not kidding. Look it up.

Oh yeah, here's another one: I went to a chiropractor once who told me her favorite patients were newborn babies. They need adjustments too. What. The. Fuck.