Chiropractors?

ProbablyBroke

ProbablyBroke

does not torque to spec
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Location
Reidsville
I did something terrible to my neck on Monday at the gym. In a good bit of pain in the morning and it loosens up a bit around mid day, but still can hardly turn my head. Not sure whether it's a muscle or bone issue.
My friend suggested I see a sports massage therapist. Im going to give it a shot, but I feel like the next step will be going to a chiropractor. Never been.
Any body go to one, or can suggest one in Charlotte area.
 
I would go to your regular family doctor or possibly a doctor who specializes in treating necks. I would not go to a chiropractor.

I injured my neck last July in the gym doing squats. I felt and heard a 'crack' in my neck. I initially did not feel too bad. 1-2 days later I had fairly strong nerve pain down both arms and was in pain. I suffered pretty badly for about 8-10 days before finally going to the family doctor. She took X-rays and said the spine and vertebrae looked OK. She thought I dislocated my neck vertebrae and swelling was causing the nerve and muscle pain. She put me on a 10 day course of a prednisone steroid and muscle relaxers. It took about 8-10 days for the nerve and muscle pain to relax, then about 3-3.5 months to get to about 90% where I felt comfortable picking up a weight. It sucked big time and scared the shit out of me. One month after the injury, I would pick up a full gallon of milk and get nerve pain going down my arm that would last for a couple of hours. I'm still not 100% but probably never will be. That was my second neck injury. The first was about 15-20 yrs ago. Good luck.
 
I've had great luck with Performance Rehab in Charlotte. They helped me when I had a ruptured disk and then later with the rehab for ACL surgery.
They have chiro, physical therapy, massage etc.
 
X-rays don't tell a lot, esp if there is swelling, the one thing that will tell what's going on is an MRI, But, it's always the last thing they want to do, due to costs. Burns my ass when they want to send you to PT, without actually knowing what the injury is. But, it's what insurance companies dictate. I would suggest ice packs and Ibuprofen. and some heat before light stretching/movement. Ice again afterwards.
Family bag of frozen peas, corn, or mixed vegi's makes good ice packs.
 
shawn said:
Doctor, then PT.
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This.

I don't have any experience with chiros, but when I had my compressed discs in my back, I did doctor and then PT and I'm back to almost normal. A friend once told me not to go to a chiro because it means you have to keep going to a chiro. I don't know if that is true or not, but it stuck with me.
 
upnover said:
they want to send you to PT, without actually knowing what the injury is
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Good PTs can often figure out what the problem is. And if it's musculoskeletal, sometimes they can fix it right then. When I was going to a PT regularly, I'd sometimes ask them about other stuff. Maybe I slept funny the night before and had a neck cramp, or maybe I had an ache or pain somewhere. They'd figure out what it was, have me move my head one way, put my arm up over my head, whatever, and show me how to stretch whatever muscle was cramping. Or maybe it was a tendon that was sticking together, so they'd massage it to break up the fibers.
 
Ice an injury, but repeated icing can do more harm than good because it constricts blood vessels. Circulation is what is needed to heal, which is a large part of what massage and PT accomplish.
 
shawn said:
Good PTs can often figure out what the problem is. And if it's musculoskeletal, sometimes they can fix it right then. When I was going to a PT regularly, I'd sometimes ask them about other stuff. Maybe I slept funny the night before and had a neck cramp, or maybe I had an ache or pain somewhere. They'd figure out what it was, have me move my head one way, put my arm up over my head, whatever, and show me how to stretch whatever muscle was cramping. Or maybe it was a tendon that was sticking together, so they'd massage it to break up the fibers.
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PTs can also talk to you about how your posture and the way you move might be causing or exacerbating a problem.
 
upnover said:
X-rays don't tell a lot, esp if there is swelling, the one thing that will tell what's going on is an MRI, But, it's always the last thing they want to do, due to costs.
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Yep, doctor told me to come back after 10 days if I wasn't better and they would do an MRI.
 
shawn said:
Chiropractors are not doctors or physical therapists. They're basically New Age quacks. Might as well go have someone align your chakras.
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This may usually be the case but this wasn't my experience. My doctors solution to a ruptured disk was pain pills and rest. I don't like/take those so figured I had nothing to lose. After two or 3 chiro sessions I could move without pain again so he sent me over to the PT side where I learned how to build up the stuff around it and haven't had an issue since.
 
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Just my experience. 5-6 years ago I pulled something in my back and went to my family Doc. He said it was just a pulled muscle, gave me muscle relaxers and sent me home. 2-3 days later was still no better, so i went to a local Chiro and after 2 sessions (1 morning, 1 evening) I started having relief. Have been going once a month every since and have not had any problems like I had before. Did it work for me yes, will it work for you? My mother went and he wasn't able to help her. Everyone is different as are there opinions.
 
A Chiro can (temporarily) relieve pain (symptoms) through stretching or "popping" your back.
They can not solve a problem nor are they a doctor.

These arent opinions they are facts.

That someone is ok seeking "treatment" monthly for a something "pulled" 5-6 years ago is frightening and telling.
 
shawn said:
Chiropractors are not doctors or physical therapists. They're basically New Age quacks. Might as well go have someone align your chakras.
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I will disagree, at least partially. I have been to some that worked on me and got me back on my feet, sore, but able to move, in as little as one visit. And, I have seen some that would do nothing but hook the shocking shit up to me and it did zero good. Told them that and they insisted. I left. Had one who was "acting" as though he was adjusting me, but what he was doing was slapping his own knee against the table. He would say something like "Oh that was a good one" and when I called him on it, he tried to argue with me. So I come up from the table, calling him a quack, left the room and told everyone in the waiting area(about 9 people) they could waste their time and money if they wanted to, but he was a quack, all but three left as I did. So there have been a couple that did me good, and some that just want to collect a fee and keep me coming back.
 
A month after my last car accident was the last time I went to a chiropractor. I did 30 trips total and felt gradually better each visit. 1/2 year later it started giving me problems again. Granted I did have 12 vertebrae knocked out of alignment, worstly around the t4 and t5.

My take on a chiropractor is they're really only good for a temporary fix. A PT would be better for permenantly fixing a serious problem.
 
I decided to try a chiropractor earlier in the year. After x-rays and interviewing me about the problem, he said 3 visits per week for 4 weeks. So I did it. After all those visits at $54 each out of pocket (plus the xray costs), I am no better than I was before.

They also have posters and signs everywhere about what chiro can fix. According to them, if your kids' braces come off their teeth too early, chiropractic can help! WTF!? A chiropractor can straighten teeth??

I won't go back.
 
I'd use a massage muscle therapist (or whatever the correct term is). I did for my feet and no issues since.
 
This same question/issue, comes up every year or 2. And we go through all the same , ah, "opinions", & "information". "Everybody's got One"!
I came from a Family that thought all Chiros, were Quacks. Anyway, I became , over injured a period of years, from driving trucks with Worn out seats.
Yes, I went to my Family Dr. He sent me to an Orthopedic Surgeon. He sent me for a MRI. They couldn't find anything wrong, & the MRI showed nothing. As I could barely work, I sought out a Chiropractor. I walked in with muscles spasms, & numbness. I walked out pain free, temporarily. Yes it took multiple treatments, & built up to going when I feel the need! My spine was crooked, neck was a mess, & I had limited motion of turning my neck! The Orthopedic Surgeon, found None of this! He never even asked me to Turn my head. Initially, I "tested" & questioned, my Chiropractor, & he always Passed. He did tell me, I'd never be 100%, but he could improve my life, & keep me from "Exploratory Surgery". I spent years, Ruining my back, you don't fix it overnight! I personally know Several people, with similar stories. I've Also seen Quack Medical Doctors. A profession doesn't make a crook or quack, the individual does.
I guess I could have put in for Disability, at age 42, but I never considered it. Btw, over the past 10 years, Most Insurance Co.s, have included Chiropractic treatment.
 
I have struggled with a bad back for the past 10 years. Between working like a mule all my life and a rollover where I was thrown from my ride and landed on concrete the only thing that helps is to self medicate. I've talked to doctors, done the chiropractor deal, talked xrays and surgerys I'll cope the best that I can. Everybody's diffrent but I know way to many people that go to the chiropractor every other day, and that many more that have had surgery and are worse off.
 
I was so stiff this morning I could hardly check my blind spots to merge in traffic. I grabbed a last minute appointment with a "medical massage therapist" that my boss has known for a while. I got an excruciating 40 minute grinding with her elbow. The in house chiro looked me over and assessed my situation, saying that my neck was essentially sprained. Said he didn't see need for adjustment now. They knew I had driven further to make the appointment than would be reasonable for a return customer and never pushed for more appointments. It certainly wasn't a cure all, but I felt a bit more loose and everyone likes to hear "your skeleton isn't screwed" even if they are a quack. I'm laying on some frozen corn and going to be taking it easy for a week or so. I appreciate everyone's input, and if things don't start looking up, I'll call in the big guns. Or at least someone with a phd.
 
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