• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Alternative to Chiropractic?

Jon the Geek

Thinker
Jon the Geek
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Messages
229
My sister has back pain, and wants to go to a chiropractor for it. She says her doctors always tell her nothing is wrong, but she knows she's in pain. I told her chiropractors believe crazy things, and will keep telling her she's in pain so she keeps going back.

Where should she go instead? Or are chiropractors worth going to for back pain, as long as you don't start going to them for things that they clearly have no business treating?
 
It depends on the chiropractor. Some are legitimate medicine that can treat some muscular and skeletal problems. Others are the "subluxation" quacks we all love to hate. Don't know the proportions, but I think the quack kind are clearly dominant.
 
She could try a physical therapist.

As a veteran of back pain, I can tell you what mostly works for it: time.

Often times it is the muscles that are causing the problem, not the spine. With me it was a sprain, where the muscle was in constant contraction. I got relief from using a heating pad which relaxed the muscle.

Last time I threw my back out (basically got a sprain in the muscles in my lower back) was just before Christmas. I had been over-exercising (pushing to swim a full mile before I was ready), trying to get kids to various soccer tournaments and music concerts, and the normal holiday prep. So the muscles in my back decided they needed a vacation and decided not to stretch anymore.

I was given some Vicadin... but found out I could not tolerate it, so I stuck to ibuprofen. Then I spent lots of time lying on my stomach with a heating pad on my back (got to read lots... I also watched a couple of movies on my laptop). It took about 6 weeks to fully recover. I also did some of the back exercises like this: http://familydoctor.org/117.xml#8 .Plus I started out very slowly back at the swimming pool, and did finally start swimming a mile in about 4 months (takes me a full hour, but I can do it!).

Here is a list to go through to figure out the type of back pain:
http://familydoctor.org/531.xml

Also, this is a page with all sorts of links to back pain info:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/backpain.html

edited to correct the narcotic... I cannot remember one over the other because they ALL make me sick!
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

Corollary: My sister isn't woo, but she's convinced chiropractors are her best bet for her back. Is she necessarilly wrong? If so, how might I convince her to reconsider? Can all that cracking and bending hurt her?
 
I don't know if it could hurt IF they stay in the lower back. It can be dangerous if the upper part of the spine is "manipulated" (known to cause strokes because you are mucking around some major blood vessels in the neck).

My reasons to avoid anyone manipulating my lower back was because it was definitely a large set of muscles that were uncooperative. I just had a fear of them being forced would cause some kind of damage to the muscle tissue. A person at the pool recommended a chiropractor, but I told her that I was afraid that if he tried to force the contracted muscle that it might tear (or rip, I think I was going for dramatic). I much preferred the use of heat to relax the muscle.
 
Jon the Geek said:
Thanks for the suggestions.

Corollary: My sister isn't woo, but she's convinced chiropractors are her best bet for her back. Is she necessarilly wrong? If so, how might I convince her to reconsider? Can all that cracking and bending hurt her?
Click to expand...

<anecdote> I used to work in a job that put a strain on my back. I would go to a chiro once a week for the cracking and bending. Before I started going, I, while not in constant pain, did experience discomfort a great period of the time. After I started going, I stopped experiencing that discomfort.</anecdote>

I'd say to check out the chiro. If he gives a rap about how he can treat the skelatal-muscular pain, then he's prolly ok. If he goes on to explain how he can therefore cure asthama (my all-time fav claim of the chiro-quacks) then run....do NOT walk out the door.
 
Try a physical therapist instead, or sometimes a good sports massage is good too.

I would agree that a lot of back pain can be due to the tightness in the musculature in that area - those muscles are only small. Incorrect use of the larger muscle groups in the body could be putting a strain on some of the others in the back.

If Chiro's stick to treating back pain, then they can be ok, but at times osteopaths might be a better bet as they seem to work more with the muscles and fascia and will do mobilisation exercises too.

I suppose I am a little biased though!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom