[legzzalot]

Looking back over the years I have had serious back pains. When I was a small child I would get migraines. My mother was at the time seeing a chiropractor, and he began treating me. Immediately the headaches would go away after adjustment. the adjustments became less and less necessary and eventually I stopped going.

Then there was the accident where my friend flipped the car 3 times and landed on my shoulder Which warranted another series of trips to the Chiro. Another accident when I was 19, a slip and fall at work when I was 21. Now this one was interesting.... The pain from that one never went away. To this day it still comes back. When I went in for my last round of treatment with the chiro, I could not stand up straight without shaking. I was having migraines, balancing issues, knife in the spine feeling. Six months of treatments later I wasn't fully recovered but my insurance refused to pay for treatments and I was running out of money. I mean $35 a pop three times a week wasn't a luxury i could afford with an $8 an hour job.

Looking back on it today and with the other health issues I was experiencing at the time, I have no doubt this was an MS flare up.

However, I know that I felt relief from a majority of my symptoms although it was temporary.

When I saw my MRIs and the lesions on my spine the last thing I considered was a trip to the Chiro. In fact as I was looking at the inflammation on my spine and the fairly large lesions I thought I couldn't go if I tried. I mean wouldn't adjusting my spine cause more inflammation?

And today as my back is spasming and my joints are fighting the IVSM by trying to lock up, I think about how great it would be to relieve the pressure in my spine.

I have seen a lot of mixed reviews online about Chiropractic. I am wondering if anyone is seeing a Chiro, and if so is it helping?

[Dejibo]

Ever since a bad car accident I have continued to seek care from my chiropractor. She brings great relief, and has kept me humming. I have been to a couple of chiro's that were just terrible! One only wanted to use that clicker thing. called an activator. it did nothing for me. I need the hands on adjustment. I have been to some that were just flip, and crack, flip and crack. Worked, but I never felt that I was holding onto the adjustment. it would only be a few days till I needed it again. My current Chiro uses TENS muscle stimulation first for 10 mins, and then adjusts me. Since MS causes so much muscle spasms in my back, this allows the muscles to relax long enough for her to properly adjust the bones. I am now going a month between visits.

My chiro visits have calmed the inflammation in my spine. My chiro is well versed in MS care. I found alot of relief there.

You will find many love their chiro, and many think they are quacks. I say if it works for you, and you have found relief in the past, go ahead! If you found that you tried it, and it gave you no relief, then pick another way. As for me, I will stick with the chiro. I feel so much better since going.

[Jomar]

I have some chronic muscle & alignment issues and my chiro does the adjustments as well as other therapy modes. He also does the upper cervical adjustment { c1 c2, atla/axis}.

modalities used - Ultrasound, low level laser, IF stim, NIMMO {a type of triggerpoint/myofascial release}

I go monthly now as maintenance.

[Erin524]

I went to a chiropractor for a few months after a car accident in 1999 (uninsured driver who, I think, was also driving on a suspended license turned left in front of me)

I quit going to the chiro after the back pain kept getting worse after having an "adjustment". My cousin, who had also been seeing the same chiropractor ended up with serious problems related to the adjustments the chiropractor had been doing. She's got more serious back problems now and has had to have a few back surgeries.

I think that chiropractor was a major quack. I quit going after one day that he adjusted my neck, by grabbing it and turning it to make it crack. It hurt really badly, and I thought for a second that he was going to break my neck. I had asked him to stop before he cracked my neck, and he didnt, so I quit going. I've had neck pain since then.

I have serious low back pain (worse than the neck pain) Had that since about 2002 or 2003. I'll never go see another chiropractor again. I'd rather see a real doctor.

[Twinkletoes]

I've been to the chiropractor lots of times in the past, but not for 10+ years.

Recently my massage therapist suggested I return (my legs were different lengths).

I had vertigo at the time. After the 2nd visit I had to wall walk to my car (dizziest I've ever been). Decided that was enough.

Not dizzy now -- don't know why, just glad!

[Jomar]

Yes, I would not go to one that didn't listen to me or was seeming to be rough. That's not a good thing at all.

Mine specialized in geriatric care also , so he is very gentle & precise in his adjustments.

Same as with anything... you have to find the good ones.

twink,
a bodyworker or spine care PT should be able to help with the leg length if you don't want to try a Dc again.

[msarkie]

I've had issues with my neck and back since my horse threw me hard at age 13. After a wreck at 18, I got to where I couldn't even walk. I've been to MDs, physical therapists, and chiropractors and had both good and bad ones of each kind. In my experience, most MDs will just give you drugs and tell you to lie down for a few days. Physical therapy helped me some - I at least got to where I could walk.

I found a good chiropractor in the town where I was living and started making some real progress. I could actually feel my body straightening out from day to day, and became very aware of my posture and the way I lifted things and moved my body. Then I got married and moved. I did not have a good experience with the chiropractor there - like some of you mentioned, I came away feeling worse than when I went in. I quit going for years. I got sciatica so bad that I would get out of bed in the morning to get the alarm and just simply collapse onto the floor because my leg wouldn't function. DH got so used to the sound of beep-beep-beep-THUD that it didn't even wake him up!

After we moved here I started going to the chiropractor that all my in-laws use. He's great! He x-rays first and tells you what he thinks he can do for you. He uses traction to help position things correctly. My neck curve was completely reversed when I started going. I had to turn my head sideways to look up. After a year of treatment the xrays showed a perfect curve and my posture and movement were normal. I still have problems occasionally because muscle tension will pull things out of whack, but I have never been as incapacitated as I was at 18 or when I first married.

Sorry for the life story! What it comes down to is: there's good ones and bad ones. Ask around A LOT before you pick one. A good chiropractor can be your best friend.

[Jomar]

I was tossed off my horse at age 15 and landed on my head , had a minor concussion and I think that is part of the reason my c spine is messed up, and a partial factor in my having chronic RSI/TOS.

[legzzalot]

Well the good news is, I managed to send an email to my old chiro who I love to death. He is 50 miles away but totally worth the drive. I explained the situation seeing as I have not seen him about 4 years. He told me to bring my MRI pics of my spine so he can see if Chiropractic could be an option. So I am hopeful.