I have been thinking of going just to get the shit cracked out of my back, but exactly how do they crack your back? I have heard they use "tools", but how do those tools work? And for those who have gone, did you feel better or worse after the experience?

I use to go to one that was horrible, she was always afraid to adjust my neck, she used a special bed that seemed to drop in different areas. She was no good and did not seem to help me at all!

Just last week I went to a different chiropractor and he was able to adjust my whole spine with such ease! It really felt like so much tension was released but I don't know if it was all in my head, I'm defintiely going back though

When you say "adjust", what exactly do they do?

scriptgirl said:

'Which orgers have gone to the chiropractor?

Wow! Here in Europe they became extinct about 65 million years ago

save your money! i think they're a bunch of quacks. i went years ago cuz i was getting headaches, i paid a pile of cash 4 a load of hippie waffle. he pressed a bit here & there, ticklish.. he made me lol, blamed it on my liver & always finished the session by twisting my neck so it cracked. it made me feel pukey... he advised me i'd need a few sessions b4 i'd feel any benefit! the only thing that benefitted was his wallet the quacky bastard

try turkish massage or remedial massage. nice

what is remedial massage?

I saw one for a couple of years. I honestly feel it was a waste of money.

scriptgirl said:

what is remedial massage?

it's a deep tissue massage, it's not relaxing & can be uncomfortable, in a good way but the therepist really gets in there & manipulates tense muscles. it feels great afterwards

I went to a Chiro for about 1.5yrs. after a I got hit by a car. I was afraid of the type that "manipulates" your back by hand, the "cracking" kind but there is an alternative method out there.

Look for one who uses the

Activator technique

it was SO awesome... I would go in with a limited range of motion in my neck, she'd pop me in a few spots withthat little tool and I'd leave with a near full range of motion.

I swear by this!

I can crack my own back and neck

chiropractors can be helpful, but IF you have serious pain and a recurring problem, see a doctor. get xrays. a chiropractor will tell you to come back weekly for 'adjustments', and you can continue to have those for years and years without ever finding out the underlying cause of your pain. sometimes, it's best to figure out why you need to have your back cracked. if you have a lumbar or cervical disc herniation it should be addressed appropriately.

I've seen three chiropractors over the past few years. I was involved in two bad car accidents within two years of each other. Yes, it has helped me but I can understand why some say don't waste your money. The first one I saw was the kind who just wanted to take my money and wasn't helping my situation so I stopped going.

After my second car accident, I was rushed to the ER and diagnosed with whip lash, more injuries on my back and spine. I did some research and found a chiropractor I liked. He told me right away, he would treat me for what I needed. If I didn't need to come in, then so be it I saw him for several years until I was laid off. I couldn't see driving that distance since I wasn't working in the area anymore. So, he recommended someone in my area that he went to school with.

She is female and awesome! She has done x-rays and helped me last year through a long, drawn out diagnosis of fibro. She didn't diagnose me but encouraged me to see a neurologist out of the area who wouldn't tell me my symptoms were all in my head. I drove two hours and found a great neurologist with her help. She encourages me to see my regular doctor when it is something she can't help me with. There is a massage therapist there too who has done wonders for me.

She also helped me find a reputable plastic surgeon. I am a larger breasted woman and it has taken it's toll on my neck and back. My family doc is well aware of this and also recommended the same surgeon and sent the referral. I found a great chiro and it has made a big difference in my life.

PANDURITO said:

scriptgirl said:

'Which orgers have gone to the chiropractor?

Wow! Here in Europe they became extinct about 65 million years ago

Re chiropractors: I have quite a bad back and go sometimes. There's no point going if you're not going to do exercises as well. Most of the time your spine will be out and your muscles will be in a position supporting or causing the spine being out. You need to do exercises to make sure the spine stays in place.

Imo chiropractors are a little too violent. Try light physiotherapuetic exercise first.

Thanks, guys!

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that chiropracty has any positive effect, other than placebo, but evidence does show that it can do harm.

I go semi-regularly and it DEFINITELY helps me. I feel like I weigh half as much after I've been. You just gotta find a good one.

my dad went to one for like a month. Said it helped some but it wasnt summin he did for long... :meh:

I went to a chiropractor for three months and all I got from him was endless inane chatter and no help for my back...the guy nearly talked me to death. I got the impression that he wanted to hook me into paying for his quackery for the rest of my life.

I got a lot of relief for the same problem after one visit to an accupuncurist however.

A GOOD chiro will give his/her opinion and try to help you out over the course of a few appts... if that doesn't work they send you to a physician. A GOOD one. Unfortunately there are plenty of quacks out there that only wants to make money off people.

Whoever said that chiros are extinct in Europe probably needs to know that Europe is more than one country.

Teacher said:

A GOOD chiro will give his/her opinion and try to help you out over the course of a few appts... if that doesn't work they send you to a physician. A GOOD one. Unfortunately there are plenty of quacks out there that only wants to make money off people.

Whoever said that chiros are extinct in Europe probably needs to know that Europe is more than one country.

Pandurito was being lateral. I'm sure you still don't have dinosaurs in your part of Europe.

I went to one and it was THE BEST. Instant relief!

I got injured at work transfering a patient. I went to my hospital ER and was told "it was all in my head... maybe a little muscle strain...etc"

I went to bed with tingling in my lower back/butt area. The next morning, before I was fully awake I was aware of tingling in my back. Okay so this is NOT "all in my head".

So I wanted to go to someone who would deal with source of the pain, not just the symptoms=pain.

So I went to a chiropractor. It was a practice that dealt with workman's comp.

I got a full set of xrays before we started therapy. It showed I had narrowing of my vertebra space which meant the muscles were compressing my discs and thereby putting pressure on my discs and the nerves.

My treatments were 3x per week for 6 weeks.

First step he would manipulate my spine. He did crack my neck... but I didn't think it was a big deal. My pain was not in my upper back.

The next thing was a GREAT pain reliever... The table could be released so that my hips and lower trunk would drop causing my back to be at a 90 degree angle.. but non weight bearing because I was laying face down. Just the dropping of the table would result in GREAT relief of pressure and pain in my lower back. While I was in that position, he would applied firm pressure on my lower back. This would cause the vertebra to spead open (90 degree angle) and then he could more or less press the discs back in it's proper place thereby releaseing pressure on the nerves.

after this, I would get the TENS unit with hot moist heat. The TENS unit causes tiny electrical shocks to the muscles, causing the muscles to contract and relax... this is a "workout" of the muscles without you actually doing the work, the electrical stimulation causes the muscles to work themselves out.

Then last I would have a massage while the muscles were warm and pliable. By the time I left my appointment, I would have NO pain. NONE. The pain would return after a couple days but then I would have another appointment. By the time my 6 weeks were up, my pain had resolved.

On the other hand, I had physical therapy. I would be nearly in tears with pain during and after my appt. I would feel okay before appt, then require narcotic pain pill after appt.

I have done PT 2x and this last time I was ready to quit. It was so painful that I developed a limp because the pain was so great that I was favoring one leg and eventually I was beginning to drag the leg. My therapist had to consult the head therapist who did change my exercises around. It did help, but not like the chiropractor.

connorhawke said:

Teacher said:

A GOOD chiro will give his/her opinion and try to help you out over the course of a few appts... if that doesn't work they send you to a physician. A GOOD one. Unfortunately there are plenty of quacks out there that only wants to make money off people.

Whoever said that chiros are extinct in Europe probably needs to know that Europe is more than one country.

Pandurito was being lateral. I'm sure you still don't have dinosaurs in your part of Europe.

Blondes

Sorry teacher

prodidgalfan, thanks-when you got your spine manipulated-did it help to have it cracked?

scriptgirl said:

prodidgalfan, thanks-when you got your spine manipulated-did it help to have it cracked?

No it did not. You would think that "cracking" the back would be instant relief but it was not.

It was the opening my narrowed vertebrae spaces that release the nerves that are in between the vertebrae that was instant relief.

when my back is really hurting, bending forward (like bending at the waist to touch your toes) seems to relieve pressure on those nerves. so when that table dropped causing my legs and lower trunk to drop, it was like bending forward except I was laying on the table.

Then while I was in that position, he pressed firmly on my lower back right were it hurts (in the small of my back). I think he was pushing bulging discs, returning them to their proper place... the spaces between the spinal bones.

I found this manipulation most beneficial to me.

I would say go for a consultation visit. If you don't like it, or if you start the treatment and you don't get relief, no one is going to make you continue. You can quit and try something else.

I have done chiropractor twice and both times it was very beneficial to me. I have also done physical therapy twice. both times I had to rely on narcotic pain relievers more and more during the course of the treatment.

[Edited 8/22/11 20:01pm]