chiropractic care decision to make

[pinkytoe]

Either on a whim or in desperation, I saw a chiropractor last week for accelerating hip, thigh and knee pain on one side. He pinpointed an exact area of my spine where he said it originates and said I have classic sciatica but did not take any x-rays so I am a bit skeptical. I have never been to one before but logically it makes sense to me to that actually working with your body vs prescribing a pill might be more effective. The muscle work did make it feel better for a little while but having someone yank on your legs till they pop wasn't so comfortable. In any case, I now realize that the chiro is going to be a very expensive option if I continue the treatment. Insurance covers 80% but only after $350 deductible is met. And they want all funds up front. How do you make these kind of decisions when you aren't sure in the first place you are makiing the right one? With dd's wedding and other expenses coming up, I can't afford to throw money away. Or should I just expect that getting older brings pain of some sort and just live with it?

[rodeosweetheart]

Pinkytoe, I will interested in hearing what others say as I have wondered the same thing. My DH just want to chiropractor for hip pain and he told him, well, you;'ve got arthritis but you look great otherwise, so he is not recommending any chiropractic care. I'll be interested to see what others say. My DH then went to naturopath, who wants to do blood work and put him on some supplements. I'm wondering about that, too. Hmm.

The MD he saw for the hip, an orthopoed, gave him NSAIDS but he sure doesn't want to stay on those long term, and offered cortisone shots, which he does not want, either. They don't seem to have much to offer, from what he saw.

[iris lilies]

Either on a whim or in desperation, I saw a chiropractor last week for accelerating hip, thigh and knee pain on one side. He pinpointed an exact area of my spine where he said it originates and said I have classic sciatica but did not take any x-rays so I am a bit skeptical. I have never been to one before but logically it makes sense to me to that actually working with your body vs prescribing a pill might be more effective. The muscle work did make it feel better for a little while but having someone yank on your legs till they pop wasn't so comfortable. In any case, I now realize that the chiro is going to be a very expensive option if I continue the treatment. Insurance covers 80% but only after $350 deductible is met. And they want all funds up front. How do you make these kind of decisions when you aren't sure in the first place you are makiing the right one? With dd's wedding and other expenses coming up, I can't afford to throw money away. Or should I just expect that getting older brings pain of some sort and just live with it?

They are quacks. Leg yanking, indeed.

What "work" is he actually doing? Is this an issue that can be diagnosed by a dr and then THEN you go to a Physical therapist for prescribed exercises that you can do yourself, off on your own, once you know what you are to do?

[Teacher Terry]

My entire family has always used chiropractor's to manage chronic pain but there are some quacks out there. A good chiro will take an xray the first time to make sure your back pain for example is not bone cancer. Also if a Chiro wants to put you on a regular plan (ie come in 3x's a week) for example run. A good one will say come back when you feel you need too. A good one does not hurt you and you should feel a lot better. I manage my chronic back/neck pain from many car accidents by going in about once a month-when I feel like I need it. Sometimes I can go longer & sometimes sooner.

[larknm]

I go to an Applied Kineseologist who's also a Chiropractor. He was referred to me, when I asked, by a physical therapist who was helping me recover mobility after breaking my hip 4 years ago. I had asked this totally respected-by-doctors here PT to recommend his doctor, meaning internist, and he said he didn't need an MD because he used this guy. For me the choice was made when the Kineseologst in the first meeting enabled me to lift my leg, in his office and thereafter, to do an exercise my PT had had me doing and prior to this kineseologit, I couldn't move my leg at all from a prone position.

Then I got polymyalgia rheumatic (pmr) and this kineseologist and none of the 7 doctors I saw could diagnose it. I began with the 8th because he did. Both he and the kineseologist were able to help because they were very good listeners and knew enough in their fields to be able to apply what I said. I then went to a rheumatologist to manage the pmr. But other problems came up, so while staying with the rheumatologist for the pmr, I added on the kineseologist, who I could now afford better because I'd gone on Medicare. In one session he figured out I had malnutrition and told me to eat rice an bean together. Within a couple of days, I was no longer having malnutrition symptoms. The kineseologist gets all his info from what I report from the beginning of each visit plus muscle testing my arm. The latter is what my dentist also does.

DH is a former pharmacist and medical librarian, and due mostly to the former, does not go to doctors except once a year or two because he saw how much damage they and their meds do to patients. I, myself, have always had better health outcome with alternative practitioners.

[George_H]

My entire family has always used chiropractor's to manage chronic pain but there are some quacks out there. A good chiro will take an xray the first time to make sure your back pain for example is not bone cancer. Also if a Chiro wants to put you on a regular plan (ie come in 3x's a week) for example run. A good one will say come back when you feel you need too. A good one does not hurt you and you should feel a lot better. I manage my chronic back/neck pain from many car accidents by going in about once a month-when I feel like I need it. Sometimes I can go longer & sometimes sooner.

Yes, beware of the chiros putting you on a plan saying that you need to come back on a regular basis to constantly balance the imbalances. One sure sign of a quack is if they have a whole catalog of their products at the side that they want you to buy. There are legitimate ones out there. I just haven't found one yet.

[pinkytoe]

Is this an issue that can be diagnosed by a dr
I wish. I went to our family practice doc a few months back to start the process and they told me to take NSAIDs for two weeks. She also asked if I would like some pain-killers. I remembered then that going to conventional docs is basically a waste of time unless you believe in that system. I believe 90% of any treatment is prbably placebo effect anyway.

[frugal-one]

Watch out for NSAIDs.... my DH had kidney failure from Aleve.....taken for arthritis. Be VERY careful.

[JaneV2.0]

I pinched a nerve in a whiplash injury at work, which related in numbness in my arm and right-side flushing of my face. Chiropractic adjustments fixed me up. As with doctors, you sometimes have to dig through the chaff to find the wheat.

[Teacher Terry]

I have only found a few chiro's that were not legitimate. Most are fine.

[redfox]

My entire family has always used chiropractor's to manage chronic pain but there are some quacks out there. A good chiro will take an xray the first time to make sure your back pain for example is not bone cancer. Also if a Chiro wants to put you on a regular plan (ie come in 3x's a week) for example run. A good one will say come back when you feel you need too. A good one does not hurt you and you should feel a lot better. I manage my chronic back/neck pain from many car accidents by going in about once a month-when I feel like I need it. Sometimes I can go longer & sometimes sooner.

Agreed. My chiropractor, who I see very infrequently, refused to treat my stepson unless she had images of his back, due to his pain level and inflammation. Turns out he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a rheumatoid disorder. Like every specialty & practitioner, there are good ones and not so good ones.

I also have had steroid injections in my knees for osteoarthritis pain relief. Very effective.

[Yarrow]

It is just plain negligence for this chiropractor not to take x-rays. Your pain could be caused by many things, including herniated disc or spinal stenosis, which both definitely cause sciatic pain. An x-ray or an MRI would show this. This chiropractor could do great damage to you with chiropractic "adjustments", not knowing for sure what your diagnosis is..... I seriously am surprised that he would want to risk this himself, considering how many people sue doctors these days....

Maybe time to see an Orthopedic doctor. They would diagnose your problem promptly and something as simple as physical therapy might help you immensely. Chiropractors are money wasted in my opinion....

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I have used chiropractic care off and on for many years with great results. However, I would beware of one who did not take x-rays, especially on the first visit to determine what actually is going on. I have had good experiences with 3 different practitioners and one bad experience with one. Needless to say I only visited him one time and have no intention of going back. My chiropractor has nothing in his office to sell and I feel he is very professional and effective.

[The Storyteller]

I dated a chiropractor's daughter in high school and had many many conversations with him about his decision making process. He was going to send me to chiropractor's school if I ended up marrying his daughter. I didn't so he didn't. He was a top doc. It was a long time ago so I can't remember specifics, but do recall my impressions.

I have come to the conclusion there isn't much to it. There are some things it can be effective for, and it generally should take one or two visits. But they are very clever about doing things in such a way that they extend it out for repeat visits pretty much forever. They can do stuff to your bones that will make you depend on them.

Again, my impressions. I have never visited one myself. Take it for what it is worth.

[iris lilies]

I dated a chiropractor's daughter in high school and had many many conversations with him about his decision making process. He was going to send me to chiropractor's school if I ended up marrying his daughter. I didn't so he didn't. He was a top doc. It was a long time ago so I can't remember specifics, but do recall my impressions.

I have come to the conclusion there isn't much to it. There are some things it can be effective for, and it generally should take one or two visits. But they are very clever about doing things in such a way that they extend it out for repeat visits pretty much forever. They can do stuff to your bones that will make you depend on them.

Again, my impressions. I have never visited one myself. Take it for what it is worth.

I agree, there are probably a few reasons to visit chiropractors, maybe for "adjustments" for simple back pain of certain types. But there is, or at least was many years ago so much hocus-pocus in their treatments that I had no respect.

[JaneV2.0]

In fairness, there is plenty of flim-flam and greedy hocus-pocus in therapies of all kinds--mainstream as well as alternative. You have to be on your toes.

[pinkytoe]

My hip and knee pain became so intense last week that I called regular doc and got x-rays. Strangely, they show hip and knee are normal but that I have degenerative joint disease at the base of my spine. I guess that causes the hip-knee pain in some way. Sounds like old-lady stuff which I am apparently quickly becoming. It will be interesting to go to chiro one more time and get his take on the x-rays and see if his schtik remains the same. The regular doc recommends physical therapy. The thought of not being able to walk and hike without pain is making me VERY depressed as that is what I love to do most:(

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Degenerative joint disease, if that is the same as degenerative disk disease, can press on the sciatic nerve which can cause pain in the hip, leg and on down to the foot.