Chiropracters? Yes or no

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I have osteoarthritis in my lower back, and it causes pain in my limbs too. I wondered if a chiropractor would help. I've heard good stories and horror stories. What do you think? I've had a lot of pain lately and I'm very impatient about being slowed down at all.
 

Calamity Jane

Well-Known Member
I've heard acupuncture, a GOOD chiropractor and therapeutic massage, all done in conjunction with each other and an anti-inflammatory diet can help.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
What Calamity Jane said.
You want to keep your joints moving. Keep moving. Keep stretching. Not fun but you have to do it.
Like medical doctors, therapists and dentists, you just have to keep looking until you find a dr of chiro who works well with you, and whom you trust.
I would have had surgery yrs ago if I hadn't been married to a chiro. I have arthritis in my neck and my lower back. Ugh.
I can really tell on the days that I skip my chiro visit. I get really bad headaches from the bone spurs in my neck. And in reg to my low back, I can only garden for 1/2 hr at a time. :( Getting old (or even middle-aged) is not for sissies.
Oh, and many insurances cover chiro now. Call first.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Terry and CJ, what is a good anti-inflammatory diet? And I can't exercise like I did. I tried, but it was too intense. I'm waiting on PT so I can work out again. Fortunately, I do have to be on my feet nonstop at work (five hours) and I have to move alot, but I miss my workouts and any sort of running or fast treadmill (my favorite) just makes me feel really sore...I can't do it right now. An MRI showed no real deterioration. It just kicks up sometimes.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Fish, fish oil. Shrimp.
Vit B, Vit C.
Glucosamine sulfate. (I like it in liquid form, just a tsp in OJ)
Blueberries, carrots, spices.

Avoid: Sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Although red wine is debatable. (I successfully avoid only caffeine.Sigh.)
Carbonated beverages are to be avoided, as they speed up bone loss.

http://bembu.com/anti-inflammatory-foods
 
I agree with CJ :
I've heard acupuncture, a GOOD chiropractor and therapeutic massage, all done in conjunction with each other and an anti-inflammatory diet can help.

This is my experience. Chiropractic helps a lot. At one point, I would get muscle spasms so bad I could not walk.Chiro has enabled me to live an active life without surgery or medications. At times, I have seen a chiropractor twice a month. Currently it is about every 2 months. I get massages every few months and strive for about 4 accupuncture sessions a year. Swimming is great for me. I walk my dog about 15 minutes in the morning. Daily epsom calt baths are also very helpful. When I am in pain, I need to get off my feet. I find more rest , not pushing myself more is the most helpful.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Ohh, yeah, I forgot about Epsom salts! Good idea, Compassion.

Yes, health food store for glucosamine sulfate. Or GNC but they're pricey. Or look online for a dealer.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
My husband has gotten sooo much improvement with body aches and bad back ache from glucosamine.

I'm eating in a healthier manner...cut out sugar, flour, junk food, alcohol, soda and reduced my coffee and fake sugars... Plus added lots of veggies daily....and do have more energy. Considering I have multiple autoimmune conditions and chronic facial nerve pain...it is a miracle that I have any days of energy.

I've been to acupuncture and liked it.

I am seriously thinking about chiropractic. I think it's always best to ask around for one with lots of happy customers (satisfied patients) .....good results....and ideally lots of experience in your particular health condition.

Hope you feel better soon!
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Ok. So what is a good, affordable brand of glocusomine?

All the chiros around here have happy customers. But there are also people who say they made them worse. Double edged sword.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Hubby takes Osteo Bi Flex (says triple strength on the box) he always looks for a deal at CVS drug store....buy one get one half off or sometimes BOGO.
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Ok. So what is a good, affordable brand of glocusomine?

All the chiros around here have happy customers. But there are also people who say they made them worse. Double edged sword.

We use the Kirkland brand from Costco.

Beyond being stiff in the back and bone spurs, etc., I had a horrid knot between my should and neck that was about the size of a ping pong ball for about 25 years - yes I said years. A PT once said that it wasn't just stiff, it was "locked". I was seeing a chiropractor and after about four visits pointed it out to him and he did a manipulation and it has been gone over a year now.

I wish that I could afford to go more often, but our co-pay is $60 at this point. I could pay in advance and get a better rate, but it is what it is.

I'd give it a shot if I were you. I love what they call "the chiropractor's hug". It pops all the stiff stuff in my spine between my belly and neck and makes me feel SO GOOD. You can also ask for the "activator" if you're worried about manual adjustment, but it will probably take longer to get to where you want to be.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I have to be very careful with chiro. I am planning on seeing one after this car wreck but I will interview them carefully. Years ago I was in a car wreck and I think the chiro I saw then actually made my condition much worse. This guy did this move where he put his elbow right in the middle of my spine and leaned down on it with all his weight. Ever since then that has been one of the most painful spots on my spine.

Billy went to a chiro that he thinks I will like. He used very gentle massage and heat. Something to do with hot rocks.

Oddly with me, that glucosimine stuff does nothing for the joints that hurt. Maybe it helps those that dont....have no clue. Probably my issue is that there is no cartilage left in my knees to help rebuild.

The epsom salts work wonders. It is even better if you add a small bottle of peroxide to the bath too. My recipe for a garden tub is 2 cups of epsom salts (walmart sells a lavender scented one) and a 16 oz bottle of peroxide. put in as hot a bath as you can stand. Soak for at least 20 mins and then immediately towel off and get in bed. You will feel weak.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
My husband uses the Sam's brand of glucosamine and chondroitin as it is affordable and works well and you don't have to take as many tablets as you do of other brands. He has had good results.

Chiro can help with lots of structural issues in the body, but it does NOT cure everything. I have had chiros claim to fix/cure just about every possible thing and I run from those. NOTHING cures everything and those who claim that they can are either idiots or charlatans, in my opinion.

on the other hand, I had a chiro keep me from having more than 4-6 migraines a year for 3 years at one point. He also helped me put off my cervical fusion for almost 5 years and did more to deal with the pain than the medications did. After a while things did deteriorate to the point the surgery had to be done, but the longer they put it off, the better the long term prognosis. He also helped my mom avoid some surgeries and hold off on others for a long time. He helped my dad's shoulder problems more than the ortho and PT and medications combined. He showed my dad better ways to do the exercises than the way the PT had shown him. THe chiro's way kept the damage from getting worse. If my dad had followed the PT's way of doing things, he likely would have needed several operations because it was creating stress and tearing something in there that shouldn't be torn.

In my area there are a few really good chiros and a bunch who want to do things like foot baths that draw the toxins out. Supposedly you can tell the toxins are coming out because the stuff in the bath turns black. I know a girl who worked for one of these chiros who said that if you left the water in the footbath with the 'magic' ingredient that draws the toxins out (some 'proprietary' blend of herbs and minerals) for twenty minutes with-o anyone's feet or anything else in the tub, the stuff all turns black anyway. Many of them do other things too that are equally 'hocusy-pocusy' nonsense and just cost a bunch of $$ for no benefit or the placebo benefit. I hate that a few use this nonsense and claim to fix everything from structural issues to allergies to asthma to mental illness because they give the good chiros who know their limits and abilities a bad reputation.

Please know that I do NOT consider massage, acupuncture, or acupressure to be 'hocusy pocusy nonsense'. Those have been proven to be very beneficial esp when combined with chiro and common sense. I am referring to various things to draw out toxins, iris reading, reading the lumps on your skull and other quackery. Good chiros can help many issues and certainly are worth a try.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
MWM, um ... I hate to tell you, but husband gets it wholesale and I have no idea how much it is. Maybe $15 a bottle? (liquid)
I like to try different brands of things and then choose the best. That means I go through a lot of %$&#@ playing guinea pig but somehow, I survive my lack of scientific knowledge. :)

DammitJanet, he used his elbow on your spine??? OMG. That's NOT chiropractic! Where did you find him? I hope he crawled back into the hole where he came from.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
LOL Terry...dont I know it! Actually he is still working around here but he combined with another chiro. They are the ambulance chasers. I like the guy I am going to but boy dont I wish he could do more for me. Right now he is just using this machine that is like a professional strength TENS unit and some heat then he comes in and works on my neck and back with his hands. I wish he could do something with my legs and knees though. I am having so much pain there. It appears that the left side of my spine is the worst. I guess not surprising considering that would be the "driver's side" of my body. When he starts rubbing down that side it hurts so bad!

Whats funny though is when I told the guy about going to another chiro who hurt me he just looked at me and said "Beck right?" LOL
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Janet, ask him to make sure that your legs are the same length. It sounds silly but if your hips are uneven the your legs seem uneven. They can pretty much did that without popping anything.

Sent using ConductDisorders mobile app
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Hmm..dont think they are but will ask him.

I dont know what I am going to do. I am getting so much worse...by the day. I can hardly stand up for any length of time now. Getting up and down out of my bed is so hard. The chiro asked me about a cane but I have one of those as well as a walker. Those help when I am standing to keep me balanced but they do nothing to help me get up. I need something to grab onto maybe hanging from the ceiling to lift myself up to get up from a sitting position.

Terry, is it normal to feel worse at night after being seen by the chiro? Last night my neck was killing me after he worked on my neck. I couldnt get comfortable. I put a heating pad under my head but I kept tossing and turning and slept in fits.
 
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