Chiropractor taking me for a ride...

[Lalaland01]

I've never been to one so I don't know what to expect. I've been having a relatively mild but annoying pain on my right side of my lower back. I decided to go see a chiropractor (good reviews on Google) to sort it out before it gets worse.

First appointment he said my pelvis was a bit "lopsided", he stretched my legs and said one was longer than the other one. He made me lie facing down on this table, he raised the table a bit and then dropped it down. He did this twice and said that had fixed it (?). He then did like 5 min with this ultrasound. That was it.

Went again yesterday and he just placed two wooden blocks behind my pelvis (this time me facing up), pulled my arms up and then again the ultrasound bit for 5 min but he did it on the other side of where my pain is (!). The appointment lasted 15 min tops.

Has anyone else been to the chiropractor??? Is this normal? I feel like he is taking me for a ride but maybe this is normal?

Another vote for a sports physio or maybe an osteopath. I've used Bob and Brad videos too, but it's best to have a physio check that you're doing the exercises correctly. Then get yourself to regular Pilates classes, they will strengthen your core muscles, which will support your back and improve your posture and should be the end of your back niggles.

have you tried cycling, swimming ?

Have you seen your GP/been for an ultrasound? Could be a grumbling appendix, inflamed kidneys or arthritis - all can cause lower right back pain.

I tried a chiropractor and had similar treatment, I never really felt it did anything and it felt like a waste of time. I’ve also been to the osteopath before and that was brilliant, so I’d say ditch the chiro myself!

I went to a chiropractor for a few years on and off with a dodgy shoulder and he seemed to help. Albeit, it was short term relief. Then last year I went along again for a problem with my jaw and he did exactly the same thing as he had done for my shoulder. Tried a second time and same again. Decided he is actually just a charlatan!

@Dimenw

Another vote for a sports physio or maybe an osteopath. I've used Bob and Brad videos too, but it's best to have a physio check that you're doing the exercises correctly. Then get yourself to regular Pilates classes, they will strengthen your core muscles, which will support your back and improve your posture and should be the end of your back niggles.

Yes sorry, should have said this too - get it checked out professionally first!

But also Bob and Brad are the BERT AND ERNIE of the physiotherapist circuit. Although they did help me determine my pain was enough to speak to the GP over!

@Flavabobble

Would they be Bob and Brad, the greatest physiotherapists on the internet?

Yes, they would be Bob and Brad, the two most famous physiotherapists on the internet.

I have been to two different ones. The differed hugely in their approach. The first sorted me out quickly and gave advice on exercises and how to sit etc. The second did sort me out, but sessions were expensive and very short. No suggestions about exercises etc.
I then saw a physio who was utterly useless.
I think it depends who you see.
OH had back problems in the past and was greatly helped by chiropractors. Different ones to mine. He saw an osteopath for other issues and found him fairly useless.

I went to a sports therapist and he said he was surprised that physios don't give stretch exercises to people before they give exercises to improve whatever it is.

You do some loosen up joint/ligament/muscle exercises for a few weeks, then, once you have some flexibility, exercise to improve the posture problem or whatever it is.
Exercises a bit like yoga.

I think that we could probably fix these problems by exercising over a few weeks or months. But it's human nature to hope for a quick fix by a chiro or osteopath etc.

Thanks for all your replies! I think there might be some few good chiropractors out there, but I think they one I saw is a charlatan! I just cannot believe putting a timber block behind my back and pulling my arm twice fixed a back problem? This lasted less than a minute...

I am going to cancel the next appointments. I will look into all the other options (osteopath or physio!).

Those videos from Bob and Brad look brilliant so thank you for suggesting those too!

The main differences between the two - Chiropractors focus more on the spine and joints, Osteopaths focus on the muscles and surrounding bones. Chiropractors use physical adjustments , Osteopaths will use massage and stretching techniques.

The main difference between the two - osteopaths don't use techniques channelled from a dead doctor, and chiropractors do.

Chiropractic is a complete scam, and dangerous too. Check out deaths from spinal manipulation, and you won't find that it's physios doing it, it's chiropractors.

Saw the title of the thread and thought it was going to be an interesting & informative story about new, fun sex positions to distract me from work on a grey Wednesday morning.

Despite my disappointment, my advice would be to see a physio instead. My one and only experience with a Chiro was crap and felt more like a lecture on how I smoke and drank too much (which was true but I was there to get some immediate help with whatever was going on with my fat, hairy back/neck/shoulders).

@PutinIsAWarCriminal

I have an osteopath who is brillian. I'm pushing into the quack category as she uses acupuncture as part of the treatment, but it works for me. Each to their own, but I've never got on with chiropractors personally.

My legit qualified physio uses acupuncture, it's amazing!!! I've also had shock wave therapy from her for bursitis and it worked really well.

But to OP my physio always manipulated joints and muscles first, how can they work out what to do if not?? I would recommend finding a qualified private physio. I pay £40-£50 for a session but it's worth it. I've used her 3 times for different issues (sport related) and never needed more than 2 or 3 sessions. My dh did the same for tennis elbow, 2 sessions and some home exercises cleared it up in a few months.

Are private physios trained differently to NHS ones?

@AnastasiaRomanov

Are private physios trained differently to NHS ones?

I don't think so, it's just easier to get an appointment!

I had an appointment with an nhs physio but I didn't like him. He told me I have a low pain threshold while sticking his elbow into my hip!! I most definitely don't have a low pain threshold, I live my whole life with chronic pain! He didn't listen to me and didn't refer me which he was meant to do.

None of that is to do with being Nhs, just not being a great physio! I went to my private one in the end.

Yes I have heard positive things from other people about private physios. The NHS one I saw seemed pretty useless.

I hate those stupid beds that some chiropractors use - I've always found the treatment useless!
My current chiropractor is more hands on - folds me up like origami & cracks my spine. It's bliss!

Chiropractic treatment works for me in a way that other treatments haven’t. I’ve seen a few over the years from moving location so I know they do vary in approach but what you have described is unusual. I prefer being cracked into place! Appointments are short though, 15-20 mins is usual.

I think there might be some few good chiropractors out there, but I think they one I saw is a charlatan!

They are all charlatans - they all practice quackery.

Your post is like complaining that your fortune-teller can't really see the future like others can

It's your chiropractor's fault though, if they put more effort into convincing you with the woo then the placebo effect would have worked, like it has for @Blueroses99

This is what they do. You have a specific so he is treating that. Is the pain better?

I had long term.pain totally cured by a chiropractor where physio etc had failed.

An exercise you could try is lie on the floor with your legs up on a chair so that your calves are flat on the seat. Stat there for 5 minutes then put a cushion or ball between your k eyes and squeeze 30 times.

See an osteopath or a physio.

Chiropractors - 15 minutes of crack/tweak/stretch - done. And you may feel better short term but it won't last, they've just made some gas pop out of some joints and made some stuff move in a way it doesn't normally.

Osteopath - figures out why something's wrong, what it is you're doing, what exactly is hurting - some do poppy cracky adjustments (mostly because clients like it not because its necessary), some don't but they should give you a long term plan which may involve several visits but should also involve exercises and what to do/not to do etc.

Physios - pretty similar to above.

I am sure there are some with a chiropractor 'qualification' who are good, careful, etc - but that'll be down to extra learning and skill not the chiropractor qualification! Equally.. there are some who have killed people or given them life altering injuries.

I think there might be some few good chiropractors out there, but I think they one I saw is a charlatan!

They're all charlatans. It's not real medicine, so all they can be "good" at is extracting money from you.

Osteopathy also has very poor evidence behind it, so going to an osteopath isn't an improvement.

@jimmyhill It works for me. How is that a placebo effect? I’ve had less back pain in the last 10 years since seeing a chiro than I have since adolescence. I have scoliosis and have had to live with pain for decades. I’ve had a lot of useless treatments over the years and I’m finally relieved to have something that actually makes the pain stop.

@WiddlinDiddlin

See an osteopath or a physio.

Chiropractors - 15 minutes of crack/tweak/stretch - done. And you may feel better short term but it won't last, they've just made some gas pop out of some joints and made some stuff move in a way it doesn't normally.

Osteopath - figures out why something's wrong, what it is you're doing, what exactly is hurting - some do poppy cracky adjustments (mostly because clients like it not because its necessary), some don't but they should give you a long term plan which may involve several visits but should also involve exercises and what to do/not to do etc.

Physios - pretty similar to above.

I am sure there are some with a chiropractor 'qualification' who are good, careful, etc - but that'll be down to extra learning and skill not the chiropractor qualification! Equally.. there are some who have killed people or given them life altering injuries.

Not all chiropractors are rogue!
I had a trapped nerve in my hip one morning, had slept awkwardly one night & as a result my right leg was numb & I was, for all intents & purposes, temporarily paralysed in my right leg! Got an emergency appointment with my chiropractor, who literally folded me up & adjusted my lower back. Was able to walk out of the practice unaided... 🤷🏼‍♀️