Your experiences of chiropractors please!

[jinxediam]

I am really not sure what to make of this. I went to see a chiro 6 months ago as I trapped several nerves in my back. I have had a course of very expensive chiro (luckily paid out by my insurance) over a period of 6 months. Now this has finished I am finding I have neck problems and recently trapped a nerve in my neck! I am unsure if my health insurance will pay out again and very reluctant (and cant afford) to opt for a similar programme again.

I am now finding I have new pains and sciatica in places I never had before I even had the chiro!!

Is my experience unusual or has this happened to anyone else?

I am due to go there again today to review why this is happening as surely after 6 months of regular chiro I should be as fit as a fiddle??

Anyone else's experiences on this would be gratefully received...

Yes the same has happened to me although I do not think the chiro is to blame. I think some sort of recovery exersize or physio is needed to not repeat injury especially if a weakness exists ( such as dodgy facets). I was recomended pilates to build muscles that can help protect my back. I know of some hospitals that run back recovery programs (NHS) but they are hard to get on.

Hi there, just thought I'd mention a book that I'm reading at the moment called 'Healing Back Pain' by Dr John Sarno. Its cheap and you can get it from Amazon. I've recently had terrible problems with my back (sciatica etc) and have been told that I've probably slipped a disc by both an osteopath and a physio, and I'm currently waiting for an MRI. Nothing seemed to help me at all and I have been dosed up codeine. I read about this book on the web, and the reviews on amazon are amazing, so I thought I had nothing to lose. I have found this book an absolute godsend and since starting to read it , my symptoms have reduced dramatically, although I've still got a way to go, but I feel a bit like a different person! Its based on the 'mindbody' school of thought that believes that emotions are really closely linked to back/neck/nerve pain etc and it dispells a lot of the fear and anxiety around back and neck problems. You need a bit of an open mind when reading it but I can't recommend it highly enough. Its fantastic and I can't believe more people haven't heard about it! Hope you find it useful, even if a little bit. Best wishes.

That's great thanks for the tip- am very open to those kind of ideas so will take a look

I went back to chiro again and they say I need another intensive load of treatment which I said I wasnt opposed to yet couldn't afford to pay in excess of £80 per month! (£100+ with sports massages on top

Also with 2 DC's under the age of 4, dragging them there several times a week is a total PITA/stress in itself!!!

will give it a go- thanks

Oh thanks leolion for that book recommendation. I have also ordered it but will continue with pilates ( I have only just started after prolongued illhealth).
I have my own massager (I think sainsburys have a basic one half price at the moment around £12.50 IIRC) to reduce the need for maintanance chiro.

Yeah, I wouldn't say it was the chiropractor...although, how would you know for sure?

My experience has been mixed - went for problems with migraines which turned out not to be migraines so chiropractic care was of little help. It did help with problems with my back, neck, chest and jaw, but not enough to justify the cots.

My mother SWEARS by chiropractors - serious back and hip problems, after years of pain and painful 'treatments' via NHS, with chiropractors the difference to her was amazing. If it wasn't for them she'd have been in a wheelchair years ago...just a shame NHS don't pay for chiropractors and she can't afford health insurance/privet health care.

I don't this the NHS really offer much for back pain- my doctor wrote me a prescription for 400 tramadol and said there wasnt much else he could do! Shame as I can't really function properly on a day to day basis on that stuff but its the only paankiller that has any effect when I trap another nerve

Going to start Pilates back up yet am quite undecided about the chiropracter. I do find it helps but I seem to need to have twice weekly appointments to remain pain free which if i'm paying for it I just can't afford.

Going to change my mattress and see if that helps things...must be cost effective if it reduces my chiro bill somehow!!!

thanks leolion I ordered that book so very interested in what it says.

• 'think' even

I have only been once - trapped nerve during pregnancy. He pressed hard on my back, popped whatever was out of place back in, and I was healed. It was amazing, I could hardly walk before I went to see him.

A friend has regular back pain, and the chiro said that the problem was that he could keep popping the nerve back into place but each time he did that it was making the muscles around about it weaker. She was shown excises to do to strengthen the muscles.

I went to see a chiropractor for my pregnancy sciatica and after half an hour of his treatment my back went into spasm and I could barely walk. I was in absolute agony. I went in with an open mind, but I have to say that I now think it's total quack medicine. Have been seeing an osteopath ever since and would recommend that to anyone with back problems.

I do have to say that if you are not happy with your chiro, try out a different one. I went to the one my friend recommended, and he was great.