Chiropractors..

[sara3]

anyone tried this somewhat brutal treatment? I feel like I've been assaulted! I am also a bit dubious as to the benefits. I believe the medical profession doesn't approve, and private medical insurance won't cover it (not that I have any).

any views?

[yogasun]

I have been fortunate that I haven't ever had to visit a chiropractor, osteopath, etc but I'm constantly being asked my opinion.
It's horses for courses. I would say that a McTimoney Chiropractor is a better bet if in doubt as they have a gentler approach. Google to see the difference.

[sara3]

thanks yogasun, just looking at the link. my gp advised against it, but I booked a "spinal wellness" appointment, and found it was a chiropractor. all American people, and I'm just a bit cynical.

and it hurts. a lot!

[yogasun]

OH dear, hopefully it will settle. What's the matter with your back sara?

[sara3]

oh, where to start?!!

I'm hypermobile, so have many many years of sitting badly, in a few slightly knotted positions. I've had Morton's Neuromas (nerve damage, related to the hypermobility) in both feet, so about 18 months of not walking/standing so well. then an op in March to remove both neuromas, so a lot of hobbling and sitting since then.. although more mobile now.

my pelvis is tilted, and I have chronic lower back/hip pain. I'm having physio, but just "dipped my toe" into the world of chiropractors!

[yogasun]

OH, OK, not at all straightforward I can see why you have developed the back pain. Is the pelvis tilted backwards?

[emmie]

no but i did see an osteopath, it made me ten times worse, so never again

[friedgreentomato]

Dad swears by them Sara, he has been to them a few times and each time it has 'healed' him.

[sara3]

em.. that's how I'm feeling re the chiropractor!

Helen, I feel quite a lot worse at the mo, but they seem to think I'm on the (very long, and expensive) road to recovery.

yogasun, it's higher and slightly forward on the right, I think.

[RATTER15]

I very nearly punched the one I saw, I had a bad neck, while massaging my neck he suddenly twisted it and it bloody hurt! I told him not to do it again but he did, I gave him a bit of verbal and walked out without paying, he very nearly needed a GP himself!

Carakeel was put in a wheelchair for six weeks after a chiropractor damaged her back.

I would never go near one!!

[sara3]

bloody hell, RATTER! that's what I'm scared of. the treatment seem brutal, and I wonder why the medical profession seem to disapprove. I've had both sides of my neck cracked, and 4 places on my spine. it's.... like torture!

[woofgang]

me either. If i have joint or soft tissue problems, I go to a physiotherapist. You do find physios who do other therapies as part of their physio, like McTimony but I would always want to see someone whose training I understood and who has a strict governing body.

[RATTER15]

When I had crippling pain in my neck for over 18 months of seeing private physiotherapists, I eventually went to a Yoga teacher that specialised in yoga to cure injuries, I was totally amazed by this guy, he had me pain free with 6 visits and I actually loved the yoga. Once I was cured I didn't go back, shame really but at £30 a week I couldn't afford it at that time. You really need a yoga teacher that specialise in this work, just joining a normal yoga class could do more harm than good.

Good luck whatever course of action you take.

[sara3]

thanks RATTER, glad you got sorted but it's all so expensive. I need to do pilates to help my core stability, for my hypermobility. it's very expensive :o/

thanks also woofgang. I have on-going physio, so I think I'll just stick with that.

the cost of the chiropractor is.. well, priceless!

[Mosaic]

I've had good and bad expereinces with chiropractors. The good was very good - a practice that combined all sorts of care, so you could have manipulation, therapeutic massage, and supervised exercise programmes. The second one I saw, a place in Warrington, were a set of transparent grifters whose aim was to get you to part with £700 up front and get you to sign a documnet saying if the treatment didn't work it was your own fault. Like Ratter, I walked out of that one.
They shouldn't hurt or alarm you.
Problem is there's no official regulation or monitoring of them.

[yogasun]

Agree with Ratter, one to one Yoga could help. I don't do it because I am so embarrassed at having to charge the going rate! Therefore I only do general classes. It could help you, or maybe an individual Pilates session.

[sara3]

Mosaic, the place you've been to sounds very good. my physio has given me some pilates based exercises to do at home, so hopefully we can build on that. the chiropractor I've seen offers payment plans. I think that goes some way to show how expensive it is!

yogasun, thanks again.. good for you with your morals, but maybe people will be happy to pay for your one-to-one attention!

[boxtops]

I would far far rather go to a chiropractor than to an osteopath, and I have experience of both. I saw the osteopath for whiplash after a car accident and he frightened me rigid - never again will I voluntarily allow anyone to jerk my neck the way he did. It was fine but it was very scary. I am seeing a chiropractor at the moment, she's identified misalignment in my pelvis which has probably been there since childhood and I feel much better for going. I get no brutal treatment, just manipulation and vibrating massage.

[yogasun]

That's good advice from the physio, persevere with that.
Good luck. Let me know how you get on.

[LoftyLottie]

I have a brilliant Osteopath who is very gentle. I saw two chiropractors years ago when I was relatively young. I have had problems since my teens. My hypermobility was not even picked up by either chiropractor. They did a lot more damage. I would avoid at all costs. A good osteopath will ask lots of questions and if necessary apply only very gentle techniques.

[LoftyLottie]

I suppose it depends on your individual experiences. I also see good physiotherapists on the NHS.