Back problems thread (Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Surgery etc)

[skilts]

Yeah dry-needling seems to do the job, less painful than massage, if they know what they are doing you can barely even feel the needles.

I was going to edit my post to re-enforce the importance of going to somebody for acupuncture who is also qualified as a medical doctor. Apart from any other consideration, there exists the possibility of the treatment being bulk billed.

 

[Bazzar]

they are still rather tight and it is an issue I have to work on, I've been told to stretch them regularly.

You should try the board. If you dont have the gear to make it a local local joinery would slap one up from chipboard off cuts (like mine) for next to nothing and it would only take them 5-10 minutes. Mine is at the back of the room facing the telly and i just jump on when watching it, so its no hassle and just second nature now.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

You should try the board. If you dont have the gear to make it a local local joinery would slap one up from chipboard off cuts (like mine) for next to nothing and it would only take them 5-10 minutes. Mine is at the back of the room facing the telly and i just jump on when watching it, so its no hassle and just second nature now.

yeah the board seems like an easier way to stretch them then jamming my foot against a wall.

 

[Wright Away]

You should try the board. If you dont have the gear to make it a local local joinery would slap one up from chipboard off cuts (like mine) for next to nothing and it would only take them 5-10 minutes. Mine is at the back of the room facing the telly and i just jump on when watching it, so its no hassle and just second nature now.

I'm going to try this too!

 

[nicky]

Is the one in Fitzroy as good as the one you see?

Apparently so (haven't been but the recommendation comes from someone who's been to both)

 

[Tulip]

I have this problem where I can't sit for longer than 10 or so minutes because of the intolerable lower back pain that begins after around 10 minutes of sitting.. I am constantly in pain when travelling in a car and doing things where I'm required to sit (visiting, going to a movie etc).. Sometimes I even get a pinched nerve in my lower back and my body will be crooked and slanting to the left for almost a week.

The problem probably has something to do with a gym injury in 2010. Just wondering if anyone has had any similar problems and wether they can recommend a good chiro in Melbourne. I've had enough of not being able to sit and will probably go and get an MRI done early next year if I don't t have any luck with a chiro. I've been to 3 different chiro's and masseuse's and none of them have helped me.

I hope I don't need lower back surgery

I have some symptoms that sound like yours, came from an injury two years ago when I had a sharp landing on my tailbone.

Where are you in Melbourne? South East?

 

[neroblack]

I work in health (in medical imaging). Chiropractic is to healthcare what Scientology is to religion. While there are plenty of people (including on this board) who have positive experiences, the founding principles of the discipline are nonsense.

There are few who are honest enough to deal with spines and pelvises, but there are also a group who claim they can treat a range or ailments from cancer through to bed wetting through spinal manipulation.

If you must use one:

1. Never, ever, ever let someone use a high velocity technique on your neck.
2. If a chiro is willing to manipulate any part of your spine without a medical history or x-rays, run. Get that MRI first.

http://www.chirobase.org/01General/chirosham.html

3. Ask about a time frame for improvement and hold them to it. If it isn't working, ask why. I have one friend who is a health professional of long standing and eminently sensible who has had a standing weekly chiropractic appointment for four years. You may as well set $50 notes on fire.

I see a chiro fairly often. Have only ever been treated by one guy, except when he was away on holidays and there was a nice young blonde girl filling in for him. A little off topic but I would have let her manipulate anything she wanted to.

Anyways the guy I see falls into the bolded category above. Has never claimed that treatment would help with anything else, and I may well be put off forever if he did. I've had a couple of reasonably major back problems, had xrays, scans etc so am comfortable it's not just guess work. When I've had specific problems the treatment has improved them. Some poeple put it down to a placebo, but I don't think this is the case for me.

In saying that keen to try some other options also, have a good mate who's a recently qualified myotherapist who's keen to have a crack, been recommended to osteo also...any advice welcome (without getting into an argument about chiros if it can be helped!).

 

[nicky]

I'm with you nero regarding chiros. I've only had one and he was good. He did what i needed him to do and i like my neck and back being manipulated.

 

[Groupie_]

I have some symptoms that sound like yours, came from an injury two years ago when I had a sharp landing on my tailbone.

Where are you in Melbourne? South East?

I'm in Mill Park (North)

 

[Ice-Wolf]

In saying that keen to try some other options also, have a good mate who's a recently qualified myotherapist who's keen to have a crack, been recommended to osteo also...any advice welcome (without getting into an argument about chiros if it can be helped!).

If he's a qualified myotherapist he wont be cracking anything that not how they work (or at least not in my experience). I would try the myoptherapist, if it doesn't work the worst that it will probably result in is you'll feel a bit bruised (they are not gentle).

 

[neroblack]

If he's a qualified myotherapist he wont be cracking anything that not how they work (or at least not in my experience). I would try the myoptherapist, if it doesn't work the worst that it will probably result in is you'll feel a bit bruised (they are not gentle).

Was a poor pun at best! I don't know much about it but if it means I wake up each morning less sore than I generally do then that's a good thing. And I don't mind it rough

 

[Ice-Wolf]

I'm with you nero regarding chiros. I've only had one and he was good. He did what i needed him to do and i like my neck and back being manipulated.

My problem with Chiro's is that do they treat the symptom or the cause. If they are just realigning you are they doing anything to help what is causing you to get misaligned.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Was a poor pun at best! I don't know much about it but if it means I wake up each morning less sore than I generally do then that's a good thing. And I don't mind it rough

You'll probably wake up feeling sore (bruised) the next day, but you'll should be less stiff and under less pain.

That being said the better condition your muscles are in the less soreness you feel after a treatment.

 

[nicky]

My problem with Chiro's is that do they treat the symptom or the cause. If they are just realigning you are they doing anything to help what is causing you to get misaligned.

My osteo says the same thing about chrios - they're good for providing relief.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

And I don't mind it rough

That's what she s... carry on. Had to be done.

 

[Tulip]

I'm in Mill Park (North)

Okay, I know a few South East - one in particular who sorted out a severe problem I had before the tailbone became a real issue.

 

[Groupie_]

Okay, I know a few South East - one in particular who sorted out a severe problem I had before the tailbone became a real issue.

Did you have the same issue with sitting? Has it gone away since you saw the osteopath ? I can't sit for longer than 10 mins.

It's ridiculous!

 

[Andre]

I have this problem where I can't sit for longer than 10 or so minutes because of the intolerable lower back pain that begins after around 10 minutes of sitting.. I am constantly in pain when travelling in a car and doing things where I'm required to sit (visiting, going to a movie etc).. Sometimes I even get a pinched nerve in my lower back and my body will be crooked and slanting to the left for almost a week.

Go see a physio. Chiro's could be used in prisons to manipulate prisoners who cause trouble, as a cruel and unusual punishment. From what you say I'd guess you've got a bulging disc causing sciatic pain. I don't get intolerable pain, but if I sit longer than 15 minutes my back and right leg start aching. I've seen a physio and had an MRI and do have a bulging disc, with another with a touch of arthritis. I can go for a 10+ km run without issues, but sit for 15+ minutes and it starts kicking in.

A good physio will get it back to some extent, but you'll end up having to strengthen your core if you want to help stop issues in the future. And ideally stay away from exercises that directly load the spine - barbell squats, military press etc. If it's a bulging disc they can wreak havoc. I stay away from those, but still can hit 90% of exercises. If your back has gone out, unfortunately even if it gets to a point of not being sore, once it's gone it's always going to be more likely to go in the future.

Some people like them, some don't, but if you find out it's a bulging disc have a look at getting an inversion table. I've got one of these and stretch out before bed each night. The couple of times I've been away on holiday without access to it my back / leg has ached much more. They are great for decompressing and getting fluid back into where your back is screwed.

 

[woopedazz]

Short discussion on the lifestyle board a while back. First response sums it up. http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/chiropractors.953353/

 

[Gasometer]

I work in health (in medical imaging). Chiropractic is to healthcare what Scientology is to religion. While there are plenty of people (including on this board) who have positive experiences, the founding principles of the discipline are nonsense.

There are few who are honest enough to deal with spines and pelvises, but there are also a group who claim they can treat a range or ailments from cancer through to bed wetting through spinal manipulation.

If you must use one:

1. Never, ever, ever let someone use a high velocity technique on your neck.
2. If a chiro is willing to manipulate any part of your spine without a medical history or x-rays, run. Get that MRI first.

http://www.chirobase.org/01General/chirosham.html

3. Ask about a time frame for improvement and hold them to it. If it isn't working, ask why. I have one friend who is a health professional of long standing and eminently sensible who has had a standing weekly chiropractic appointment for four years. You may as well set $50 notes on fire.

Do we put Massuers who do these weekend Courses into the mix?

Some of the diagnosis through finger and hand touching of muscular and skeletal issues are jaw dropping.

 

[Gasometer]

Here's what I did after locking up lower back a few years ago:-

1. Bought a new good mattress.

2. Visited a Physio twice.

Pain never returned.

 

[Bazzar]

Here's what I did after locking up lower back a few years ago:-

1. Bought a new good mattress.

2. Visited a Physio twice.

Pain never returned.

Great bit of advice

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Chiropractic is not real medicine.

 

[Wright Away]

Chiropractic is not real medicine.

Sorry I meant FACT.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Get the MRI done and then see about hydrotherapy. Physio used to just stir my back up worse. I found exercising in the warm pool was better than anything else I had done over a number of years.

I did mine while I was in the military. I ended up having surgery, all they did was shaved off the discs that had protruded out and were sitting on the nerves. They told me beforehand that there was no guarantee that more disc wouldn't come out in the future, which it did 6 months later after doing some PE on afternoon.

After that it was rehab and all that would alleviate any of the pain was hydrotherapy. I was told that if I ever went to a chiro or got any other treatment that they didn't approve of then I'd be on my own. Exercising with the water supporting my weight was great although it could be a bit ordinary on walking out of the pool as all the weight dropped again.

They sent me to a pain and injury management clinic where the physios gave me some brilliant new exercises and showed me how to modify a lot of day to day activities. There was also a psych. I found those sessions a complete waste of time.

It ended up taking about 3 years before I was in good enough condition to play any sort of sport again.

10 years down the track I'm fine.