Doctor or chiropractor?

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by hizzah &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I'd go to a physical therapist to see if it's something you can work out. I had an issue and went to a physical therapist and he gave me a bunch of exercises and stretches that got things back aligned and pain removed. My friend went to a chiropractor and just get's adjusted and it only last a few weeks and he's back. I haven't gone in 3 years I just do the things he told me to and I've been fine.</td></tr></table>

+1

I know a couple of guys (myself included) who went to a chiropractor and had the problem get worse. I realize some guys do have good results with the chiro approach but not me.

My experience says to see a dr first, however it is a long process. I have had back pain for 30 years and just finally found out what it was. I will warn you that drs know that 80 % of the population has back pain, they will start you off with the typical stuff, physical therapy, rest, muscle relaxers etc. MRI,s are expensive and insurance will only cover them after all else is tried. You have to be willing to keep going back to the dr and try everything easy to fix first. I went to therapy for a long time, did the rest and meds, it would get better for a while then the pain would come back again. I finally decided to try a chiropractor I had heard great things about, he took X-rays and described my problem to me. I was assured he could fix it with adjustments. After a couple of weeks of adjustments I ended up flat on my back barely able to get to the bathroom by myself, then to top it off I ended up in the emergency room with what they thought was a badly sprained ankle! I ended up on crutches for a couple of days and as would just happen I had a dr appointment already set up with another back specialist, he saw me hobble in and and after examining me said get rid of the crutches it was my back causing all the pain in my ankle! He scheduled me for an MRI and got it approved thought the insurance! I found out the real reason for all my pain finally. X-rays show shadows of bones, mri,s show the actual discs and other soft material. I have no disc left in one spot and barely part of another. The chiropractor when adjusting my back was actually aggravating the area and causing inflammation. With rest and no adjustments for a couple of weeks I was back to my semi normal self. I have options for surgery but no guarantees, they say 33% chance of being better, 33% chance of the same and a 33% chance of it being worse after surgery. I M not much of a gambler and have to just learn my limitations, I can still do all the things I want just have to be careful. Knowing what is wrong is the best thing for me then I can decide on a course of action or in my case no action at this time. Chiropractors can be great for some things and they do work for a lot of people, but on certain things they simply can not fix them. You really need to find out what is wrong to plan your course of action and like I said before that takes a lot of time on your part.

Good luck and sorry to ramble on so much.

didn't see gregs post as his posted as I was typing. I have to agree with 95% of what he said.

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by fishindoc &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

You beat me to it. Find a local DO. We are fully licensed doctors like MD. our training includes manipulative therapy.</td></tr></table>

I have been to more than one of them all. And I would say go to a DO. I haven't had much luck with chiropractors. I went to one that was clearly in the Quack category, years ago on a recommendation when I was desperate. Went to another that was more recently trained and had 8 years of school. I think they can help if you throw out your back or something is misaligned. As for them curing degenerative disc disease or ruptured discs. I don't have any faith in them helping that. This is my experience after spending plenty of cash.

Also I don't buy into the you need 10 or 20 visits crap. Each time I have tweeked it. They can get it popped back in and then after that is just up to your body to heal itself.

If you look at research most back injuries heal themselves in 3 months. Then another percentage at 6 months. Most of the crap MDs do is give you pain meds till hopefully your back helps itself. Or they send you to physical therapy for a couple months then to mri then to specialist. All this takes a few months. Its like they are making coin while buying time to see if your body will heal itself. That is my experience of 5 years of back issues.

A doctor will give you a prescription for a pain medication while a chiropractor will adjust your back to eliminate the problem... just my $.02