Thursday, January 8, 2009

Why the disdain for chiropractics?

I have a new chiropractor and I adore him! Dr. Magic Hands is fabulous (thank you once again, Tara, for the recommendation!). I like that he explains things to me and takes time to answer my questions. He tells me when he is focusing on one area vs another and why. He explains why he cracks me one way vs another. He is also very concerned that I heal; not that I slowly feel better but that I heal and feel relief.

Evidently, I've had an inflamed disk for a long time and not realized it was a disk problem. I have been incapacitated for most of the past three months because of this. I can't pick up my kids, I can't lean over to pick up toys, I can't lift dishes in and out of the sink or dishwasher. It hurts to roll over in bed, to walk, to sit, to stand, to step over puddles, to turn on a dime. It's a nightmare.

So, I started seeing Dr. Magic Hands. My first adjustment gave me tremendous relief. I went from being at a 7 on the pain scale when I went in to feeling almost normal by the end of the day. Like I said, he's magic! After my first two visits, he closed his office for the holidays. By the time I went back to see him, this past Monday, I had been totally unable to function and in extreme pain for three or four days. The adjustment on Monday was painful and didn't do much to help me. I saw him on Wednesday and had some mild relief, but after attending to some errands that could not be put off, I was in bad, bad shape.

He recommended a five-day steroid treatment to reduce the inflammation. But because of my diabetes, I can't take it. I ended up going to the urgent care clinic last night to get a prescription for an anti-inflammatory. The doctor who saw me didn't have a problem writing the rx for me, but he clearly thought I was looney for seeing a chiropractor. He strongly urged me, several times in fact, to reconsider and see an orthopedist.

Why? I just don't get it. Why don't "real" doctors consider chiropractics a viable option for the treatment of back pain? This is not the first time I've run into this attitude from other doctors. Even people who aren't doctors seem to be very wary of chiropractors. I don't understand why.

To me, it makes perfect sense. If the spin is not properly aligned, then nerves and disks are at risk which can cause the muscles to react by swelling or spasming.

I don't expect a chiropractor to cure every little thing about me. But I expect them to be able to fix my back and neck. And it also makes sense to me that if my nervous system is functioning to its full capabilities (no pinchines, spine is properly aligned, etc), then my overall health has a much better chance of improving that if my nervous system was all out of whack.

I really don't understand why chiropractors are looked up on as witch doctors sometimes. Just don't get it.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Seriously...who cares what they think? I have had a lot of back problems as well & getting adjusted is the only thing that works for me! Hope you feel better!

Leigh said...

Josh was in the PT field for a while, and then a massage therapist, and he thinks the same way about chiropractors. I'll ask him why....

momofalltrades said...

Don't even get me started. Rest assured that Hubster, Dr. Magic Hands and a whole plethera of other D.C.'s out there nearly killed themselves getting through school that is EVERY BIT as tough as med school. People who profess to be anti-chiropractic are ill-educated, uninformed and usually so full of themselves that they can't be bothered with facts. May they all suffer crippling low back pain. Amen.

Unknown said...

I knew you'd have something to say Yibbit. LOL

The anti-inflammatory meds he told me to get are helping big time. I'm seeing him 3x/week. I'm so ready to have my life back.