Post: #1

Was curious if any of you guys see a chiropractor regularly and what your experience is? Also curious how to select a good chiropractor.

I have had some friends and coworkers rave about seeing chiropractors. I had a stiff neck that wouldn't go away so decided to check one out. I think I picked a bad one so was just curious how my experience lines up with others and also how to select a good chiropractor. Long story short decided to checkout this place.

First off the place I went to seemed more spa like than medical office which I don't mind but had attractive receptionists, modern looking place, chiropractor was a good looking (no homo) lol younger guy in a tight polo, just seemed like they were trying too hard to have a certain image.

I had heard from some friends who had been to chiropractors that initial visits were pretty intensive taking measurements of how far you can turn your neck this way and that way, xrays, taking measurements of body parts, etc.

My first visit on the other hand the guy asked me what was wrong, didn't even really examine me just was like oh yah you have this and that going on, we'll have you come in here like 3x a week until you loosen up. Basically every visit was the same, would go in and see the chiropractor basically no exam he would have me lay on the table do one crack which was basically having me lay on my side and pressing on my side, would only crack one side not the other side. Every single time say yeah still kinda tight come back. Then they'd send me over to a massage therapist where they would basically just ask you what you wanted massaged, you'd get like a 15 minute massage and then be on your way.

My impression was basically it was a racket on insurance companies to give people free massages, I didn't feel like anyone really did much examining or trying to figure out if you really had any issues. THeir billing was kind of strange too. From the first visit the girls like your insurance works this way so here's how we do it. If you pay 6 copays upfront we'll give you 32 visits for the year. I wasn't thinking so agreed but really I probably should have checked it out a time or two to see if I even wanted to commit to that long. It was very high pressure to get you in there 2-3 times a week. Not only do I not have time to go there 3x a week but also I'd rather save my visits and spread them out over a year at times I was tight and could actually use them, not just comming in 3x a week just for the sake of comming in 3x a week.

Anyhow, I kinda got sick of the high pressure to get you in all the time and iddn't have time to go so just kind of stopped going.

Anyhow, I was recently thinking about going back as I'm stressed and tight and spending a lot of time on the computer so getting really tight neck and shoulders, thought it could do me some good and heard others rave about chiropractors. I was just curious to hear if other people think it's worthwhile going to a chiropractor as well as what to look for in a legit chiropractor and if my experience was anything inline with what yours was. I should also add I havn't had any car accidents and don't have any injury or reason to realy go aside from overall health benefits if any.

Post: #2

No reason to go regularly. Get a professional massage once or twice a month to help ease muscle tension. stretching/yoga is also good.

Chiros do have their place. Every year or so I sleep wrong and get a kink in my neck. OR sometimes I get a stiff neck due to stress or other factors. At these times some good neck-cracking can really provide immediate relief. But I only go once to get cracked and don't bother with follow-ups.

Post: #3

(10-06-2014 07:42 PM)youngblazer Wrote:  No reason to go regularly. Get a professional massage once or twice a month to help ease muscle tension. stretching/yoga is also good.

Chiros do have their place. Every year or so I sleep wrong and get a kink in my neck. OR sometimes I get a stiff neck due to stress or other factors. At these times some good neck-cracking can really provide immediate relief. But I only go once to get cracked and don't bother with follow-ups.

Are chiropractors someone you can just go see every now and again or couple times a year or do most prefer you be an ongoing patient? I'd actually prefer just to be able to drop in when I feel like I need it, however it seems like most people I know go fairly regularly.

Post: #4

I've had quite serious spine and joint problems for over a decade. I go to a chiropractor whenever something goes out to the point that it impairs my functioning. In fact, I literally just got home after seeing a new one, for a nasty pinched nerve in my neck that has limited my mobility and made sleeping a chore for a couple of months now.

I've seen a handful of different ones over the years, and here's what I think about them:

Some are good, others are not. Trust your gut on this. If you don't feel like someone is listening to you, or taking you seriously, go somewhere else. I switched to this new guy because the other guy I was seeing for this problem seemed to have the knack of adjusting every single thing except the exact vertebra that is impinging on the nerve.

I wish the first chiropractor I ever saw was still around. That man was fucking magical, fixed me right up when I couldn't hardly walk because I was misaligned between my shoulder blades. He told me straight up, that if you can't get your issue fixed within 3 or at most 5 visits, you are at the wrong place and should go to a different chiropractor. And he told me this with the understanding that my issues are not typical, so if you just have the sort of normal kinks like youngblazer described above, you shouldn't need to go more than once. If you enjoy getting your spine manipulated regularly, then by all means, go 3 times a week, but you'd be better off just finding a good masseuse in that case.*

Xrays/MRI. If you have a real problem that your chiropractor can't solve for you, get them. A good chiropractor Mwill xray you before anything else.

Shop around. Most of them charge a higher fee for your initial visit, and then less for followups. But what is included varies widely. The guy I just came from hooked me up to this weird electroshock torture device for 15 minutes, and it was awesome. Many endorphins were released this day.

I'm in a lot of pain and just dosed myself quite heavily with ibuprofen, bourbon, and an ice pack, so I can't tell if I'm rambling here or not. I'll be happy to answer questions about my experience if you have any, but am signing off for now.

*Massage probably deserves its own thread, or has one. The going rate in my locale is $60/hr for a licensed massage therapist. You can save a TON of money if you have a massage school nearby, by getting cheap massages from students. I've not found them to be any worse than any other massages. Also, massage schools are full of loose young women who are comfortable touching strangers' bodies already, so you can do the math on that. And while I know this won't be popular on this forum, I would feel remiss if I did not mention that $60 will also get me a fantastic deep tissue massage at the nearby Chinese Massage Parlour, which may or may not have attractive young women working, who may or may not provide additional services at no charge to a charming fellow.

Post: #5

I started going to one about 7 years ago, my posture was really bad. I had an intensive couple of weeks at one with lots of visits and then I was pretty much fixed. Since everything has been fine I just went once a month for maintenance.
I bought a foam roller recently, never used one before but that seems to be able to get most of the cracks out so I may stop going completely.

Post: #6

Chiropractors are bone specialists. Notably spinal therapy.

If your back is out of line a good one will correct it within a reasonable time frame. If it is your muscles then you need to see a physio.

Personally you can avoid all of that if you correct your posture and not bend your neck at awkward angles during sleep.

Post: #7

I use to have some major spine problems that a really good chiropractor helped me fix. He told me a lot don't know what they are doing and just start popping things, but this guy knew his stuff. I couldn't do weight training I do now if he hadn't shifted what he did.

Post: #8

The guy here who works in the village I live in works with Tour de France teams. The man is a genius.

He compares the frequency of visits required to cars. Ie. If you ski every day in winter, you are like a rally car and you need to go see the mechanic more often. If you are just a car that commutes from home to work, you don't need servicing so often.

I recently went after the season and I was exhausted after the session and it released so much tension and I guess toxic fluid caught up in the joints that I had a cold for about a week after. Feel great now though.

Post: #9

I have a lot to say on this, I'll try and keep it brief.

I've had several injuries relating to neck and spine. One as a teenager, another later on when I got hit by a car while on a bike about a decade ago and had a serious work place injury about 5 years ago.

As I sit here typing this, I am in better spinal and craniosacral health than most of the population.

Chiropractors. Like all fields of health, it depends on who you get and what their particular ethos is in regards to what they practice. From my experience, I can tell you, I never had a good one. I responded badly to the treatment, which I found to be violent and heavy.

A lot of them are outright scam artists. Anyone who offers you a payment plan set up over regular visits should be avoided like the plague. If someone is purporting to heal you, but is locking you in to what amounts to a lifetime of treatment, then they ain't interested in healing you.

Then I discovered Osteopathy, and I shudder to think about where I'd be if I didn't.

I've seen several, and right now I'm seeing one that is regarded to be one of the best practitioners in the world, but all of them have been helpful to some degree.

I needed a lot of work initially, but was told right from the outset that the goal is to reach a state where I wouldn't need their services any longer.

The treatment is...next level. It's targeted, tailored and customised to the body and the issue. Adjustments are safe but effective. I always walk out of a clinic feeling freer and taller.

I've had some very long in depth discussions with my Osteopath on the nature of musculoskeletal health and the impact it has right throughout the body, relating to all kinds of crazy things like auto immune, but leave that to medically trained forum members to get into if they want.

My Osteopath is the reason I got into the gym. I had been mulling for years about it, but he put it in no uncertain terms: "You can see me once every two months for the rest of your life, or you can get into the gym and develop the muscle structure you need to hold my adjustments in place and stop regressing, up to you."

I didn't wait for the thinking music.

I got a trainer to show me how to do things with correct form and placement, and my Osteopath spoke with him about what I can an can't do and what to focus on.

Now I lift solo, and I lift heavy.

I used to go monthly, now I go twice yearly, largely for monitoring and check ups.

Changed my goddamn life. I get to age without significant back and neck problems and anything that does come up is ironed out quick.

If you're asking me, it's a no brainer. Even if you think you are in good health, sometimes what is creating tension in the body is below conscious awareness.

Post: #10

Funny this thread should come up, I recently had extensive testing like your friends describe with measurements and x-rays. Basically I was at a local fair, and this place had a booth set up for free five minute evaluations. I'd been trying to improve my bad posture with exercises and just standing up straighter, but I'd get this tingling sensation in my left shoulder blade, not a harsh pain, but a tingling numbness. On top of that, the whole "shoulders back, down, relax" never worked because my whole upper body is just so damn stiff.

Also back problems run in my family, and while I don't have issues as bad as my mother or sister, I've had spinal disc issues in the past and saw a local guy from my old home town. He was unusual in that he did electrical acupuncture, but it did work. The gal took a look at me and immediately told me one shoulder was lower than the other, and my upper back was incredibly stiff. They offered a full exam for 20 bucks (plus a discount massage on the day of the results), and I took the deal because why the fuck not (also the doc doing it was very cute, and I was lucky enough to schedule the exam during her hours).

I went in last week, and found out that my neck did not have a normal range of motion. I don't get the full results until next week but judging from the numbness occurring more frequently in my shoulder, sudden pain in my left hip afterwards (she did warn me and said to use ice), and the stiffness in my neck, they'll probably come up with something. I have decent insurance so I'll pursue recommendations that seem reasonable.

As for Dr. Cute-Back-Cracker, I kept it purely as a patient/client and didn't try and game, though now I'm tempted to turn the charm up when I see her for the exam results and see if she takes. I know my family would be thrilled if I brought home a professional Chiropractor, they'll have to forgive me for being on the Trump Train then!

My advice would be to try a different place and ask for a full exam.

Post: #11

Seeing a Chiropractor when you're in pain, especially back pain is a must. Does wonder on your spine, and they explain what causes the pain, along with the stretches that will help you stay pain free.

I've seen 2 so far, and they've been great. Just pay attention since I had an evaluation with another one, and she tried to sell me a bunch a products. Took the loss of paying for the evaluation, but made sure to never go back.

Post: #12

I started to see one today for TMD and sciatica. Wants to see me 3 times a week which will be hard for 4-6 weeks, than 2 times a week and eventually once every 3 weeks. Was able to stand taller afterwards. Not wild about the neck twist crack or the jaw manipulation.

Post: #13

I had hurt my neck about 14 years ago. Visiting a chiropractor become a regular part of my life. Without regular visits my neck would become immobile to the point of where I could not drive a car safely. Of course I drove anyway. Without chiropractic care I would literally have to grab my hair and lift my head up if I was lying down and trying to sit upright. This would happen at least once every three months. Enter yoga. One of the girls I was seeing coerced me into going to yoga. The stretching felt good and the view wasn't bad either. That was 6 years ago and I haven't been to a chiropractor since. I go to yoga once every two weeks to a month. Vinyasa Flow is my practice of choice and as a bonus I have a whole new group of women to pick and choose from. Try it and evaluate it for yourself.

Post: #14

I'd agree with the previous poster who is weary of them putting you on a fixed schedule so soon.

Try another one.

The first chiropractor I went to was ok but she never got to the root problem of my lower back pain that would flare up bad every few years or so.

Another chiro bought her practice. He set me up with custom shoe insole orthotics and I never had the back pain again and foot pain again.

I used to carry a heavy brief case for two years.
I stopped but after I had lower back pain from hell...couldn't walk for two days, could barely crawl.

Got chiro treatment felt better. After a few years, it came back.

The good chiropractor (he) told me that my right shoulder was lower than my left (because of the briefcase). He said that the body wants your eyes to be even with the horizon...so the arches in my left foot were falling to even me out.

Before he told me, I didn't even think my occasional foot pain had anything to do with my back.

The last time I went about 2 years ago I had a serious stiff neck. Hurt like hell, could barely move it.

He couldn't even adjust me. I was too tight so he set me up with his massage therapist. The first massage therapist loosened me up a bit but the second one was a beast...she left bruises and it was a torture session but it loosened up my neck to where the chiropractor could work on it. He also had me do two sessions in the infrared sauna. (I'm getting one in my house someday...they're great!)

Chiropractic problems rarely go away with a single visit.
It's not like going to an MD for a virus or something and popping a bunch a strong pills and feeling better afterward.

Joint and muscles problems develop over years and cannot go away instantly. Sometimes you feel worse after the first visit because you muscles are resisting the change.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
A good chiropractor can do wonders. A so-so one...not so much but it sure beats the hell out of doing nothing.

If you were in southern Southern Cali, I'd hook you up with my chiro.
He (and his massage therapist) did wonders for my neck with only a few visits.

Post: #15

I'm really feeling it today. Feels like I need to crack my back, but can't and the joints are tender. I was thinking starting twice next week. And if I feel better, trying three times the following week.

Post: #16

If your insurance covers it (I have a 10 dollar copay), go once a month. 120 a year on a chiropractor is reasonable if you have a good one

Post: #17

My uncle is a Chiropractor where I use to see him allot when I had an office job. For my back/neck, I found it was best to get a good massage. Sometimes I would put my back out where is when I visited my uncle.

When I became a labour 5 years ago, I stop seeing my uncle. I also make sure I stretch regularly now and have a form roller. When muscles get tight they fuck up your posture which means you have to get it fixed. I would suggest to stretch for 5 minutes a day... The older you get, the more tighter your muscles get. Magnesium also relaxs your muscles.