low back and hip joint pain

[madhvi1]

I am 43 yr old female having low back pain and pain on back of my thighs and hip joints, hurts to bed down and sit up, very uncomfortable. i went to couple of chiropractors, one said it sounds like pirformis syndrom, did ultrasound but the pain seem to get worse.
The other chiropractor, did some tests on nerves and reflexes and x-rays, some adjustments on my neck, upper back and low back. said i have transitional vetebrae defect, 5L. and Rt Lumbar Scoliosis, short Rt Leg, and straight cervical spine, my neck spine is too straight and it should be curved. Cost $421, wants me to go back everyday for a week and then as adjustments needed.
I don't know about this, I am skeptic of chiropractors as they want you to keep going back and I don't want any surgeries if not necessary.
What are my options? What are your suggestions?
Thank you for you help!

[mike1105]

The last poster is spot on. In our culture, we are flexion addicts, we sit alot, slouch, hunch---etc. this leads to a variety of "syndromes"---Lower crossed syndrome, piriformis syndrome, etc etc---- these syndromes are all based on one thing--- loose and weak muscle groups fighting against short and tight ones. tight hamstrings are notorious for causing of low back, butt and even leg pain. As are tight quadratus muscles. Try heating your sore muscles, then laying  on a baseball on the spots that hurt the most--- Keep the ball on the spot for 3 minutes minimum-- then move it around bit by bit till the entire area is covered. then do the other side. then stretch these muscles you just released. Do this a few times a day for a number of days and see how you feel. Stretch whenever you can.

[sk8flo]

If you can find an orthopedic sports doc, he might give you a better explanation and treatment plan.  You could be having referred pain from sciatica, which can give you the pain you describe.  I just went through this myself.  It is a slow process for the pain to begin to subside and the remaining pain is in my hip and groin.  

I did use a chiropractor for several years when I was ice skating (in my 40's) and he did help me considerably......but I also got tired of the monthly appointments for maintenance and then his practice got a little too 'alternative' for me.  So I have returned to traditional docs - granted they are not all the greatest......

You might want to consider getting a PT referral from your primary care doc.  I find PT's do a much more thorough exam, listen better (than most docs) and can be very helpful in the diagnostic part....set you on an exercise program that is realistic and listen to your feedback and chart your progress.  PT will require at least twice a week initially for several weeks.  A quick fix does not happen here.

Surgery is a last resort or if well documented anatomical/nerve problems exist.  The hard part for most of us is that we just want to take a pill or have surgery.  It takes a certain mind-set to be patient enough to do the exercises over weeks/several months to get relief.  Tight hamstrings are notorious for adding to LBP, back of thighs, etc.  There are many reasons why you may be having difficulty but from what you wrote, the diagnosis seems too complex for what may be a much simplier reason.  Good luck!