chiropractic....... is it any good?

[ryuji]

i am thinking of trying it. does it really work for l4-l5 l5-s1 slight focal protrusion?

[mike1105]

Ryuji---It would seem to me that "slight focal protrusion" should not be casuing pain. I would suspect that your "injury" was perhaps a severely sprained ligament(s) or pulled muslce(s). These are soft tissue injuries that need the correct exercise/stretching and triggerpont release to get better. If I am right, you will never find someone else (doctor. chiro.physiatrist/PT/acupuncturist etc etc) to "fix" you while you lay on a table somewhere. Get a book by D'arrezzo on posture, read a website by Jolie Bookspan on back pain (she has an excellent book called "fixing your back pain without drugs or surgery")
My MRI reads 10X worse than yours. herniations, stenosis, protrusions, facet problems/DDD etc etc. I am pain free becasue i fixed my muscles. JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A FINDING(s) ON YOUR MRI DOES NOT MEAN IT IS CAUSING PAIN!!!!!!!

[mike1105]

CHRIS M---- I never said it is "the only thing that can be casuing back injury" (whatever that means--ie your comment does not make sense). Unless you meant "pain" not "injury", and even then I did not say that. I said his MRI report seemed benign, and that the pain is probably from his muscles. He tried physiatry. It did not work, and I suspect it did not work because his muscles are out of balance and he keeps trying to have someone else fix him. If you notice, I do not blame every sigle posting of back pain on muscle issues-- only the ones with negative testing , MRIs that seem benign, and pain that is NOT typical for foraminal entrapment/radiculopathy. Are you a referral service???

[ryuji]

Yes, I have tried I physio therapy and they used all kinds of modern technology and it didn't work. My MRI scan revealed L4-L5 L5-S1 slight focal protrusion of discs and i sustained this injury on march 09 2006 while working on an aircraft. Initially i use to wake up with a stiff lower back. Shame no doctor recommended MRI scan then. Then the constant backache occured and it is still there. I can't even lift heavy things anymore. When i stand and work for long or when i walk for long my feet hurts. My legs get cramped. Thats the scialic nerve affect of disc herniation i guess. Now i will go see a Chiropractor & sports rehabilitation speacilist, lets see how things turn out there.

Thanks for all your reply

[Chris_M]

I have to respectfully disagree with mike, myofascial pain is not the only thing that can be causing back injury.  I while your MRI does not look bad, I would seek out the opinion of a qualified physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation (physiatry).  Chiropractic adjustment has been shown to be effective for one to two treatments, but any adjustments beyond this will only have temporary results.

I would be glad to point you in the right direction.

All the best,
    Chris

[mike1105]

"slight focal disc protrusion" should not be causing you pain. My experience with back pain has been this: When your back hurts (unless there is referred pain or numbness to a specific toe or finger, ie unless the symptoms can be traced to a specific nerve root where there is a distinct "pinching" on an MRI or other scan) it is becasue muscles are in spasm. Why ? Posture, posture,posture. You need to go to a website by Jolie Bookspan and read about pelvic alignment and back pain. You can fix this yourself with myofascial release techniques combined with postural training and the appropriate stretches and exercise. Bones dont hurt, muscles do. Muscles pull bones, bones dont pull muscles. fix the muscles and your bones will line up fine. Have a chiropractor adjust your bones, and your muscles will pull them right back to where they were in a few hours, if that. this approach worked for me.

[giveitback]

HI,

In my experience, the chiropractor was the worse thing I could do. I went once and she used the lowest possible "pressure" on me and I could not handle it. However, some people really find a lot of relief!

I think it depends on the severity of your condition. I would try it once, tell them exactly how you feel, make them start "easy" and see if you can handle it. You will know after one session if you can handle being manipulated by a chiropractor. I hear they are great at "adjusting", but when it comes to other factors; ie, discs, nerves, muscles, impingements, etc. I would be cautious!

Have you tried physical therapy?

Cheers!