Chiropractor for pain management

[bvent]

I had a chiropractic exam, with x-ray's on Monday.  Dose anyone know anything about chiropractors and are they worth the money they require?  I was told that I had scar tissue from surgery (removal of bone spurs) that he us unable to do anything about.  severe deterioration of my thoracic spine which he hoped he could manipulate and improve and also scar tissue just under my surgery site on L4-5.  He also said my pelvis was rotated and out of alignment which he would also try and get back into the correct position.
My ortho Dr. said that in order to get my money they would always say that my spine needed manipulating, but the he also said he couldn't do anything else for me and refused to give me anything else for the pain.  The pain is so bad Now that I have trouble getting up from a setting position.
I have looked into everything.  I am trying to get into a pain clinic also.  Any thoughts from anyone?  i am desperate.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Bvent,

I am sorry you are still struggle with pain. Chiropractors have their place. And as with physicians there are good ones and bad ones. As you know they should never be a substitute for a physician. We all have horror stories about them but we all have horror stories about physicians.

Did you know that many DO's (Doctor of Osteopathy) are great practitioners that are skilled and better trained in manipulations. Not all DO's preform manipulations but most all of the newer grads do. They are physicians.

As many of you know my PCP is a DO. If it were not for her manipulations I would not function. She also takes care of all my other medical needs and prescribes my pain medications. In my state your PCP treats and follows their CP patients.

I encourage you to see a DO. In my opinion and many others, they are a better, safer choice than a chiropractor. Good luck to you. Please let us know how you are doing. I am very glad that you will soon be seen by a PMP. Please let us know how you are doing. I will look forward to your updates. Take Care, Tuck

[bvent]

Thanks for your support.  I am going to keep at it.  If this doesn't work I will try something else.  My Dr. is also a great GP and has known me for about fourteen years, Has refereed me to a pain clinic.  Every including Dr.s looks at you kind of sideways if you know what I mean when you tell them you are still in pain.  I don't want the drugs but I do want the pain to go away.

[nick30]

if fentanyl isn't touching it then maybe it's nerve related pain (from the scar tissue perhaps). maybe something like neurontin would be worth a try. you've maybe already tried it.

I haven't had back surgery and I don't think my pain is nerve damage therefore i'm prolly not the best person on this forum to help you. there are probably tonnes of ppl here that have had similar problems to yours.

the pain clinic is probably a great idea for you given that there are multiple things that could be causing the pain and that narcotics aren't working. There probably isn't an easy solution that doesn't require serious effort on your part. that's why i would think that effective pain control is very important until you start to make progress and start to feel more positive about the way things are going.

my pain has really gotten much more under control over the past 4-6 months through a combination of a great GP, diet, weight loss, excercise, tweaking my meds in search of the best combination etc. I have taken the attitude that i should do every little thing i can think of to help not only my back/pain, but also my general health.

this seems to have helped alot with my attitude and has allowed me to try harder to overcome the problems that just 6-12 months back were extremely life threatening(by way of suicide). don't give up, be stubborn, and try EVERYTHING. and not just once, keep at it. it's you who will benefit from this, no-one else.

best of luck, keep us informed of ur progress.

Nick

[bvent]

Hay thanks for commenting.  A little more background.  This didn't start until about three months after surgery.  A PT called himself putting my pelvis back into alignment.  I started having pain shortly after and it has progressively gotten worse.  I am on a low dose fentinil patch which doesn't touch it.  The pain is debilitating and I am at my wits end trying to figure out what to do

[nurseaudrea]

You cannot avoid getting scar tissue after surgery. And the more surgery done the more scar tissue that builds up. I don't see how a chiropractor can help the pain from scar tissue by manipulating your spine. I have seen many chiropractors in the past only to be disappointed and actually hurt worse by one before I ever had surgery. I was also told I had a rotated pelvis. I also have spondylolisthesis and you would think that a chiropractor would have noticed that on x-ray before trying  to manipulate my spine. My chiro at the time did not notice and he tried to manipulate my spine by putting a lot of pressure on it and actually broke the pars area of my vertebrae at the L5 area. If he had taken the time to actually study the x-rays better he might have noticed that my L5 vertebrae had slipped forward over the S1 and he should have never tried to do that manipulation. I don't know if it was by coincidence that it got so bad to need surgery or if he is the one that pushed it forward by causing the fracture. I had an MRI shortly afterward and they found the fracture and the spondylolisthesis, which is only helped through spinal fusion so the vertebrae does not keep slipping forward over the one below it. Maybe because of my experience I do not agree with chiropractors for all spinal problems. I know they do have their uses but they are more limited than others would agree. I actually had a relationship with a chiropractor and he taught me a lot. He would manipulate my spine and it never seemed to help. Of course he could not manipulate it at the fusion area and maybe that is why I did not ever get any relief. Now I do remember having my neck manipulated and it did seem to help with headaches, but it was always temporary. I also have cervical issues and several herniated or bulging disks in that area. The only thing that helps with my neck and arm pains are injections that I get at the nerve root area and facets.

Good luck and I hope you find the answers you are looking for. God bless.
Audrea

[nick30]

Hi there, I don't think a chiro will help in the long term. I've seen many and they never provided more than temporary relief. A really good physical therapist is probably better. one that is able to explain to you in great detail about your mechanical problems in such a way that you can visualise what needs to be done, and therefore do it yourself.

this process(which will involve stretching/strengthening excercises)will be painfull in itself (if my experience is anything to go by). this is why it's so important that you understand fully what needs to be done. a pain management dr may be able to help you through this process. pain management alone is temporary unless you actively work on the underlying problems.

not all your problems can be fixed this way (but your pelvic misalignment can be). i don't know where your pain comes from and can't tell you therefore how successful PT would be. anti-inflammitories may help the deterioration problems, but truth is only a multi disiplinary approach can cover all aspects of your pain/mechanical issues.

are you taking anti-inflammitories currently? if not it is unlikely that you would be put on strong painkillers straight away (and you should avoid them if possible).

there's lots more to say but i'll let others join in (and if you want to provide more details that would help). good luck

nick.