Chiropractor vs. Physical Therapy?
By mforseth
@mforseth (169)
United States
December 20, 2006 5:28am CST
I have had major back pain over the last few years and an curious what everyone's opinion is. Does a Chiropractor help or hurt? Is physical therapy helpful? What other options have people tried regarding lower back pain? What has worked and what has not worked?
3 responses
@nonew3 (1941)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I have been going to the same chiropractor for about 3 years for my lower-back pain, and have had no results whatsoever. Not good. Not bad. Just none. It's agonizing, given the amount of pain I have been in.
According to the MRI that I had 2 weeks ago, the pain seems to be not coming from pinched nerves or a herniated discs, but most likely a combination of muscle pain and possibly facet-joint pain.
To have had no results whatsoever on this is well beyond frustrating.
I wish I could give better news on this. :-(
However, I am starting physical therapy this morning for this problem. I hope that will work better for me.
@spinecracker (1)
• United States
5 Feb 08
I am very sorry to hear about your poor outcome with chiropractic care. I happen to be a chiropractor, and I am a little concerned that your chiropractor treated you for so long without any apparent positive response. In my practice, we do therapeutic trials on every patient. This means that a history, review of systems and examination are done, the patient's condition is diagnosed, a treatment plan is drawn up, and the patent is treated for a specific time period (usually 2 to 4 weeks) using adjusting, soft tissue therapies and home exercise regimes. After the 2 to 4 weeks are up, we review the patient's response to care and do another examination. If the patient is improving, then we treat for another few weeks and review. If there is no response or a worsening of the patient's condition, then we try different treatment options for another few weeks. If the patient is not healing the way they should be, then we refer out for further testing and, if necessary, consult with a medical doctor. I hope that the physical therapy works for you but, if it doesn't, you can always go to a differnet chiropractor - I'll even help find a good one for you in your area.
@sunkissed (4330)
• United States
9 Apr 08
Well I am going to a chiropractor and taking physical therapy at the same time. The therapy is not helping at all. the chiropracter is helping my neck. I have 3 bulging disks in there, could not move it without pain for 2 years. I had 3 adjustments now no pain, and can move my neck.But I have been disabled 22 years becuse of my back. I have had 4 back surguries.I have so much nerve root damage in my legs. Now my hips are bad too, can hardly sit. I have been to the pain clinics for injections and everyting. The chiopracter is my last resort.
@tessah (6617)
• United States
1 Apr 08
ive known some people that after one single visit with a chiropractor, were perfectly fine and didnt need to go back again. have known others, who wind up going continuously for years with no results at all. and others, myself personally, that wound up completely crippled from the experience. i would go the physical therapy route first, and if you decide to see a chiropractor, research them thoroughly and speak to some of their patients for refferences before seeing them.
