Dear All,
Last Christmas my husband strained his back and it has not got better despite ongoing physiotherapy. We don't know if he has "slipped" a disk as the doctors' view is that he should continue with physio and pain control (which has not so far been very effective).
A lot of friends have recommended that he should try a chiropractor. Has anyone got any advice? We have heard this can be risky particularly for people over 60 as the spinal manipulation has been known to cause never damage in uncommon (but not vanishingly rare) cases. More damage being the last thing he needs at an age when we don't heal up well ...
He's had quite a lot of osteopathy when he was younger, but never seen an actual chiropractor. Over the years, physio core exercises have been the most effective help, but this was before he actually injured himself - and now we read that core exercises can make things worse in some cases by making muscles over-react!
Gratefull for any insight anyone can give.
Both Osteopaths and chiropractors are experts in dealing with backs. I have had treatment by an good osteopath who temporary provided relief. I have continual treatment by a McTimony chiropractor on the NHS for a condition I have. The osteopathic treatment was very vigorous and scary compared to the chiropractic treatment I recieve now. What you relying on when receiving treatment is how sensitive is the practitioner's hands and how skilled are the hand movements. There is no way that I know of that you can test for this. You have to rely that they are ensuring that they are keeping on developing their hand skills.
You husband needs an MRI scan to check for any possibility of a problem. Muscles work by contracting. Their are nerve inputs which tell a muscle to contract. The nerve cannot tell a muscle to uncontract. The muscle relies on other muscles to lengthen it out again. Hence when their is reduced movement of a living human body their is likihood of muscles getting over contracted and remaining in that state. Over contracted muscles have reduced blood supply and as a result are starved of mutrient and lack good removal of waste products.
The longer a muscle is the stronger it is. Muscle groups consist of bundles of muscle fibres. Strength is dependant on more muscle fibres doing an action. Unfortunately as we get older the brain can make errors in muscle control. You can over-contract a muscle. A scenario takes place where you need a bit of strength. You contract a muscle you need more strength and you contract the muscle more. The result is that the muscle gets weaker and you end up in a positive feedback loop which over contracts a muscle and leaves it over contracted.
Physios tend to be (unless you have a good one) one size fits all. What is good for someone in their twenties is not necessarily good for someone in their late 50s and older. Over contracted muscles need to be manually stretched. Pain killer or anti inflammatories cannot stretch out over contracted muscle.
You need to network with people to find out a good chiropractor. You need a second opinion. It is worth taking up yoga to learn how to stretch out over contracted muscle. You may be in a situation where you need to lose strength. You need the advice of an experienced hands on practitioner in regard to this matter. A lot of physios tend to forget how muscles are actually designed to work.
Hope I have been helpful.
HI, I suffer from chronic pain that has left me bedbound. Opioids don’t help. How did you manage to get chiropractor on the NHS? What other treatments do they offer on the NHS for pain relief. I asked my GP about chiropractor, acupuncture and Botox and they were all reluctant to offer help in that way. I can’t afford to do it privately. Not really had any treatments other than pills and few sessions on Physio that I was already doing anyway. I tried CBD and that didn’t work either. Would appreciate your reply. Thanks
I got my treatment on the basis of an article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) written in 1993 saying that chiropractic was better than physiotherapy. I persuaded the local health board with the help of my GP that chiropractic would not cure my problem, but would help me manage it. I did biophysics as part of my degree and I had the educational resources to persuade the local health board at the time (1993).
Look at: nhs.uk/conditions/chiroprac...
nice.org.uk/guidance/NG59/c...
thespinejournalonline.com/a...
The conclusion in the last reference is
"Conclusion
There is moderate-quality evidence that manipulation and mobilization are likely to reduce pain and improve function for patients with chronic low back pain; manipulation appears to produce a larger effect than mobilization. Both therapies appear safe. Multimodal programs may be a promising option."
These are resources and evidence to take to the GP. NHS England funds GP surgeries. If you get no joy from the GP contact NHS England with grounds for complaint.
Hope this helps
I saw a chiropractor whilst awaiting an appointment with a spinal specialist. This took longer than it should because a GP refused to take me seriously. She manipulated my spine, told me to do several exercises and insisted that I could not have a ‘slipped disc.’ When I finally had an MRI it showed that I had 2 severely prolapsed discs. It was so serious they wanted to admit me then and there. Some of the exercises and treatment she had given me wer, to put it kindly, counterproductive.
I would never recommend a chiropractor after this although she had in fact been recommend to me and I realise that there are good, bad and indifferent practitioners in every field.
I wrote to her and explained that I do infact have 2 prolapsed discs because I didn’t want anyone else to go through this. I had to have a major operation on my spine as by now I was bent sideways in a hook shape and my body has never fully straightened since.
So, no, personality I would never go to an alternative practitioner now.
Thank you for your experience, this is just the kind of downside that we have heard can happen with some chiropractors and osteopaths. GPs are no better. They can take the view that they "know" what is and is not the problem, and getting a genuine test is difficult. We are going to try and tread carefully!