OT Chiropractor Visit

Well, the head and neck haven't gotten any better after 4 months.  In fact it has gotten worse.  And of course there is still no answer as to why much less an effective treatment.  I have been to my  PCP, a pain doctor, 2 PT's, a sleep doctor, a neurologist,  a pain shrink, had x rays, ct's, MRI's, acupuncture and massages (and a partridge in a pear tree).  I am waiting for an appointment with an ortho and a doctor that does Botox injections and a witch doctor.  Just kidding about the witch doctor.  I think.  I have been taking pain meds, Gabapentin and I'm now taking Topamax, neither of which have done a thing.  I have been told so many different possible reasons but nothing definitive.
I hadn't seen a chiropractor because my insurance doesn't pay and I'm broke but everyone has been telling me I should go.  So I have a long time acquaintance with whom I have a lot of mutual friends and everyone keeps saying I should see him but I didn't want to bother him but the pain has been so bad lately I got desperate and I got my nerve up and explained to him what has been going one and asked him if I could make payment arrangements.  He told me to come in and not to worry about paying him, that this is his way of paying back is to help those in pain.  God bless him.
So I saw him yesterday.  I brought the reports on the tests I had done.  He listened to me, examined me and read the reports and he believes I hurt myself on a rowing machine because that is when the pain started, when I had just started working out for a few weeks.  He felt very strongly that he could help.
So he does his thing.  Now, I have never had any kind of chiropractic stuff done so I didn't know what to expect except what I've seen on TV and the movies.  Holy mother of God, that hurt!  He did warn me.  He gave me the "safe" word to stop if I couldn't take it but I was determined to stick it out because I really want it to help me.  He was impressed.  He said he had big, grown men crying like little girls after he did that to them.  I could hear things crunching and cracking.  After wards he asked how I felt.  I could tell he expected me to feel better right away but I couldn't really tell a difference at that point, maybe a little better but when I got home, OMG I was in pain.  I felt like I had been run over and today was the worse I had ever felt.  I'm hoping that is normal for the amount of manipulation and crunching and cracking there was.  I am seeing him tomorrow and of course I will be honest but I feel bad.  I mean he really seemed to think I would be feeling a lot better after he was done.  Is it normal to feel worse after wards and for it to take a while or are you supposed to start feeling better right away if it's going to help?
I did manage to go to a water aerobics class because being in water does help, so does the jacuzzi.  I am trying to live my life as normally as I can in spite of the pain but it is hard when it's the only thing I can think of.  I really hope the Botox injections help or some kind of nerve block or something.  

I am sorry to hear that you STILL do not have an answer on this pain, and I do hope that the chiropractor can help.  I saw one for several years for a problem at the base of my neck resulting from an assault, and I did always feel better right after he worked on me, but I was also somewhat sore a few hours after the first treatment.  I imagine it really depends on what the problem is and what he is doing to you.  Fortunately, I don't go more than about twice a year these days (massage helps enough), because the part where he snaps my neck scares me every time!

Lora

Hi LT. I'm sorry you've had to see so many folks and no one has been able to alleviate your pain. I've never had chiropractic, but I am wondering if it may take several treatments for you to notice  a marked improvement.

At any rate, good luck and I'm glad to hear he is willing to help.

The only time I used a Chiro (also a friend) was when I stupidly tried to put a bed skirt on my queen bed and rested the mattress on my head so I could push the skirt in. Had the most painful headaches. I had crushed some vertebrae together on a nerve or something. Finally went to my friend and he "adjusted" my neck and I felt instant relief. But that's all I remember (this was like 20 years ago?). Talk to him. I don't know if you should still be feeling that much pain. Good luck!

When you've been "adjusted", it often takes a few days for your
bones and nerves to feel better.

I've had a whiplash injury since 1967 that only responds to periodic adjustments.

Good luck

 I have on-going neck pain.  Dx first as a form of migraine, so I would just use excederine (not anymore).  I've been seeing a chiropractor for a few months.  It really seems to help.  This is my 2nd chiropractor -- the 1st one, I always hurt more after I left.  This does some pressure type work - not the typical adjustment.  He also focuses lower, on my mid back, and for whatever reason, it relieves the neck pain.  It's awesome that this guy is working without guarantee of payment but I wouldn't continue if it caused that much pain.

My first chiro was awful-felt like he was trying to bodyslam my hips(lower back/tailbone pain during pregnancy) Then I tried another and Oh My Heavens!!! He was amazing,I had had tailbone pain for 12 years prior(when my first son was born) and he relieved it all,I still go in for periodic readjustments, but trying someone new made all the difference-Id give it a couple mroe visits to see how you feel :)

When you are in pain and the area is swollen - it hurts to manipulate. And it hurts after. But eventually it fells better.
Now - when i know I am not adjusted properly - I go see chiro.. 5 -10 min after he is done I can feel relief. Sometimes it is almost immediate. Like someone removed pressure and you can see ... literally.

But I also saw a couple chiro that hurt me more than they helped... A hate to scare you , but my friend end up in surgery and a cast for 4 months (then a brace) after chiro manipulation.  They were not sure if the chiro broke (fracture) her spine or it was like that before the treatment and his manipulation exposed the area. 
When my back is "frozen" my chiro does only very small manipulation for that same reason - he explained to me that when muscles are very swollen and tight  - if he tries adjusting them too much at one time - the muscles may pull on the bone and ...break it... There were times I  went for min adjustment every 2-3 days. (when my back was out - herniated disk - and all felt like a solid mass... ) he could not predict how strong my bones are and he did not wanted to risk any bone vertebrae - damage.  

If after 2-3 adjustments - you do not feel better- but worse - then I would no do anymore.  But that's me.

 There are different adjustment techniques.  I had a major whiplash injury combined with a broken leg after a car accident.  Because of the swelling, my chiropractor did not do manual adjustments.  Instead he used an adjustment tool which was much more gentle.  At times, he would do a manual adjustment on my hip, which would seize from referred stress.   

Another chiropractor I went to used mostly manual adjustments.   That was far more difficult for me, and I stopped seeing him.

I was told that you need to really stay hydrated after a chiropractic visit, because toxins are released as a result of the adjustment.  

I've also found that my chiropractor got the best results when I followed my adjustment with massage and/or acupuncture.

Good luck!