Having grown up in Louisiana and worked for defense attorneys for many, many years, I didn’t have a very high opinion of chiropractors. Louisiana used to have billboards that read something like “We’re the only state that doesn’t license chiropractors” so, growing up seeing that, and knowing the attitude of defense attorneys towards chiropractors, I would never go to one!
Until . .
I have been having so much trouble with my right foot. It got to the point where I could hardly walk and I mentioned it to a friend in the medical field and he told me I needed to see a podiatrist so that’s when we went to see one in Abilene. She x-rayed my foot and found a little arthritis and recommended a shoe insert and no flip flops so . . no flip flops and I’ve been wearing her inserts in my shoes and I had no relief. Then I went to a podiatrist here in town. He again x-rayed my foot and said he didn’t even see arthritis. He put me on a prednisone pack (6 days) and a prescription pain cream for inflammation. By the second day of taking prednisone, despite it making me feel bad, my foot was so much better but about three days after I’d taken the last pill, the foot pain was back.
I’ve seen the doctor here 3 or 4 times and when I went earlier this week, he gave me another prescription for yet another prednisone pack.
In the meantime, since my first visit to the podiatrist, my right hip started hurting, then the back of my right thigh, then my left hip, and then the outside of my left knee and a bit down the outside of my left upper shin area. I did a bit of research (and you know how much doctors love that) and decided I had sciatica. I’m going to visit with a friend in the medical field this weekend and I figured I’d ask her about it and see what she thinks. I’ve been paying more attention to how I’m sitting while knitting and in general, paying attention to what I’m doing. For a minute or two, out of desperation, I thought about seeing a chiropractor but talked myself out of it.
Tuesday night we watched a documentary on chiropractors (pro-chiropractor). I’ve been around the block enough times to know not to believe everything I see and hear on TV but what I heard made a lot of sense. I figured at this point, what do I have to lose. During the middle of watching the documentary, Vince said “Have you thought of seeing a chiropractor for your foot?” Right then I texted a friend who works for a chiropractor here in town and I said “I need to see a chiropractor” and we texted back and forth and Wednesday morning at 9:30 I saw the chiropractor. While I’m not cured after one visit, I’m pretty impressed with what I saw (x-rays) and what he told me and the bit of relief I already feel.
I liked the guy a lot! He sat and talked with me and explained everything. Pointed to good and bad areas on my x-rays.
The x-rays showed that all my disc spaces are great . . no back issues. The movements he did showed that my hips are good. I was fearing double hip replacements with the pain I was having. Nope, hips are good. He feelsI do have sciatica, and I never told him that was my own diagnosis. There’s some crooked stuff around the hip area and when he mashed way down on my low back .. almost to my hips . . OUCH!
He did some manipulation and some kind of electronic therapy and we’ll continue this for a while and see if there’s improvement. I’m more hopeful than I’ve been for a while.
Carolyn says
Have you change shoes from what you normally wear? When I was teaching there was a time I got to the point I could hardly walk for the pain in my lower back, legs and feet. It was a football coach who suggested I quit wearing the flats I had on even if they were my “new” favorites. It took a couple of days in other shoes, but it sure fixed the problem. Yes, I was glad because in just a few days of wearing those favorite shoes I almost lost my ability to walk.
JudyL says
No. I was mostly wearing flip flops and I had noticed that wearing a tight, lace up shoe helped and the podiatrist in Abilene confirmed – get rid of the flip flops and wear a shoe with more support but mostly it’s the same tennis shoes I’ve had for several years.
Like you, though, quite a few years ago I did have a pair of shoes that was causing leg and back pain and I figured it out and stopped wearing them.
Tina in NJ says
My mom’s a nurse, and she’s never believed in chiropractors. That didn’t stop her from going to one when I was a kid, though. He’s a family friend and his name is Sternback. (I may have the spelling slightly off, but that’s how it’s pronounced, honest!) my sister still goes to one, but Dr. Sternback is long since retired.
Melody says
Judy, So grateful you are getting some relief from your pain. I have battled back pain (sciatica) for several years. I almost had surgery, but physical therapy helped. It took a long time almost a year. I also saw a chiropractor and would see one regularly, but my insurance doesn’t cover it. The last time I saw one, he gave me a lift for my shoe. One of my legs is shorter than the other. It makes so much difference when I wear it and my shoe inserts. I know that you are in and out a lot and change shoes a lot. Here is what I do. I keep 2 pair of these and use one indoors and another for yard work etc. this is the link from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B2N0AE?keywords=shoes&nodeID=679337011&qid=1447941138&ref_=sr_1_3&refinements=p_89%3AMerrell&s=apparel&sr=1-3.
They are Merrell Jungle Mocks. Great support, but they are slip ons.
Take care
Denise ~ justquiltin says
As I work in a lawfirm, defense work also, you know I have much the same vision of Chiros as you do but like in all things there are good ones and bad ones. Both my parents off and on have had sciatica problems for many years and when it acts up, the chiropractor is the only way they’ve found relief. Hope it works as well for you.
Elaine says
You may also be favoring your sore foot and shifting your weight to the other leg causing your body to go out of alignment without ever realizing what you are doing. I do believe in chiropractors and also with acupuncture, which helped with my sciatica, as did Lidoderm patches. Maybe new sneakers with a good arch support would help too, good luck and I do hope this treatment is successful for you. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Vince, Elaine
Sherrill says
That is SO funny you mentioned defense attorneys as I just did jury duty last week and it involved a rear end collision and the defense atty. was questioning the jury pool about chiro’s. During the trial, it turns out there weren’t even any chiro’s involved..no idea why he even brought chiro’s into it. My DH went quite often as he had a lot of back issues and the chiro helped him. I’ve been a few times to get ‘snapped back into place’ and definitely feel they have their niche!
Jen says
I totally believe in chiropractors…but they all practice different. I fought and fought with back issues for 20+ years. After my last pregnancy, I was in so much pain, I couldn’t even roll over in bed. I took a blind leap and went to someone different,….thought he was going to kill me and 160.00 later….I haven’t been back to a chiropractor since. (3.5 years..probably just jinxed myself!) Amazing…wish I’d have found him initially!
They also recommended I wear shoes in the house…so I keep a pair of nice tennis shoes with great support and wear them off and on throughout the day. I am on my feet all day long…and that seems to help.
danielle nabozny says
I have never believed in chiropractors either but……one has kept my husband from back surgery for the past 30+ years. When he originally hurt his back (trying on a pair of jeans!) our MD was out of town so we went to see the doctor covering for him. Happened to be a DO who was actually the brother of a very talented/busy/famous neurosurgeon. This DO told my husband he had two choices – back surgery that would result in even more problems, or manipulation. Since my husband had seen how debilitating back surgery was on his father – he chose manipulation. Luckily when we moved to CA he found an excellant chiropractor and has been with him ever since. I went once because of sciatica that was so bad I couldnt sit/stand/lay down. And he did wonders – but my problem is that I cannot relax enough which makes it harder for him to do his job.
Cheryl in Iowa says
Living in the city with Palmer College of Chiropractic I’ve found you are either a believer, or not! I am. Although they can’t fix everything, a good adjustment can make walking easier. I sure hope this helps you.
Lani says
I swear by chiropractors! Of course, you have to find a good one. When I was working and at a computer all day I started getting numbness in my hands. I went to a doctor and the first thing he wanted to do is throw drugs at me.
I went to a chiropractor and found that something was being pinched in my back. It takes some time as the muscles want to pull back into the bad position, but he fixed me.
As I’m aging, my hip goes out once in a while and I go to him and I’m good as new. I love my chiropractor.
dorothymatheson says
Here in Texas we have Arosti a type of chiropractor. I never believed in a chiropractor at all (I am an RN and had a patient where the patient had a broken neck after a chiropractor worked on him). Never went to one.
After a knee replacement I could not walk comfortable even after 5 months of PT and doing the exercises 3 time a day at home I knew I had to try something different.
Yes I went to Arosti and in three weeks I was over the problems of the very stiff joint I had.
Last year I had a tendonitis in my thumb from too much hand work (sewing). I went to a orthopedic Dr and got an injection and a splint. Well wearing a splint on my dominant hand is just not possible. Yes I went to Arosti and in two weeks the problem was mostly gone.
Nice thing about Arosti is they give home exercises and teach you how to do them and I can not work most of the problems out on my own.
Theresa says
I’ve worked with a lot of men with back pain, and the only relief they got was from their chiropractors. I think it’s smart to try something new if the podiatrist wasn’t helping you.
Joyce says
I go to a chiropractor when my back and/or hips hurt. Usually a couple of visits is all it takes to get things straightened back out. I would be suspicious of any chiropractor who recommends you continue to see them all the time, though. It shouldn’t have to be something you do permanently.
Patti Tappel says
Two years ago at one of our blacksmith conferences a blacksmith;s wife set up a reflexology chair and was doing treatments. I saw her working on someones feet. After talking to her and telling her of my foot pain she said she’d give me a free 10 minutes treatment. After 10 minutes of pain, but good pain, I requested the pay for 30 minutes treatment.
My feet have never hurt again. I can now wear flip flops too.
Vicky says
I remember one of those signs right when you’d cross into Louisiana coming from Orange, TX.
PattiLynn says
Several yrs ago, I developed plantar fasciitis. I experienced severe pain in my heel when I stood or walked. I had a “newish” pair of Mary-Jane flats that I’d started wearing everyday. Doc gave pain pills, told me to use heel pads until it improved and to only wear a shoe with at least a half inch heel. I was amazed how quickly I got over it once I followed his recommendations. Foot pain is the worst – when you can’t get around as normal, it’s terrible.
My mom saw a Chiro several times and he helped her. I’d go if the situation arose where I thought one could help me.
Kathleen says
I’ve been very leery of chiropractors, but traditional medicine isn’t helping my hip/leg pain. It’s been 7 months of worsening pain seeing 3 doctors, 4 medications, 2 shots, and different diagnosis. $2000 out and I’m worse than when I started. So now I’m looking at alternative therapies. But how to find someone reputable is holding me back. It’s scary, but I’m at the desperate stage so may take the plunge.
Mary Kunna says
Many years ago I worked for a chiropractor. If you need more info try to find if any chiro’s in your area have a set of “The Renasiance Tapes” (I hope I spelled that right). It is a series of tapes narrated by Peter Graves that gives a little more history on chiropractic practices. Makes seance in a lot of ways.
Hope things work out.
Mary
Mary Kunna says
That last sentence should have said make sense not seance. Darn auto correct????.
Mary
Lee says
The subject of chiropractic certainly brings up a lot of comments. Back, leg and foot pain seems to be ‘destiny’ as we get to this age. We’ve all spent years wearing wrong shoes, bending and lifting wrong and probably doing more than we should at times. There are definitely good and bad chiropractors, and many who are just so-so. I’ve had them all. One was so rough, I’m sure he injured my neck giving me the neck pain I have now. Then when I was still working I found one who was SO good, but I moved too far away to keep going to him and now 20 years later, I’m sure he’s long retired, and memories of the bad one keep me from looking for a new one when I know I should go. I’ve been to “regular back doctors” and have no good words to say about the ones I’ve been to. And a P.A. prescribed Lidoderm patches (another commentor mentioned them) which I will now use for my lower back pain at the first sign of a flare up. I hope you find a permanent solution and relief, by whatever means you choose to follow 🙂
Katie says
I’m young so my view may change but I’m anti-chiropractor. I have minimal back pain when doing a lot of bending and crouching (tall people issues) and have found yoga to do wonders for this.
Nancy says
For many years I had terrible foot and knee pain. Since I got some good shoes with in inserts from my Chiropractor I am doing much better. Actually I got my first inserts from a store in the area called Good Feet because my feet always hurt. That was amazing. Later I got the inserts from the Chiropractor and those helped my knee.
I never thought much of Chiropractors until the year I popped out 3 ribs from my spine. All the medical doctor did was give me pain pills that made me puke. In desperation I tried a Chiropractor. I had some relieve after one visit but since by then the ribs had been out for over a week it took several visits to get me back aligned.