I started going to a chiropractor about 4 months ago and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Just read my blog posts to learn more about my story, but I feel as if I have a new back, based on my treatments by Dr. Pagano. That said, I put off going to a chiropractor for a long time (almost 5 years), due to some concerns I had about chiropractic treatments. I think many people have the same concerns so I have decided to list some of them below.
1. Does it really work?
Why go to a chiropractor when some people the treatments don't work, other swear by it, and there is generally a lot of controversy around the subject matter? Like many, I thought I could help my own cause. I stretched, worked out, stretched more, iced my back, used heat on my back, and probably did a dozen other things that had absolutely no effect. After a few weeks at the chiropractor, my back felt great. Go figure.
2. Will the treatments worsen my back condition?
Common misconception. You hear about the cracking and popping and start to feel concerned about what your chiropractor is actually doing. Are the treatments worsening my condition? No, on the contrary, the chiropractic adjustment can do wonders for your alignment... Believe me, I was all out of whack! I feel great now, experienced no pain from going to the chiropractor, and feel as if I should have made the leap a lot sooner!
3. Will I need to go for the rest of my life?
No, not if you have the right chiropractor! For example, Dr. Pagano in Pennington New Jersey, explained that I should go to him more in the beginning and then start to space out my visits based on how my back feels. I am only going to him once per month now, when in the beginning I was going to him a few times per week. If I keep improving, then I can probably space out my visits even more, maybe once every other month. If your chiropractor tries to lock you into 3 times per week for the foreseeable future, then walk out the door.
If you are thinking about going to a chiropractor and have similar concerns, do yourself a favor and stop thinking so much! Make an appointment with a recommended chiropractor and see if it makes sense for you. If you want to live in pain the rest of your life, then keep going over your concerns time and time again. If you want to help yourself and relieve your pain, try it out.
The Patient
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Thursday, March 8, 2007
The Sacrum - The Source of My Back Problem
I know that I was in the dark for a number of years with regard to the source of my back pain. It wasn't until my chiropractor reviewed my x-rays with me, that I actually saw the source of my back pain, the sacrum. The sacral spine (to be specific) is a triangular shaped bone that is located below the lumbar region of your back. I have included a photo below:
I injured my back when I was doing some landscaping work on my new house about 5 years ago. I felt something pull in the lower left-hand side of my back while digging. The pain wasn't immediate...but I knew something was wrong. It didn't take long for the pain to hit me, just a few hours. And, boy did it hit me! I could barely walk it hurt so bad. After speaking with a lot of people that also have back pain, I have found that many of them also have problems with their lower back, and their sacrum to be specific.
The pain can be easily located (you can point directly to where the pain originates). For me, this is about 2 inches left of the base of my spine. Then there is a shooting pain down my left leg (commonly referred to as sciatica). The sciatica actually hurts more than the origin of the pain!
I tried everything to alleviate the pain, including stretching, icing the area, back exercises, etc. with the hope that my back would heal. 4.5 years later I finally understood that without professional help, it wouldn't heal. That's when I visited my chiropractor for the first time, Dr. Pagano in Pennington New Jersey. I have now been going to Dr. Pagano for 2 full months and I'm amazed at the results so far. My adjustments have really helped my back pain subside and I can do things now that I just couldn't do for the past 4.5 years. Needless to say, I'm extremely happy with my treatment.
So, if you are experiencing pain in your lower back, originating a few inches out from your spine, and you are experiencing sciatica (or pain shooting down your leg), then it very well could be your sacrum that's the issue. It was for me. Don't waste time trying to figure it out on your own...go to an experienced chiropractor and start treatments as soon as possible. Definitely look for a chiropractor that fits your needs, and make sure they come recommended.
Good luck and knock out your back pain!
The Patient
I injured my back when I was doing some landscaping work on my new house about 5 years ago. I felt something pull in the lower left-hand side of my back while digging. The pain wasn't immediate...but I knew something was wrong. It didn't take long for the pain to hit me, just a few hours. And, boy did it hit me! I could barely walk it hurt so bad. After speaking with a lot of people that also have back pain, I have found that many of them also have problems with their lower back, and their sacrum to be specific.
The pain can be easily located (you can point directly to where the pain originates). For me, this is about 2 inches left of the base of my spine. Then there is a shooting pain down my left leg (commonly referred to as sciatica). The sciatica actually hurts more than the origin of the pain!
I tried everything to alleviate the pain, including stretching, icing the area, back exercises, etc. with the hope that my back would heal. 4.5 years later I finally understood that without professional help, it wouldn't heal. That's when I visited my chiropractor for the first time, Dr. Pagano in Pennington New Jersey. I have now been going to Dr. Pagano for 2 full months and I'm amazed at the results so far. My adjustments have really helped my back pain subside and I can do things now that I just couldn't do for the past 4.5 years. Needless to say, I'm extremely happy with my treatment.
So, if you are experiencing pain in your lower back, originating a few inches out from your spine, and you are experiencing sciatica (or pain shooting down your leg), then it very well could be your sacrum that's the issue. It was for me. Don't waste time trying to figure it out on your own...go to an experienced chiropractor and start treatments as soon as possible. Definitely look for a chiropractor that fits your needs, and make sure they come recommended.
Good luck and knock out your back pain!
The Patient