Are they witch doctors? Maybe. I'm not sure. But I had been to the doctor multiple times for neck stiffness and pain, lower back pain, and rib pain on my right side...and nothing was diagnosed or helping. I was starting to fear that I had a running injury that was coming from the intense schedule that I was trying to keep up. Panic was setting in and the pain started fanning out.
(SIDE NOTE-- Go ahead and block WebMD. What a terrible site. Your nose is running? Well, you may have a cold-- or you may have liver failure. Pain in the base of your foot? That must be grustepahiejapia. It has a 97.3% mortality rate...)
The strange thing is that running was my greatest relief. I could be in a tremendous amount of pain, but if I got into a jog, after 3-5 minutes, I'd feel fine.
A friend told me he had had similar symptoms after carrying around a heavy messenger bag for a while. I did the math-- from school and tutoring, I'd been carrying a 30-40 lbs messenger bag on one side for the better part of a year and a half.
So for the last 2 weeks, I've been seeing a chiropractor. The jury's out on if he can help me, but he claims I have scar tissue along the right side of my spine and behind my right shoulder. I've been 3 times-- go again today for number 4.
Initial review:
1. I don't like the strange neck twisty/spine cracking thing he does. I did some asking around, it seems like they do that for all problems. Why? To convince us they know how to do cool stuff? What does it actually do? Just about everybody else I have asked LOVES this motion-- I think you're all on drugs.
2. I do like that he knows the spots that are hurting me without my needing to tell him. Makes me feel like he understands something that I don't.
3. I'm not sure if a massage would be a better means of treating me. For the moment, I think the answer is no? Stay classy San Diego?
I'm a big fan of putting your faith in more that just those who have an MD. They're influenced by liability and would rather give you a pill, cut you open and have you sit on your butt because you're less likely to get hurt that way. If you want to keep with the treatment but want to change your doc I have a guy up in Arlington, he never did that crack you neck thing, makes my neck hurt just thinking about it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Gretchen. I am going to ask why they do the neck twisty thing today. We'll get an answer!
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