QuestionI made the mistake (at least I think so) of going to a chiropractor last summer. When I got there I mainly wanted her to work on my neck. It sounded crackling when I turned it and I thought that might be causing my dizziness. Well upon filling out paperwork, it asked any other problems (I should have not mentioned a thing!). I put down that sometimes on my right side hip area I get a "catch" in it. I noticed having it first when I was working as a waitress about 20 years ago ( I just turned 50-female) when I bent down into a cooler and would twist to dish up ice cream. It never seemed bad back then when I was in my early 20's - just a "catch". So I thought why not have her look/address it. She took x-rays and said I had several discs out. She ONLY would push around on my back (cracking it) and ultrasound. After about a month or less, I was laying on my side on our bed watching TV at night. My buttock's area cramped bad! I tried to get up - and MAN I screamed and could not move. I had my husband dial the chiropractor and talked to her. She said to take ibuprofen and ice it. I met her the next morning as her first patient. Well the muscle spasm re-occurred several times over the next 3 months, once while I was in her office. She had done a procedure and let me up from the table and it grabbed. And I like this "what do you want me to do?" What the heck? Who's the professional here - I'm thinking to myself and had schooling on this! She continued to just pushed down hard on the right side hip saying my hip was out. Anyway after the muscle spasm never totally leaving - always present and would rare it's ugly head at any time, I decided to go to my family doctor. He don't like chiro's and sent me for x-rays - discs not out - scoliosis setting in and an extra vertebrae and thought it was a muscle strain. He gave me muscle relaxers and sent me for physical therapy. It's now a year later and my right buttock still bothers me. If I massage the area, it seems to cramp more. I have read and read different stretches and exercises and tried them to no avail. It doesn't bother me too much now unless I'm stressed or sit in folding chair for awhile or turn just right. I'm still not sure if my muscle tore with all her pushing down on my hips or what in fact happened. And if it did - has it left scar tissue? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Answer
Hanna Somatic Educatio
Hi, Tori.
For convenience, I have interleaved my answers within your question:
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It sounded crackling when I turned it and I thought that might be causing my dizziness.
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That's a sign of tight neck muscles. Reflexive connections between neck muscles, the balance centers of the inner ears, and the eye muscles cause the dizziness, called "cervicogenic dizziness". Please see http://somatics.com/conditions.htm#Dizziness for more.
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After about a month or less, I was laying on my side on our bed watching TV at night. My buttock's area cramped bad! . . . She (your chiropractor) continued to just pushed down hard on the right side hip saying my hip was out.
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That's the shortcoming of the understanding behind chiropractic. The hip "went out" because of the habitual tension of the muscles surrounding -- a brain conditioning problem, which cannot be corrected by any kind of manipulation -- but only by freeing you from the grip of the muscular tension habit.</B>
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I decided to go to my family doctor. He don't like chiro's and sent me for x-rays - discs not out - scoliosis setting in and an extra vertebrae and thought it was a muscle strain.
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"muscle strain" (see above). Scoliosis is another consequence of habitual muscular tension. The extra vertebra is completely irrelevant. more on scoliosis: http://somatics.com/conditions.htm#Scoliosis
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I'm still not sure if my muscle tore with all her pushing down on my hips or what in fact happened.
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Muscle spasm. Highly, highly unlikely that anything tore.
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And if it did - has it left scar tissue?
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also of secondary importance || The main issue is the conditioned muscular tension. I address that point in a few articles I have written:
http://somatics.com/recovery_from_injury.htm
http://somatics.com/movement.htm
and more on the difference between somatic education and chiropractic
http://somatics.com/back%20injuries%20santa%20fe.htm
That should get you well-started. The articles indicate your easiest course of action. Write again if you need further advice.
regard,
Lawrence Gold
