Question
Hi,

I have had lower back pain mainly which spreads to my spine and upper back for about 2 years after an accident during a road race when I landed weird in this mud/water pit. I have gone to two physical therapists for about 2-3 months each and have continued their exercises when I stopped going. However, I still have a lot of pain and can't do much physical activity and even daily activity like sleeping and shoveling snow. My doctor took an xray and found a cyst in my lower back (although she said it is not a concern) and believes it is a muscle sprain. My physical therapist also told me everything is out of place in my lower back. Although my physical therapist (and their practice as a whole) is against going to a chiropractor, I have in a lot of pain and have been in pain for a while now. Is it in my best interest to see one?

Thanks so much!

Maura

Answer

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dr brian mckay   Maura,
  I am concerned that you got bad advice on not seeing a chiropractor especially after PT failed twice. Like any profession there are good and bad practitioners. For your PT to have a blanket no chiropractic policy is foolish and certainly not in the best interest of the patient who might derive benefit from chiropractic care. That aside let's focus on your problem.
From what I can tell is that you are active which is great. we need to keep you active and pain free.If your PT is correct in that you have a lot of things out of place in your lower back how would you handle it? If something is out of place and is creating difficulty in your daily activities what makes the most sense? Putting things back in place. If a spinal bone is 3 mm off on one side it will affect the entire area. The longer you have that spinal bone out of place the more collateral damage there will be. This is why the pain is spreading to your upper back. The spine is dynamic not static. This means that either you are getting better and stronger or getting weaker with concomitant pain. Advil and massage can only go so far. The mis-aligned spinal bones need to be restored to their rightful place.
A good chiropractor shoul dbe able to solve your problem as long as the cyst is not a factor. Let's assume that your doctor is correct in thinking that the cyst in benign. They did not find anything bad. This is more reason why I feel you will be helped by a chiropractor.
The chiropractor will restore the bone to its proper location this will take pressure off the nerve that is causing you pain.The muscles that attach to your mis aligned spinal bone cause havoc and go into spasm. This spasm is mistaken for the cause of the pain by your doctor and PT. They do not see that the bone out of place is the root cause. Find the cause fix it and you will be shoveling snow again real soon. You will have to give it time. The time since your original injury and the time lapse since the failed therapy sessions indicate you have a longer healing time. Be patient and if you need help finding a chiropractor reach out to me.I am fairly certain you will get the relief you deserve.
I ask that you report your success to your doctor and PT, maybe it will help change their minds as to ways to help patients better.
low back pain
Dr. Brian McKay