Question
Hello, I'm 22 years old and have had back pain since high school. I never maid a bid deal about it because i thought it was due to my high stress issues. However, years have passed and the pain has been increasing just recently this past July i enrolled to study cosmetology and have started to feel the intensity of my back pain increase to the point where it has settled and not go away. i don't have insurance which is why i never gone to get x-rays but the pain is unbearable i went to a local chiropractor and had some x-rays. My lower back is curved and my neck is curved the complete opposite way. This freaked me out and was kind of in denial. but i examined my back and felt the curve of my spine and now i don't know what to do. I want to be a hair dresser but I'm 6'2 and a weight 220 and the chair can only go so far forcing me to bend down or have my neck down for hours. and this pain is destroying my career which has just begun. I'm scared and don't know what to do on the matter. i have been cheated and lied multiple times by so called professionals and want to trust this chiropractor that he says would help me with the pain. Should i get surgery. i have depression and just when i was finely taking part in something meaningful i come down with this. what can i do to help this problem i have with my spine going all directions. and where can i find the best medical location to cure or help improve my situation?
I appreciate your time in reading my question thank you
sincerely Ricky

Answer
Ricky,

What I am going to tell you is based on current research and consensus on how do address your situation.   First, if you have depression, it will cause you to feel more bodily pain.   It is a serious component when addressing back pain and you need to have it tended to.  This means a visit with your primary care medical doctor or psychiatrist for consideration of medicines.   Also, get your vitamin-D levels checked, because if you are deficient, it can cause both depression and muscular weakness.   Your vitamin-d (D3) level should be between 70-85 at best, so get it checked.  If your level is below 30, then you'll need to take it daily at about 5,000 IU's and once/week at a 50,000 IU capsule as well, then after four weeks stay on a dose around 5,000 (more in winter and less in summer...there are varied protocols and opinions on how much D3 to take, but this gives you a rough idea).    Second, regarding your spine on x-rays, at 22 years old it is a waste of time.   Unless you had signs of a fracture, dislocation, or serious spine disorder, x-rays will not tell you what your problem is, no matter how much you see funny curves.  There is little to no correlation between x-ray curve alterations and pain, and there is no validity to a suspected bone misalignment causing pain.   It is an outdated idea.  What is more important is whether you are someone that has spine weakness, instability of a vertebra (google the: "Prone instability test of lumbar spine"), or joint stiffness (fixation/dysfunction tightness in surrounding muscles).   This sort of categorization has been researched and tested.   If you have a little weakness and also joint fixation/stiffness, then (without any need for x-rays), you would have the chiropractor do joint manipulation and soft tissue therapy such as deep massage or (even better) Graston Technique, and you would go to the gym to do some exercise to strengthen your back (preferrably with a trainer to help you get started).   If you have lumbar instability, you would do "stability exercises" such as "Bird dog," prone plank, and side plank.  If the chiropractor's methods are going to work, you'll know within a handfull of visits (not 1,000 visits);   Some references are:  www.westhartfordgroup.com;  www.vitamindcouncil.org;  www.acbsp.com;   Unless you have debilitating sciatica and you are dragging your leg and you have lost your reflexes, you do not need surgery.

'Hope this was helpful.

Dr. G