Question
Dr. Gillman,
It started out as shoulder/rotator pain about 7 years ago and went away for a long period of time. Two years ago I was referred by a massage therapist to my current chiropractor due to the tightness and tingling in my scapula and down my arm. I have been seeing my chiropractor for over a year, off and on, depending on the degree of pain that I am enduring. I was diagnosed with a head forward posture of -4 degrees. Apparently, a person with good posture is positioned between 30-40 degrees. It seems that the adjustments work when I continuosly go. I have lasted as long as 3 weeks (my current status) without an adjustment, but the pain radiating down my arm, up my skull and in my lower back are pretty excrutiating. I am concerned because I have never had lower back pain until the past couple of months. In Oct, I went to see a nuerosurgeon and he said that according to my X-rays the vertebrae and spacing are fine, but suggested I get an MRI. At that point, I decided to start seeing my chiropractor again instead of getting the MRI. I get immense pain up my neck into the muscles at the back of my head, almost half way up my skull. I have used ice/heat, Icy/Hot, traction, yoga, pilates.....are there other options that you might suggest as to pain management or treatment? I do sit at a computer all day long for work, but have made proper adjustments for ergonomics. Any help?

Answer
Cristy,

Your shoulder blade pain and arm tingling likely was a sign of cervical spine nerve irritation.  Forget about the 4 degrees.  Your chiropractor needs to go back to school and read how your neck curve has nothing to do with your pain or your health.   X-rays are shown to be a waste of your time and will likely not aid in determining how the chiropractor can help you.  If you have signs of nerve compression, or if your pain is joint related and might require interventions such as steroid injection, then MRI is the rule.   Your chiropractic treatment is dogmatic and has been shown to be invalid.  It's a system that some DC's still use to get patients to treat often and for a long time to "correct" these things that don't need to be or cannot be corrected.   

'Hope this was helpful.

Dr. G