Question
QUESTION: Hi David,
I am a 26-yr. old female with moderate neck and intense back pain. Until I
saw this website today, I never realized how serious the issue could be, so I
am very thankful for your help. Basically, when I was younger (6-18), I carried
around a lot of excess weight (school books in a backpack) all the time, but
was thin, athletic, and played sports/worked out a lot. During that time, I
remember having some back pain, but the pain was not as intense and not in
as many areas as it is currently. I have had no major back/spine/neck-related
injuries or surgeries, so that's not the issue. However, in the last couple years,
I have not only moved to a new location, which has caused major stress, but
also have quit exercising (playing sports and working out), have become more
sedentary, and have, over the past 8 years, gained excess weight, and am now
overweight (200 lbs; 5'4.5'' tall). Also, my father has a sciatic nerve, and had
to have surgery on it about a year ago. My worst back pain is a strong,
intense pain in my lower back, almost always when standing for over 10
minutes or walking for over 10-15 minutes; also, I have back pain in the
small of my back between my shoulder blades and at the top of the spine at
the back of the neck; these pains occur also when standing and walking for
long periods of time. My questions are: 1) Do I need to see a chiropractor, and
if so, who would you recommend or how could I find a suitable one? 2) Could
my issues be genetic/hereditary? 3) Would you suggest trying anything else,
such as acupuncture, acupressure, or non-medical remedies?
Thank you very much!
~Whitney

ANSWER: Whitney,
 Your slime is very important to take
Care of. If you have these problems, then there is clearly something wrong. You probably have a few misalignments in your spine. First thing you should be checked for is scoliosis. So, yes I would see a chiropractor. I treat many people with sciatic nerve and they don't need surgery often times.
If you tell me where you live I can possible find a good chiropractor for you.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi David,
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I have just a few quick questions.
First, I neglected to mention that I also lean over at an angle when standing
or walking, due to back/shoulder/spine pain, and have poor posture, but am
trying to work on that. Could my problem be posture-related also? I am
concerned as well because I don't have a good way to comfortably carry
books and things around without continuously hurting my shoulders and
back. Can a chiropractor address these issues? Also, how serious is a
"misalignment"? Could I have already done irreparable damage to my back
and spine? I live in the Boston, MA area, and any suggestions for a
chiropractor would be greatly welcomed. Thank you very much!
~Whitney

Answer
i do recommend you see a chiropractor. then ask him what he suggests. yes a chiropractor can address these issues. if you dont take care of it you could cause irreversible damage.
good way to find one is looking online at the reviews of the doctor. good luck.
ps- losing weight will help you too, but wont fix the problem.