Question
Hello Mr. Gillman,

I wanted to seek your opinion on something. I'm 25, in shape, active, all that good stuff. About 2 years ago I was doing weights (on shoulders) and had bad form and it appears did something to my lower back...in which I could nto bend or sit because it the pain in my right left was unbelievable. Went to a chiro who told me I probably had a bulging or herniated disk and started adjustments; I could only go for 8 because it was expensive and I could not afford it after my insurance stopped. At this time, he said my rip high was just a little higher than my left but that it was not siginificant and not to worry about it. Anywho, 9 months it went away. I could bend freely and all that. Then, suddenly I started noticing something similar...except when I started bending forward I had this localized pain in my lower right area. I thought, I hope its not the same sciatic thing! I could still bend back and forward jsut fine...found a new chiro, who told me my hips for misaligned (right one was 4 mm higher than the other and that was what caused it). He put me in an intense 5 days a week regime for 3 weeks, then 3 days, then 2 days and then once a week etc...after the first 2-3 adjustments, it went away and I continued for about 2.5 months and finally I stopped because again, it got expensive and I really did not feel a difference. It kind of kept coming back though it was not the same pain I had the first time I had the back issue.

So since then, I've been careful and started yoga as I heard its great for the back. I can do my backbend and other things but sometimes its odd because if I bend a bit to far I get this sharper pain in my lower back that comes and goes away once I straighten up...its happened quite a few times, no pattern to it. And sometimes I can just stand wrong and a I get a temporary quick pain down there and it goes away. Why the heck is going on? My x-rays showed everything normal and when they were taken 1 disc looked slightly smaller b/c they said it was probably herniated or what now.

I'm so sick of goign to chiropractors and spending all this money because I feel I have not gotten anything out of it. For now, I've taken up yoga and don't know what else you could suggest? I never ever had an back issues, sprains or injuries. Its just frustrating. Thanks!

Answer
Hi Eva,

It sounds like your first chiropractor was correct in that you may have done something to the disc.  The second chiropractor needs to go back to school to learn that the the "hips misaligned" is not a valid concept anymore.   You need to find a chiropractor that can try different treatment methods to see what you respond well to.  Also, you need to have an examination to determine if you have any instability to your lower back.   You mentioned "sciatica."  Did you have sciatica?  This is where the pain radiates into the leg, calf or foot (below the knee, not just down the thigh).  You had too much treatment with chiro #2.  Your pelvis is not going to look "re-alligned" after the treatment.  X-rays are a waste of your time and will not tell you where the problem lies.  If anything, MRI may be a better source of information, but not if you haven't had a thorough examination that challenges your spine and muscles in order to attempt to understand the cause of your pain and to better address how to deal with it - besides getting frequent adjustments.   You may need to do stabilization exercises.  You may need flexion-distraction technique to stretch and decompress your spine.  You may have a torn disc that is causing problems, or a protrusion.  Maybe you need deeper soft tissue therapy (e.g. Graston Technique or Active Release methods).   And some people have lower back pain that nobody can figure out, but that doesn't mean continue getting the same treatment over and over without any signs of change.  You woudn't do that with pills, so why do it with physical medicine (e.g. chiropractic joint manipulation).    Maybe you need chiro #3...   

Search previous Q/A's where I've written on these topics.

Good luck.  I hope this was helpful,

Dr. Gillman