Question
QUESTION: I am a 72 yr old very active women in good physical condition and weight but do have degeneration in my lower back. I recently fell from a ladder a short distance on to my pelvis.  X-rays showed no cracks.  The pain, however, went to the other side of my spine in a week and I saw a chiropractor.  I have had several adjustments along with neck adjustments.  My pelvis, along with doing mild exercises, is feeling better, but my neck is aching.  The chiropractor seems to think I need a few months of adjustments, but I feel this is far to excessive and that perhaps I should stop now and continue with mild Pilate exercises with stretching etc.  I feel I should no have the neck pain and that my pelvis surely should be realigned by now.  Please tell me what to do!  Thank you.

ANSWER: Ann,

If you've already had several adjustments and nothing is changing in your neck, then the adjustments are not solving your neck problem.  Yes, it's that simple and your gut feeling is accurate.   Also, there is more available than just joint adjustments.   There's heat, laser, ultrasound, massage, stretching, tractioning, soft tissue mobilization, and exercise.   Is the chiropractor doing any of these?  Sometime, the combination of a few modalities at once can make the difference between experiencing progressive relief with treatment or experiencing no changes for weeks at a time...  Try some of these, especially ultrasound or heat, and then some soft tissue massage/release methods prior to neck adjustment.  If this doesn't change your neck aching after a few sessions, then maybe there is more that needs to be examined on you, e.g. maybe it's not just an aching neck.  

'Hope this helps.

Dr. G

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

QUESTION: I did not go in for a neck problem. I went in for falling off a ladder on to my pelvis.

Answer
Hi Ann,

Sorry, but I thought I responded to this a few days ago...I guess it didn't go through.     If you didn't go in with a neck problem, and the doctor did not examine your neck or find any problems with your neck that required joint manipulation, then he possibly caused you to have neck symptoms.   I'd suggest giving it a rest and using some heat at home.   The manipulation is probably irritating your neck.   If the neck symptoms do not abate with heat and avoidng treatment, then you've got an issue.   What possible reason would the DC have to continue to do manipulation if it is causing you to have neck pain?  Why wouldn't he also consider using other modalities to quiet it down?   If your fall from the ladder caused a neck issue, that's one thing.  If not, then your neck should have at the least been examined and the plan to do adjustments should have had a rationale and been discussed with you.

Good luck with this.  I hope this information was helpful.

Dr. G