QuestionI have had neck and back pain on the upper left side for 6 months. Due to a pinched nerve I was feeling numbness all the way down my left arm and into my pinky and ring finger. Any time I would cough, sneeze...it would shoot numbness through my body. I went to a chiropractor and got popped twice. Friday was my second time, and that night I started feeling extreme pain in my neck, back, and arms. All weekend it has gotten worse. I can't sleep nor turn my head, and it feels like I have a spinal injury. The bad thing is I am pregnant, and this is making me miserable and giving me headaches. It's not a soarness, but an extreme pain in my spine. Could the chiropractor possibly have injured me? Can this pain be normal? If so, I don't ever want to be popped again. It is constant as well as a throbbing pain. I've spent the whole weekend in agony, and it hurts to lie down. What should I do?
Answerneck pain, back pain, six months of pain, numbness, 'pinched nerve', pregnant, spinal injury,
Hello Candice,
Sorry to hear of your pain, numbness, six months of no progress.
Congratulations on your coming baby!
Sorry to hear that you are hurting while pregnant. Pregnancy should be your healthiest and a happy time! While pregnant, this severely narrows the tests able to be done, medications to be taken (many mothers I know will take no medication while pregnant), treatments to be performed.
You state you have had six months of neck and back pain on your left side . What happened six months ago?- Did you hurt yourself?, car crash?, slip, trip, fall, any trauma? Did you wake up with a 'stiff neck'?, have you had neck / back problems before? Did this come on slowly or with an injury?
Ultimately, with six months of neck/ back pain you have arrived at the Doctor of Chiropractic. The pain/ symptoms you describe certainly do sound like a 'pinched nerve', a vertebral subluxation (more later). The pain/ symptoms you describe sound like the type of problem that present to my Staten Island Chiropractic office (and chiropractors around the world) every day. The vast majority of times, after an appropriate chiropractic examination, the chiropractic adjustment is safe, effective and results in lessening symptoms. Sometimes people get sore after exercise- Sometimes people can get a soreness after a chiropractic adjustment treatment similar to the soreness after exercise. The adjustment should not cause pain, the adjustment should not cause an increase in >pain< for any period of time.
Six months allows the problem, the condition to deteriorate, degenerate, gain momentum. The longer a patient has a problem, usually the longer it takes to defeat the problem. I would not be concerned if you told me that you had a problem for six months and a couple of chiropractic adjustments made you 'sore', but when you talk about 'pain', then I have a concern. Perhaps the Doctor was a little aggressive and aggravated your condition. Yes, the Chiropractor could have aggravated your condition, and possibly (less likely) really worsened your condition adding new injury.
I would not hesitate from returning to that doctor. HOWEVER, I would definitely communicate that I am hurting worse then ever. Alternative techniques , a different approach have to be used to make things worse again. Chiropractic is not monolithic. Just as medicine has many different medicines to choose from (ie: aspirin, excedrin, tylenol, advil), the Doctor of Chiropractic may choose many different techniques to adjust the spine (from high force, to low force, to adjusting instruments, from specific to general). The technique your doctor used obviously at least aggravated the problem; so do not use that same approach again. Soreness does happen, pain should not. Your doctor should be able to address the problem, but if he(she) is not, see a different doctor for NEW chiropractic evaluation with different procedures utilized.
You ask. "Can this pain be normal?", No. Pain after adjustment, especially any lasting pain is not normal. On a rare occassion a patient may be surprised with the adjustment move and say 'oops', or 'ouch', but only for a second or at most a few minutes. Pain is not 'normal' after an adjustment. Soreness is common and expected, not pain. Communicate with your chiropractor, complain; have treatment with a different technique, or treatment with a different chiropractor.
Some general information I hand out in my Staten Island Chiropractic office:
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PAIN
Pain is a 憆ed light on the dashboard?
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.
That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car- -- do you ignore it until the car breaks down, or do you get it checked and correct the problem? Pain, pain in your body- -- do you ignore it until your body breaks down, or do you get it checked and correct the problem? Pain, do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller? Take a painkiller, mask the pain, and allow a problem to progress in your body?
NOTICE ON PAIN RELIEVERS:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA;
the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
Pain can often be the result of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation ( 慥SC?, 憇ubluxation? )
Vertebral Subluxation is actually a quite common condition. Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties, and also look for 慡ubluxation? Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this).
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC.
The course of VSC is highly variable. Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC, some patients take years to develop symptoms. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex (a.k.a. 憇ubluxation?
The vertebral subluxation complex is the underlying cause of many healthcare problems.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
Subluxation is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
Spinal Kinesiopathology: This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Neuropathophysiology: Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Myopathology: Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Histopathology: A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
Pathophysiology: The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration. Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
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揚inched Nerve? ( Also Known As- neuritis, neuralgia, brachial-neuritis )
Sometimes we can wake up with a 憄inched nerve? or a muscle spasm.... sometimes a slip, trip, fall, heavy lift, or even a motor vehicle accident can cause a 憄inched nerve?
Sometimes,,, we sleep wrong,
Sometimes we have a trauma,
Very often - the underlying c a u s e of the pinched nerve, pain or numbness in the: neck and/ or shoulder and/ or arm and/ or hand; pain in the back and/ or buttock/ hip/ leg/ knee/ foot - is a misalignment, a 慿ink?in the neck- more properly termed a Vertebral Subluxation.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex (a.k.a. 憇ubluxation?
The vertebral subluxation complex is the underlying cause of many healthcare problems.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
This is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
Spinal Kinesiopathology:
This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Neuropathophysiology:
Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Myopathology:
Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Histopathology:
A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
Pathophysiology:
The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration. Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position.
Automobile accidents, improper lifting, improper posture, alcohol, emotional stress, chemical imbalances, and long periods of sitting can cause the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment. For good health- Treat the Cause, not just the Symptoms.
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My recommendations: let your doctor know of this reaction to treatment. Do not treat the same way. Chiropractic has many different techniques, use a different approach.
If you need further info, do not hesitate to re-contact me here at AllExperts.com ( http://www.allexperts.com/ep/965-100794/Chiropractors/Victor-Dolan-DC-DACBSP.htm ) .
Thank you. Good luck and Good Health Naturally to you and your baby, your Staten Island Chiropractor signing off,
Dr. Victor Dolan, DC
http://drvictordolan.chiroweb.com (email newsletter)
