Question
Hi,
I am wondering what to do about a back problem I've had recently. I'm a 45-year-old female, and suffer from anxiety/panic disorder, which is usually manageable with my meds. In very severe circumstances, I tend to carry stress in my back and neck. A few months ago, this happened, and now it's happening again.

That first time, I was suddenly seized with such an excruciating, cramping pain in my neck and rhomboid muscled that I had to make my way to a nearby couch, where I instantly became stiff as a board and virtually paralyzed. My son had to call an ambulance, finally, and I had to be taken out of my home on a stretcher, three paramedics required to move my dead weight because I couldn't be made to lie flat. In the ER, after all tests to rule out anything serious, I was given pain meds and muscle relaxers, which did the trick, but I was not able to work for three days, and had minor stiffness and cramping for about three more weeks.

Now, I am able to move, and hope this won't get worse. I don't have health insurance, right now, and hate to think of paying for a doctor visit just to get a script for a muscle relaxer. Is there a way to deal with such stress-related pain through other means, like special exercises, effective over-the-counter meds, or herbal remedies? Would chiropractic treatment help with this?

Thanks so much for your time!

Mia

Answer
Hello Mia,

    With out insurance, your most affordable health care will be to see a Doctor of Chiropractic.  You must have a exam done to see what exactly what is causing the pain, then treatment can be applied.  If you had insurance a MRI would be helpful in diagnosing your condition.  Find a chiropractor who specialized in soft tissue injuries, they may be the most beneficial to you.

Have a great day,
Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.