Question
Hello Doctor Boss,

I am trying to gain information about chiropractics. Actually, I am trying to find help for my wife. She suffers from chronic back pain. She has been to see many doctors. Nothing is helping. We live in Italy and are under statal health care. However, I am american, she is italian. I recommended to her to try an american chiropractor who lives here also. She has been to see the chiropratic doctor 3 times, so far. My wife is progressively getting worse (in the course of 3 weeks)...we believe that we should quit this care.
From what I understand of her problems, given the limits of my italian language comprehension, is that she is missing one lower bone in her spine...which has actually fused to her hip bone sometime when she was growing before birth. Then, she may suffer from some sort of spiny bone growth that may be affecting her nerves around the upper spine causing pain and uncomfort. When I say "uncomfort" this is mild pain that can be controlled with aspirin. The other pain is unbearable and we can find no type of pain medication or relief for her. No doctors will prescribe a stronger type of medicine to get her through the crisis...
Needless to say, this problem has controlled our lives--We are looking to control the problem or be done with it.
Reading these sypmtoms...do you think that we should continue with the chiropractor or can you recommend another class of doctors, such as orthopedics, who can be more helpful in this situation and who might have a better course of treatment?

Thank you for your time.
Gilbert & Cristina
Monza, Italy

Answer
Gilbert & Christina,

Thank you for your question and I hope that I can help in some way.  I apologize for the delay in getting back to you, but I have been out of town for 5 days and just getting back to my emails.

I am also very sorry for the pain and suffering that Christina is going through.  I know that this is a miserable situation to have to deal with and I commend you Gilbert for trying all that you can for your wife.

In considering my recommendations for you, I have to take into account the fact that it sounds like your wife has a few structural anomalies that she was born with.  A structural anomaly is something that is physically different about the spine, bones, nerves or whatever the case may be.  Much of the population has these in some form or another.  Many are very benign and cause no problems, but some result in mechanical changes of the spine, nerve irritation and compression, or some other type of complication which leads to a problem with everyday function.  This sounds like the case with your wife.  

If you have tried the chiropractor and worsened, I think you should first talk to him about your concerns.  Many times with chiropractic treatment, the changes that the chiropractor is trying to make can cause an increase of symptoms initially and then improvement to follow.  However, in the case of significant structural anomalies, chiropractic may not be able to make the necessary changes due to the fact that the structure is different than normal.  I hope I am helping and not confusing you.

My recommendation at this point would be:

1-talk to the chiropractor and tell him of your concerns.  

2-consider an appointment with a neurosurgeon to consult about your condition and see if he could offer any type of help. This doesn't mean that you need surgery, but I would send you to have a neurosurgical consult if you were my patient.

Good luck and I hope that you find some relief and resolution to this pain you are experiencing. Please let me know how she does.

God Bless,

Dr. Boss