Chiro or not

R

Rl_hopeful

Newcomer
I have been to many many doctors. Nothing specifically showing up. 6 years spent in agony. Left shoulder and neck and left hip. As a child I had costipation and ear pain, later gastro intestinal problems and migraines and now the left side of my body aches all the time. Exercise makes it worse. I accept the diagnosis. But unable to give up chiro. Is this going to be my downfall?
 
It does sound like TMS. I don't know where you live and whether you can easily access a TMS doctor? I'm in the UK so I don't know the situation elsewhere but others in the forum who are based in the US have consulted physicians who are open to TMS and have knowledge of how to treat it.

Re stopping chiropractic, if right now it feels a step too far to stop cold turkey could you gradually taper off, leaving longer between each session, until you have the confidence to let it go?

All the very best to you.
 
Rl_hopeful said:
I accept the diagnosis. But unable to give up chiro. Is this going to be my downfall?
Click to expand...
Hi RI_hopeful,

I'd aim to give up chiropractic anyway, if you possibly can. There's a school of thought that a lot of chiropractic treatment can cause ligament laxity. They call it Over Manipulation Syndrome. How true it is, I don't know. All I know is that I had a lot of chiropractic treatment over many years (circa 20 years) for my chronic back pain and, although it usually got me out of pain enough so that I could go in to work, it was only ever a temporary improvement and I think in the long term it has made my SI joint dysfunction worse...At the time though it was a case of 'needs must' - I had a mortgage to pay and I hadn't heard of TMS.

I think westb's idea of tapering yourself off it is a good suggestion. Doing mind/body techniques should relieve tension and relax your muscles and stop any mild hypoxia, i.e. lack of blood flow/oxygen to your muscles. Dr Sarno talked of mild hypoxia causing symptoms and in Dr James Alexander's book 'The Hidden Psychology of Pain' https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Psychology-Pain-Understanding-Chronic/dp/1452506809 he gives one of the best explanations about the way TMS pain can be caused by reduced blood flow and lack of oxygen to muscles, tendons and nerves (which can also result in muscle tears).

I wish you all the best in your recovery - And welcome to the forum by the way :)...I'm also a relative newbie endeavouring to get well.
 
Last edited:
westb said:
It does sound like TMS. I don't know where you live and whether you can easily access a TMS doctor? I'm in the UK so I don't know the situation elsewhere but others in the forum who are based in the US have consulted physicians who are open to TMS and have knowledge of how to treat it.

Re stopping chiropractic, if right now it feels a step too far to stop cold turkey could you gradually taper off, leaving longer between each session, until you have the confidence to let it go?

All the very best to you.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top