pop goes your spine

I had never been to a chiropractor until last week, when I visited one in attempt to determine what is causing my hip/pelvic pain.  I’ll be honest – I am what you might call a major skeptic.  My experience with chiropractors has been limited to what I’ve heard from other people, usually sounding something like this: “Oh my gosh, it’s great.  Any time my back is hurting I go in, get an adjustment, and I leave feeling really good.”  When asked what an “adjustment” is, I get the following reply: “Well, it’s basically, like, you lie on a table and he cracks your back.” And you wonder why I’m a skeptic.

I hate cracking anything.  I’ve never cracked my knuckles, in fact my brother used to crack my knuckles as a form of true brotherly annoyance.  I’ve never been one of those people who ask someone to “walk on my back, will you?  I just need it popped.”  To be honest, it grosses me out.

So then why would I go to a chiropractor, you ask? My answer is simple: I’m hurting, and my primary care physician either a, doesn’t believe me or b, doesn’t know why and has given up.  So I’ve taken it upon myself to start eliminating possibilities, starting with a possible pinched nerve in my spine.  Ultrasounds, physical exams, CT scans and diet control have all led to zero explanations, so I’m trying alternative methods.

Overall my experience with chiropracty (I’ve been “adjusted” twice) has been fine.  I haven’t felt any significant pain through the exercise, but I have not walked away from the office “as if I was floating on air”, as my friend described her own experience.  In fact both times I left with a headache, which is not really incentive to keep going back.  I had x-rays taken to determine the extent of my scoliosis, or, as I like to say, “’s’ is for Sue”.  Given my curvature, I should look more crooked than I do, hooray! I guess.  Unfortunately, my pain has not lessened, which is frustrating.  At the same time, though, I don’t think I could afford many treatments, as each session is over $75, and with the frequency being 2-3 times a week, it is just plain old too expensive.

As to what I’ll do next, I’m really not sure.  I have yet to have x-rays done of my actual pelvic bones, and I haven’t had anyone rule out theories such as arthritis or bursitis.  All I know is that I’m getting tired of it, and my body is tired of it, too.