Question about my health

[seanjohn]

Recently I went to a chiropractor for adjustments, and I got my lumbar and thoracic regions adjusted. I didn't have any pain when I went, but a family member of mine recommended I go to a chiropractor just for preventative treatment.

When I got one upper thoracic adjustment there was immediate pain in my upper back. It felt like a truck ran over my back at 100 MPH. He then did another thoracic adjustment where he makes a fist, and then my spinous processes rest on his fist (very painful), then he does a forceful thrust downwards with his fist still under my back. That was the killer. He then proceeded to turn me on my side for a lumbar adjustment and jumps on me with his fingers pushing into my spinous processes, slamming against my pelvis.

Today is the day after and I'm in a lot of pain, it hurts in the middle of my back, as well as on the right side of my back, both in the thoracic and lumbar regions, moreso in the thoracic region. I had trouble getting up in the morning because I was in so much pain, and when I sit down and then rise up the pain is unbearable.

My question is, do you think this is a cause for concern? Is it possible to have permanent damage, or will it most likely just go away on its own within a few days? I'm asking here because my doctor is not available today, and won't be until Monday, so I figured this is the next best place to ask.

Thanks for your help.

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[Law2Doc]

Recently I went to a chiropractor for adjustments, and I got my lumbar and thoracic regions adjusted. I didn't have any pain when I went, but a family member of mine recommended I go to a chiropractor just for preventative treatment.

When I got one upper thoracic adjustment there was immediate pain in my upper back. It felt like a truck ran over my back at 100 MPH. He then did another thoracic adjustment where he makes a fist, and then my spinous processes rest on his fist (very painful), then he does a forceful thrust downwards with his fist still under my back. That was the killer. He then proceeded to turn me on my side for a lumbar adjustment and jumps on me with his fingers pushing into my spinous processes, slamming against my pelvis.

Today is the day after and I'm in a lot of pain, it hurts in the middle of my back, as well as on the right side of my back, both in the thoracic and lumbar regions, moreso in the thoracic region. I had trouble getting up in the morning because I was in so much pain, and when I sit down and then rise up the pain is unbearable.

My question is, do you think this is a cause for concern? Is it possible to have permanent damage, or will it most likely just go away on its own within a few days? I'm asking here because my doctor is not available today, and won't be until Monday, so I figured this is the next best place to ask.

Thanks for your help.

I suspect the consensus on the allo board is that you need to see someone who is actually a physician. There are certainly medical problems relating to the back which perhaps cannot be reasonably be treated or diagnosed by chiropractors, and for which manipulation is probably a bad idea. see a doctor.

 

[seanjohn]

I suspect the consensus on the allo board is that you need to see someone who is actually a physician. There are certainly medical problems relating to the back which perhaps cannot be reasonably be treated or diagnosed by chiropractors, and for which manipulation is probably a bad idea. see a doctor.

I agree, but that's not what I was asking. I was asymptomatic when I went into the chiropractor, with no pain, and no medical condition. While he was performing the manipulation I was in substantial pain, and right now (a day later) I am still experiencing severe pain. My pain is the result of the chiropractic adjustments.

What I'm asking is if this severe pain I'm experiencing right now as a result of these chiropractic adjustments are a cause for concern. Is it possible for me to have permanent damage from these adjustments, or will the pain simply resolve on its own within a few days?

I will see a doctor on Monday, when he is available, but in the meantime I'd like to get some opinions from some medical students, which is probably the next best thing.

 

[Law2Doc]

Is it possible for me to have permanent damage from these adjustments, or will the pain simply resolve on its own within a few days?

Yes, either of these things are entirely possible. You really need to have someone professionally qualified look at it, maybe even take a film. Do not put much stock in over the internet diagnosis by med students. Obviously.
Good luck and feel better.

As an aside, the whole notion of going to a chiropractor for adjustments when you feel fine and assymptomatic makes little sense. 😕

 

[seanjohn]

Yes, either of these things are entirely possible. You really need to have someone professionally qualified look at it, maybe even take a film. Do not put much stock in over the internet diagnosis by med students. Obviously.
Good luck and feel better.

Of course not. I don't intend to get a diagnosis over the internet, but you're right, the best thing to do is to get some x-rays done because of the trauma I received as a result of these chiropractic manipulations. I'll see what my physician says on Monday, hopefully it's something minor like a strain, but the pain seems awfully severe for a simple strain. I'll just have to wait and see on Monday.

I don't have any neurological symptoms, thankfully. I also had enough sense to avoid any cervical manipulations, judging by the outcome of my thoracic and lumbar adjustments. If I got any cervical adjustments I probably would have had my vertebral artery ripped in half.

And yes, I don't think getting 'preventative' chiropractic treatment is wise, I can see that now, but one of my family members recommended it, so I gave it a shot, and now I'm paying the price. 👎

 

[heyjack70]

You'll probably feel fine in a couple days.

 

[91Bravo]

Chiropractors are like crack dealers. They make their money "on the come back." Many would go bankrupt if they didn't convince their crazy lil' followers to return often for 'preventive spinal health' manipulations.

If you're dying to get manipulated, go to to a D.O. (a real physician).

 

[BklynWill]

Spinal manipulations should be high velocity but low amplitute; a quick, gentle, short-distance pulse is all that is necessary to adjust vertebrae. Some manipulations work just in the set up and then no impulse is needed. I know 80lb. female DO students that treat 200lb guys effectively. It sounds like this chiropracter either doesn't know his anatomy or his techniques are very poor.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

fast chiro treatments are the norm, but pain is not. and serious "slamming" on your body is not normal either, unless its on the hips on the front and the table is lifted and "drops" with you. if it was done to you, you'll know what i'mtalking about. if this doesn't sound familiar, then any serious pushing on your front hips probably wasn't done right

go see a doctor. If you're in pain, you need to be looked at, especially if you had such sudden serious pain and you're still hurting today. Go ASAP.

 

[waterski232002]

It will probably go away in a couple days with some over the counter pain meds. Go to the emergency department immediately if you have any of the following symptoms....

- weakness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness around your genitals/anus/buttocks
- have any urinary or bowel incontinence (piss or **** your pants)
- unable to walk

 

[UCSBMed1]

It will probably go away in a couple days with some over the counter pain meds. Go to the emergency department immediately if you have any of the following symptoms....

- weakness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness around your genitals/anus/buttocks
- have any urinary or bowel incontinence (piss or **** your pants)
- unable to walk

You think?

 

[waterski232002]

You think?

Yeah... I do think. And since I'm probably the only MD posting in here judging by the responses (and none of the other 10 posters bothered to give this simple information), I think it's information worth sharing with the non-medical OP.

I would hate to see the OP present with irreversible cauda equina syndrome b/c nobody told her that that numbness on her a$$ was problematic!!!

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

It will probably go away in a couple days with some over the counter pain meds. Go to the emergency department immediately if you have any of the following symptoms....

- weakness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness around your genitals/anus/buttocks
- have any urinary or bowel incontinence (piss or **** your pants)
- unable to walk

Good post. I'm glad you took the non-bashing route.

We obviously do not have all the necessary information needed to criticize the treatment the chiropractor provided. Jumping to conclusions and telling patients that someone did something wrong is not a good habit to get into. I'm sure you wouldn't be very happy another physician told one of your patients that you did something wrong, regardless of whether or not you did or didn't. It's not professional. This country is litigation-crazy enough already...

 

[Blade28]

Man, just reading the OP's post makes me cringe with pain.

I agree with waterski, call your physician or go to the ER for any of the aforementioned neurologic symptoms.

Does your chiropractor know how much pain you're in?

 

[seanjohn]

It will probably go away in a couple days with some over the counter pain meds. Go to the emergency department immediately if you have any of the following symptoms....

- weakness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness in your arms/legs
- tingling or numbness around your genitals/anus/buttocks
- have any urinary or bowel incontinence (piss or **** your pants)
- unable to walk

I don't have cauda equina syndrome. Also, the pain is not radiating down my leg, so I'm pretty sure I don't have a disc herniation that's impinging on my nerve root causing radicular symptoms. I don't have any neurological symptoms. The only possible reason I can think of for having so much localized pain is because of a fracture, but that's highly unlikely. I don't have osteoporosis, I get plenty of calcium, and I do weight-bearing exercises to strengthen my bones.

I just have severe localized pain, I'm using heat packs, and I took some tylenol, but the pain doesn't seem to be getting any better. I get some relief after the tylenol, but the pain just comes back after the effects wear off.

 

[seanjohn]

Man, just reading the OP's post makes me cringe with pain.

I agree with waterski, call your physician or go to the ER for any of the aforementioned neurologic symptoms.

Does your chiropractor know how much pain you're in?

I told him after his first thoracic crush that it was VERY painful, he said it's normal. After his second adjustment with his fist underneath my spinous processes that just sealed the deal, that caused the unbearable pain, but it still wasn;t over, he then did some lumbar adjustments, although it was painful at first, it's not painful anymore. The only pain I have is in my thoracic region.

 

[Law2Doc]

Yeah... I do think. And since I'm probably the only MD posting in here judging by the responses (and none of the other 10 posters bothered to give this simple information), I think it's information worth sharing with the non-medical OP.

I would hate to see the OP present with irreversible cauda equina syndrome b/c nobody told her that that numbness on her a$$ was problematic!!!

Actually, there were only 5 responding posters prior to you (not 10), and most told the OP to seek a physician.

 

[EvoDevo]

SDN is not a replacement for your own physician's advice. And since these sort of questions are not allowed here, I'm going to close the thread. Good luck to the OP.