subaruturbo_18

Firstly excuse my spelling, im not sure if physio or chiropractor are spelt correctly, however,

I am suffering back pains in the lower part of my spine, I feel like I am 'slouching' and As if I constantly need lumber support.

I have got to the point today where I no longer think I should just keep shrugging it off, and should get somebody to look at it, so my question is should I see a physio or chiropractor? I hear mixed things about both but want advice from people with experience please

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Why not go see your doctor who should be able to refer you to the correct people?

subaruturbo_18

Well don't physio's and chiropractor's do the same thing? I have heard that doctors don't agree with chiropractor's, but I have heard people who have seen them and said they worked wonders.

Leslie

Costs nothing to see your doctor first though. Might do some good too.

Les

Torquemada

I heard that chiropractor's can do more harm than good sometimes, hence doctors can be wary of them. As Les said, See your doc and take it from there.
Good luck!

RobinSherwood

I would suggest first you should see your GP and then with his approval seek out a physio trained in manipulation. Those trained either in the Maitland or McKenzie method would be your best bet.

HTH

oldsplice

As Robin said, go to your GP and they will refer you to a physio. They'll give you exercises to do and check out your posture etc. That way you will feel that you're helping yourself to deal with the cause and not just dealing with the symptoms by taking tablets/using creams.

Freelance Badger

Had back problems for ages - had tried other things such as you suggesting without much effect. Went and had needles stuck in me and they worked! Well impressed.

WRX_ASH

iTrader: (3)

I had the same problem with my back around 2 years ago, when to my doctors, they said nothing was wrong, even though i was in massive pain at night!
decided to go to the gym and by a new matress for my bed a memory foam one, hey presto my back is now fine and never had a problem since.
seems i just needed to strengthen my back muscles.

subaruturbo_18

Could you explain this further please

Freelance Badger

Acupuncture! Thought it was all a load of rubbish before - now I'd certainly go back again if I had a problem - cant believe what a difference it made. Obviously takes more than one session - but I went once a week for about 2 months and it made a huge improvement to my back.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Going against the grain here, but I would seriously recommend a chiropractor.

When in my old warehousing job I used to get terrible pains across the lower of my back, around the kidney area and right across the muscle/spine area. Part of this was down to a nasty car accident and part to the type of work I was doing.

Anywho rang a chiropractors up and explained my symptoms. I went in the same afternoon for like a medical to see if I could be helped. Does sound fishy when you're gonna be paying they x amount for help so they "will" be able to help you, but I got a genuine guy so was happy.

Started with exercises and 2 weekly visits. He did various stretches and tests for numbness, pins & needles etc which I was suffering badly from as a result of the pain.

It did gradually get better and although I'll never be 100% due to said accidents, I don't suffer anything like I used too. Plus I can stand up, press my chest forwards and click myself to death to release tension. Can do this with my neck side to side, and also when I stand and twist my upper body while keeping lower still. It's soooo releasing.

Oh, and my GP recommended a chiropractor over a physiotherapist as my pain was more bone based over muscle.

HTH

richiewong

See an Oesteopath instead, they are trained for 5 years before they can practice so know their stuff

Sonic'

Ive been having acupuncture in my lower back for the last few months and I have to say it has worked really well for me (doesnt work with everyone, but worth giving it a try) and im booked for another 6 months worth

It is (again for me personally) much better than the manipulation that I was having, I found that to be too painful for a couple of days after each session, so the physio suggested trying acupuncture

You have nothing to lose by giving it a go

Fabioso

I had some serious back pain a few years ago. Normal doctor's just wanted to prescribe painkillers. I saw osteopaths, chiropractors and they all "had a go" and basically I just felt like I was paying them all alot of money and sometimes things would improve but after a while my back would end up with an issue.

I came across a Mctimoney chiro on recommendation of a friend. The guy was just plain strange in terms of he was very gypsy like. Anyway he used a kind of punching on my spine and I remember thinking he's not like all the others cos he didn't want to do xrays or anything and charge the earth.

He just said you need to have one more visit after this one and it should be fine. Anyway after both sessions I felt a weird warm kinda buzz in the spine I'd never felt before and after a few weeks I forgot all about having a back problem cos the pain had disappeared!

Unfortunately this guy has retired now but I'll never forget 2 things. His confidence he would sort out the problem and his lack of charging me the kind of money the others did. I can't really recommend Mctimoney chiros per se as this dude seemed to have something extra going on but its worth a try if nothing else seems to help.

Devildog

Neither

Go to a registered osteopath.

Wider expertise than a chiropractor, but more specialist than a physio. Osteopths train longer than physios as well, its just that the NHS doesn;t officially recognise them, but many private healthcare companies do.

The osteopath I went to see (as an absolute sceptic, by the way), fixed problems that the physios I'd seen previously (at length) had only managed to provide short term solutions to.

GP's are often sadly lacking in the relevant specialisms, to be honest. (and that's speaking from experience).

David Lock

Worth having a glimpse at the Daily Mail today as there is an article praising Acupuncture.

I suffered lower back pain for a long time. Spine was slightly out of line and nerves were pinched causing sciatica.

IMHO GPs haven't a clue. I found a chiro most useful as he manipulated the back and gave me some lying on floor exercises to help pull the spine.

I'd start off with a Sports Injury clinic as they usually know their stuff.

You must learn how to lift things properly.

dl