Chiropractic care: A visit to his physical therapist

     Only 3 days have passed since my most recent chiropractic adjustment.  Today, I have an appointment with the physical therapist.  My back feels no better.  I wonder whether it might be a little too early to begin physical therapy.  I threw my back out only 10 days ago; my lower back is as stiff as ever; and, I still have to lie on my office floor between patients.  I am reassured by the fact that I don’t have radiating pain into my legs.  I suppose this means my discs are in place, and my spinal cord is not being pinched.  I decide it is better for me to not think like a doctor and instead, put my faith in the chiropractor.  I remind myself that the purpose of this endeavor is to give alternative therapies a real shot, even when they run contrary to my own preconceived beliefs.

            I meet with Sam the physical therapist.  I am prepared for a grueling work-out. Despite arriving in my work clothes, I have brought shorts and running shoes to change into.  Sam tells me there is no need to change.  I am disappointed.  I came ready to work this back problem away.  It appears my expectations for this visit were a bit misguided.

            Sam reviews my history and does a basic exam.  Primarily, he observes me bend over and attempt to touch my toes, and he watches me walk.  Surprisingly, he comes to the same conclusion as Dr. D.  My left pelvis is higher than my right.  I have never had so many people interested in the alignment of my pelvis!  Rather than suggest a heel raise, he thinks the imbalance is due to tightened hip flexor muscles which he believes he can improve with a few maneuvers and some exercises/stretches done by me in my spare time.  He takes me through multiple maneuvers, not unlike those performed by the chiropractor.  He pushes deeply in my left groin to the point of moderate discomfort.  In the end, he seems satisfied that my pelvis is less tilted (somehow he has managed to lengthen my left leg by over an inch, or so it seems).  He thinks that if I follow his prescribed exercises and stretches, I should do well.  He completes the visit with a 10 minute ultrasound treatment on my lower back.  The ultrasound generates a penetrating heat which helps my back muscles relax.  I leave with a regimen of 5 different exercises that I should perform several times a day.  I vow to comply (hopefully, more faithfully than I did the exercises recommended by the naturopath).

            Over the next 4 days, my family and I take a long relaxing weekend at a condo on the shore of Lake Erie.  I take it easy, avoid heavy lifting, and do the recommended exercises.  I seem to be improving incrementally, but not dramatically.  On return, I have one more visit with Dr. D, the chiropractor.  This last visit is the most business-like of any of the visits so far.  After a short wait, Dr. D. comes in and does a quick exam.  He spends about 10 minutes with me.  He does some non-aggressive adjustments.  This time, he does not vigorously crack my neck.  When he steps out of the room, I snoop around and I come across a poster for applied kinesiology.  Included on the poster are what appear to be pressure points on the body which correspond with various body organs.  Also, there is a list of therapeutic extracts which include the previously mentioned spleen, thyroid extracts, liver, lung, etc.  Here is a whole field of medicine practiced by Dr. D which he appears not to have brought into play.  I wonder why.  Perhaps his knowledge that I am a physician has caused him to stay in the mainstream, or maybe this is an area explored more commonly by his associates (or maybe these extracts are aerosolized and pumped into the ventilation systems of the exam rooms!).  I feel like my experimentation with chiropractic care is coming to an end.  I have seen the doctor for treatment of both my chronic lower back pain, and also during an acute flare up.

[Next week, I review the results and conclusions drawn from my visits to the Chiropractor.]