[LuckyinKentucky]

This morning I flipped my chair backwards... does'nt happen often but is nothing new. This time though as soon as I hit the floor the pain in my neck was immense... it kinda felt like I had a full on kink in my neck, but immediatly. As soon as it happened I was unable to put any weight on it, I couldnt hold up my head or even lift it to put a pillow under it. Finally the pills in the chiar bag came in handy(i knew someday they would) and after letting a darvocet, skelaxin and etadolac kick in I crawled to my recliner.

The pain seemes to subside when I have somthing to lay my head on (at the correct angle!) but I cannot reach to the side of me or barely even hold a wheelie( cause it tilts me). Any strain on my neck hurts whether ist looking at somethin in my lap, reachin to try and pick something up, or any kind of jarring. I am starting to be able to turn my head but at certain spots a wave of pain surges in the base of my neck(in the back).

I called a chiropractor and he said it's prob whiplash and that I'm allready takin the right meds and now I'm iceing it 15min on/off. If it hurts this bad tomorrow I'll probably break down and go to the chiro, would be the first time ever. Kinda scared cause I'm fused from T6 to L2...should I be?

I thought there was bound to more people this has happened to... I would appreciate more than words can say any tips or no no's folks have learned from their experiences.

[Lucydog]

Id take yourself of to A & E straight away. I did the same thing last year, caught my ear on the corner of the wall in the kitchen as I flipped back with such force, I felt as if Id been shot in the head it was so bad. I cried, called my husband and went to hospital with a concussion and perforated ear drum. Lucky it wasnt worse IMO.

So anyway Id go and be checked out asap, no use waiting a few days and then realising you should have gone earlier. You cant be too careful, honest!

let us know.
L

[justin]

yea if i was u i would deffently be going to the emergincy room. You just dont know what kind of damaged u did. And if you go with out it getting checked like really soon you could have a chance of it getting worst.

[LuckyinKentucky]

If its not dramatically better I'm goin to get it checked out tomorrow. I didnt really know where to go though. I've never been to a chiropractor so I just called a local to pick his brain concerning my prob. He seemed knowledgeable but i'm wary of just goin to a guy I found in the phone book, but on the other hand i dont think my regular doc could do much but Xray me & send me home with a bill and a referall. But maybe I should???? I apologize for my ignorance here but my experience is nil.

I guess I'm just a little nervous also// I really butchered my spine in my wreck and dont want to topple the house of cards so to speak. Should I be wary of going to a chiro since I have a long fusion? It doesnt start till T6 and this is just in my neck but I'm still nervous. I appreciate yalls responses it easy 4 me to get wrapped up in my desire to stay out of the doctors office. Another point of view's a big help.

[itsjustme]

If I were you I'd be getting myself to the emergency room and get checked out if not to your regular doctor. I don't think that a fusion is exactly a chiropractor's field of expertise and I certainly wouldn't want him manipulating it in any way without knowing for sure that you hadn't done any real damage to your spine or neck or head.

Take it from someone who let something go just a little too long before making the decision to get checked out and go get yourself taken care of!

[edlee]

Under no circumstance should you go to a chiropractor. Go to your doctor, get it xrayed , so you'll know what you are dealing with. If the Xrays don't show damage then consider other therapies, including chiro. Don't take any chances.

[Chilepepper]

edlee, on Mar 30 2007, 09:51 PM, said:

Under no circumstance should you go to a chiropractor. Go to your doctor, get it xrayed , so you'll know what you are dealing with. If the Xrays don't show damage then consider other therapies, including chiro. Don't take any chances.

First a Chiropractor will not ever touch a part of the spine that is fused. Believe it or not but Chiropractor are more educated than doctors when it comes to known the human body. To become a chiro they have to complete more school years than a doctor. If you don't believe me investigate this and you will that this is true.
Myself I've been going to one for about 20 years. Do yourself a favor and go see the chiro. He will check your neck to feel if there is damage. More than likely he will have you x-rayed to see what is going on in the neck and rest of the spine area. Then he will adjust your neck and back, but they will not touch the fused area of the spine. For what ever reason people have this idea that they (chiropractors) do more than damage than good. Let me tell you that this is so not true. If you are not sure ask family and friends that have their spines adjusted. They will more than likely tell you to go visit one.

[LuckyinKentucky]

I allready had gone to the chiropractors when I read yalls post this evening.

I went to the chiro's today mostly in part to the fact that he told me he had an in office X ray and we were able to take a bunch of rays beforehand...and bill it to my insurance. He diagnosed it as common whiplash and agreed with what I had prescribed myself The darvo/etadolac&skelaxin which i have plenty of. The x rays looked ok asin the fact of no slipped discs,breaks, or anything but my neck was not straight when looking from the front (looked bad to me) but lack the arch it's supposed to have when looking from the side. he said that tlhis could be put to normal but that it would take a few weeks.

He also said that he has several patients that have small cervical fusions and had previously had a patient with a long fusion as well. I did bring in some of my old x rays to give him an idea of my injuries inside the fusion and he remarked to having never seen damage like that before... but i think every doctor whose seen my X ray's has said something to that effect. Somtimes i get the feeling that since my situation is not common and an experienced SCIdoc isnt available in my area it's better to just find someone who is willing to learn and keep an open mind. I guess thers kinda a fine line there between gettin good help and being a guinea pig but I think ive had my share of both and am a bit wary ( as yall may have noticed) about letting someone try. Be no mistake though I've been through my share of doc's.

This guy seemed to give me a pretty good vibe and his neck crackin did relieve the pain quite a bit. I got an appointment to go back wednesday but yalls post have got me wonderin if i should go to my GP early next week beforhand. She is part of a large clinic with a bunch of doc's who porbably have a bit more experience. Do yall think i should even after seein the Xrays today? Do you think a chiropractor wolud be ablt to just miss something crucial. I really have no idea what kind of training they undergoor certification they are required.

Last but not least his crackin on my neck did help out the pain quite a bit. Its still kinda sore and lookin some angles hurts but the difference is dramatic. sorry so dang long

This post has been edited by LuckyinKentucky: 31 March 2007 - 03:16 AM

[LuckyinKentucky]

Thanks Chilli (guess i left the window open a while on my last post hence missin yours)I was about to start a new thread just askin peoples thoughts about goin to a chiro while havin a fusion. I feel better now bout my decision to go to the chiro...so you think he would definitly be able to spot a problem were it there?

This post has been edited by LuckyinKentucky: 31 March 2007 - 03:23 AM

[Chilepepper]

You will more than likely have your doctor say to you to not go to a chiropractor, because it will cause more damage. The reason why they will say this, is because they do not know what a chiropractor does. I guess it is a case of ignorant. But do not get me wrong there are doctors that will send you to a chiropractor if you need one. If find these types of doctors are younger and are more up to date on what a chiropractor can do to help you

Myself I started going to one because my right arm and fingers went completely numb. This was caused by putting a ten pound weight on my forehead, so that I would have extra weight (resistance) when doing sit-ups. I know it was stupid but that is what I did. Anyway after weeks of adjustments, the feeling came back. But what I also noticed was that my spasms had disappeared. To this day I do not take anything for spasms, but when they start to flare up and I start to get burning pains in my left leg, I know that my spine is out of whack and I have to go see him for an adjustment.

Last year my dad had this savior neck pain, to the point that he could not move this neck with out getting shooting pains that damn near killed him. So I drove him to the emergency and the surgeon said that he might need surgery to relieve the pain. So he gave him some pain pills and said to think about it, and sent him on his way. I was mentioning to him about my chiropractor and that he has laser treatment to rid the pain, and then adjust his neck to get back in line. Well he took me up on it and after a few weeks, he was back to normal. To this day he goes every other week for maintenance, and has never had a neck ache since. I often wonder how many people have gone under the knife because somebody from the medical profession says that is what is needed to fix the problem.

I'm know there are millions of these stories out there about how a chiropractor has made there life normal again.

Even you said that it had helped you with the pain, and that was only after one or two visits to a chiropractor.

Anyway I hope you make the right decision what ever that will be.

This post has been edited by Chilepepper: 31 March 2007 - 04:02 AM

[Chilepepper]

I just read your reply LuckyinKentucky. If you got a got feeling about this guy then continue with him or her. If you’re not sure start asking family and friends who is good. And yes they will know what part of the spine to that can be adjusted. But if it would be you feel better just tell him what area not to touch. I know for my I'm fused in the T9/T8 area and my chiropters will adjust above and below it but never where the fuse is.