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Can Chiropractic Care Help When You Are in Need of Surgery

Posted by linettefoley @linettefoley, Jan 15 2:44am

I am 63 years old. I had spinal surgery (Discectomy) to repair herniated L-5 & L-6 in 2006 at age 45. It was very successful. In the 19 years that have passed, I now have degenerative disc disease and arthritis in addition to 3 herniated discs that are all pressing on nerves, an unstable spine, and some spinal stenosis. Medication and physical therapy, required before having surgery in order for insurance to help cover the cost, have not been successful. My surgeon is going to try 2 cortisone injections to buy me some time to get things in order before having surgery. He said the surgery will not pose any more of a health risk to my general health than the last surgery did, and he is not at all apprehensive about the surgery as such from his standpoint, however there will be a very long healing time since from L-3 to S-1 will have to be fused, and I will not have the wonderful results that I had from my first surgery, which I completely understand. At any rate, one of my sister-in-laws suggested I join this group and find out what others think of me going to a chiropractor. She said it has helped her immensely over the years to still be able to walk, and avoid having surgery. I feel that my spine is too far gone, so to speak, to try chiropractic treatments. Anyone's thoughts or experiences are greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

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gregd1956 | @gregd1956 | Jan 15 2:52pm

Hi @linettefoley
You sister-in-law ( my brain was hit 80% from my 12 yrs ago accident. That’s why I print “law-sister” instead you wrote the real one.

Well I’ve used the Chiropractics company of the last 30 years of that one. That helped me a lot diff things at his company and what I needed… back then my back hurt, specially running; ok, walking fast by exercising 3 times a week. That helped me, sorts. Today. I can’t use the way it his company, but my wife loves it. That’s w-times a month and is great in her back - ok, that helps her for 50% of her back.

Sorry, try to read of that I wrote the following… It’s funny, to me… 9 months ago, I got a surgery in the lower back - to of my rear-end on 9ne side. That got rid of pain. It fixed it cause 2.5 years ago I fell one when driving back in my gorage (sp) and fell own in my rear-ends. Now today, Dr. Joresph (sp?), of my Chiropractor, has added for a brand-new, working by helping at our university of football players, of brain-injury helping on my brain close my body - from the top to the bottom of me.

Does it help me? Yes. After my surgery, the doctor got rid of pain and he told fixing my body from my right end to my foot of feeling, could take me a few decades - year-by-year. Well, thankfully, my Dr. Joseph, of what he added, now makes faster.

Thank about the use of great people can help you in the use of Chiroplatic (sp?).

Thx,
Greg D. @greg56xx

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1 reply
Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Jan 15 4:24pm

@linettefoley Hello and I wanted to welcome you to Connect. I would agree that Chiropractors may not be good idea when you have had prior spine surgery and have had further spinal degeneration. When discs are collapsing or have herniated, that represents weakness in the fibrous wall of the disc. You don't really know how weak it is or if any forced shifting of the spine could accelerate further weakness or displacement of vertebrae. If you have instability, shifting the spine can be dangerous if it causes vertebrae to shift and contact the spinal cord or the nerve roots between the vertebrae. I would guess that your surgeon who is planning your surgery to stabilize your spine may not want anyone messing with it. I had my C5/C6 disc rupture, and all I had to do to make that happen was turn my head. It had been bulging for years, and eventually weakened, then ruptured. This event caused bone spurs to grow trying to stabilize the spine, and it started pressing into my spinal cord. I had surgery and have this level fused.

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1 reply
linettefoley | @linettefoley | Jan 15 9:20pm
In reply to @gregd1956 "Hi @linettefoley You sister-in-law ( my brain was hit 80% from my 12 yrs ago accident...." + (show)
@gregd1956

Hi @linettefoley
You sister-in-law ( my brain was hit 80% from my 12 yrs ago accident. That’s why I print “law-sister” instead you wrote the real one.

Well I’ve used the Chiropractics company of the last 30 years of that one. That helped me a lot diff things at his company and what I needed… back then my back hurt, specially running; ok, walking fast by exercising 3 times a week. That helped me, sorts. Today. I can’t use the way it his company, but my wife loves it. That’s w-times a month and is great in her back - ok, that helps her for 50% of her back.

Sorry, try to read of that I wrote the following… It’s funny, to me… 9 months ago, I got a surgery in the lower back - to of my rear-end on 9ne side. That got rid of pain. It fixed it cause 2.5 years ago I fell one when driving back in my gorage (sp) and fell own in my rear-ends. Now today, Dr. Joresph (sp?), of my Chiropractor, has added for a brand-new, working by helping at our university of football players, of brain-injury helping on my brain close my body - from the top to the bottom of me.

Does it help me? Yes. After my surgery, the doctor got rid of pain and he told fixing my body from my right end to my foot of feeling, could take me a few decades - year-by-year. Well, thankfully, my Dr. Joseph, of what he added, now makes faster.

Thank about the use of great people can help you in the use of Chiroplatic (sp?).

Thx,
Greg D. @greg56xx

Jump to this post

Thank you, I appreciate your feedback, blessings to you and your wife!

REPLY
linettefoley | @linettefoley | Jan 15 9:23pm
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@linettefoley Hello and I wanted to welcome you to Connect. I would agree that Chiropractors may..." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@linettefoley Hello and I wanted to welcome you to Connect. I would agree that Chiropractors may not be good idea when you have had prior spine surgery and have had further spinal degeneration. When discs are collapsing or have herniated, that represents weakness in the fibrous wall of the disc. You don't really know how weak it is or if any forced shifting of the spine could accelerate further weakness or displacement of vertebrae. If you have instability, shifting the spine can be dangerous if it causes vertebrae to shift and contact the spinal cord or the nerve roots between the vertebrae. I would guess that your surgeon who is planning your surgery to stabilize your spine may not want anyone messing with it. I had my C5/C6 disc rupture, and all I had to do to make that happen was turn my head. It had been bulging for years, and eventually weakened, then ruptured. This event caused bone spurs to grow trying to stabilize the spine, and it started pressing into my spinal cord. I had surgery and have this level fused.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for getting back to me, Jennifer, I really appreciate it. What you said is what I thought as well, but I just wanted to get confirmation from someone other than myself, if you know what I mean. Blessings to you!

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deankay | @deankay | Jan 20 1:06am

No, a Dr has to take all diagnostics that worked and make a decision. RFA was tied and failed, now spinal cord stimulator. But, you must ask this Dr if they wake you in OR to allow the device manufacturer to send stimulator signals and have you tell them where you feel it! I they don’t or never heard of it, find a different Dr. YouTube has 6-8 videos of a patient or Dr who do this! East Coast or wherever! I told my Dr (86 yrs young) and he still didn’t understand! What?
If leads (Electrodes Placement) is the most crucial issue. In OR is the time to change this. Simply moving electrodes (Leads) in OR, then they are guessing with experience and a chart! This is what’s called “SWAG”! (A sophisticated wild ass guess). You have to diagnose the location of the root cause! Otherwise, anything else is guessing at your expense. Pain & money! Find another doctor!

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restisaweapon | @restisaweapon | 6 days ago

Had a disc issue decades ago. No surgery thankfully. I did see a chiropractor over the course of a couple of years for other back pain (not related to the disc). After two years and thousands of dollars I just stopped going. Treatments worked but only for a couple of weeks. Then I went to a physio therapist and was completely healed in 3 visits. I found my chiropractor believed he could heal almost anything. I lost confidence in him when he commented on my brain surgery. I had brain surgery that corrected my seizures miraculously. His comment was “I wish you had come to me first, we could have healed that without surgery”
So I am wary of that profession

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1 reply
linettefoley | @linettefoley | 6 days ago
In reply to @restisaweapon "Had a disc issue decades ago. No surgery thankfully. I did see a chiropractor over the..." + (show)
@restisaweapon

Had a disc issue decades ago. No surgery thankfully. I did see a chiropractor over the course of a couple of years for other back pain (not related to the disc). After two years and thousands of dollars I just stopped going. Treatments worked but only for a couple of weeks. Then I went to a physio therapist and was completely healed in 3 visits. I found my chiropractor believed he could heal almost anything. I lost confidence in him when he commented on my brain surgery. I had brain surgery that corrected my seizures miraculously. His comment was “I wish you had come to me first, we could have healed that without surgery”
So I am wary of that profession

Jump to this post

Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate it very much. I agree, it is never a permanent fix so it just goes on and on. In my case, it would do more harm than good I believe. I posted the question mainly to read the answers to my sister-in-law who really thinks I should at least try it instead of surgery. I could see if it was muscular, but it has absolutely nothing to do with that, even then, I think it can be as risky as surgery if something gets "adjusted" in the wrong way. I am glad your health has improved, and wish you many more years of good health!

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gregd1956 | @gregd1956 | 5 days ago

Now every week at my Dr. Chiro. Dos it help me? It adds a little bit, but adds it better over the after my 9 mth surgery. My surgery would take 3-5 years to ge back my rifgt leg, but today it’s a little better that’s added

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