I have some disc problems at C5/C6, went to family chiro, he adjusted me, asked if I had been in a bad car accident, lol nope.
But he was honest. He told me he could adjust what needed it, but spent more time on trigger point, but he flat out told me there is nothing he will be able to do to address the real issue.
These disc cause severe problems, outside of constant pain, my arm, hand, and fingers go numb, then I start to get a real bad ache in my forearm. So I started deep tissue message, best thing I've ever done. It won't fix the disc but it will fix all the issues that happen as a result of it. It alleviates so much of the pain I end up with in my upper back/shoulder/neck/arm, and takes away the numbness. I feel bad for the woman working on me because I can feel the huge knots she is trying to work out. And the side with no pain will always have the largest most stubborn knots on the muscle.
I won't take pain meds, outside of 200-400mg ibuprofen when it's bad, but partially because I get some extremely bad inflammation in the tendons in those area's.
I'm sure this will be an individual thing, but the chiro really only irritated my issues. The adjustment was ok for certain aspects, trigger point was ok, but he wasnt doing large jerking motions to adjust, he's a big guy as well, and he simply will position your body, apply pressure in on area maybe with his knee, then using his upper body strength he would slowly pull certain areas and the opposite pressure would align things without all that fast jerking to adjust, I hate having that done, I honestly won't even let them adjust my neck, well anyone who uses fast jerking motions.
But as stated earlier, stretching has helped a ton, I have went thru physical therapy before which was great, but now I just do those stretches and strengthening exercises on my own, that along with the deep tissue and I feel better then I did 10-12 years ago when all my doc wanted to do was have me take handfuls of pain meds and benzos. I haven't touched a pain need in 6-8 years, and feel better and in less pain.
Stretching and deep tissue is great. I was paying $85 for 40minutes originally but it was only because I was going to a local high priced salon, then I found out the same people (many of them anyway) all work in other places or take clients on their own. Now I pay about $35 for 30minites and $60 for an hour, but 30-45 minutes is more than enough. It's not relaxing, to me it feels good, but it is painful and they aren't trying to hurt you, but they do have to use some pressure to get deep.
Nothing against chiro's but its just not for me and I won't use one
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I was going 3 times a week for the first month but only going about once a week now. Seems to def help. But my suggestion is Deep Tissue Massages they are worth there weight in gold. I seem to benefit more out of a deep tissue than anything else.
