slackline- seriously-works all the joints/muscles in ways that are hard to exercise. Has done wonders for my knees,shoulders and ankles. Works the areas around the joints. Plus- kinda fun. http://www.gibbon-slacklines.com/en/
buzz wrote:
Chiropractor or physical therapist?
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
I was very active in my youth and have a few injuries resulting from being invincible back then. I'm now a middle aged white guy with a (mostly) desk job. I use both. Chiro is good for normal, routine, keeping you aligned/in shape - I go to mine about once very 6 weeks on average and more often when I overdo something and can feel a specific area of tightness or discomfort. PT is more for addressing what I would call either injury or chonic issues. They typically work areas so that I build enough strength that I don't get the mis-alignment issues. I usually wind up in PT once a year (sometimes less), but it's usually after I feel something muscular go really wrong. The PT guys helped me with a knee alignment when I was sure surgery was in my future too. So they can be for that kind of problem too.
I have limited experience with both...I would say PT first. They might spend a number of sessions with you and then send you on your way with some exercises that hopefully help in the long run. Either way you go, you need to find a trusted doctor...someone who comes highly recommended.
I also have back issues...fractured it a couple years ago...and use an inverter which provides at least temporary relief. For me, the key to avoiding recurring doc visits is strengthening the area affected.
A good trick for the tennis elbow is to massage it across the grain of the muscle, right where it hurts. I had a bad one a few months back and that was the only thing that worked.
i would like to hear more about the inverter. ive seen that guy that sells them on late night tv and it does look interesting.
Its actually traction via gravity. Definitely try before you buy. They are not all created equal. Even if you get a good one, you may plain find that its too uncomfortable. All that blood rushing to your haid an all. That and they take up a lot of space.
I'll take too aspern and forget to call you tomorrow afternoon. Pick me up a bucket of chicken at Gino's while yer at it ...
Chow y'all ...
OBTW iffen you youze an inverter, make sure you have the right shoes on ! you wouldn't want to hit your haid on the floor.
(this is a real commercial. I remember it and saw it before it was pulled and banned, which was almost immediately)
Deep tissue massage before either. With the list I read it might take 6 months with careful, yet aggressive massotherapy just to loosen you up enough for either. I've been in more accidents than the number of cars the wife has owned we figured out one evening. Gone through a windshield once as a passenger, too.
Any way, what I have learned from years of massage is that while PT or Chiro may be good, they are no good or harmful if the muscles are all knotted up and shortened due to the knotting issues. These knots I speak of are actually lactic acid deposits that require pressure or rubbing to break up as someone mentioned below regarding tennis elbow.
I once helped coach a young lady on the muscles and their location and function for her massage boards as our Alexandra is currently undertaking. There are layers upon layers of muscles running in all kinds of different directions making it very difficult to get the deep ones. You have to work on one layer just to get a chance to work on the layer below. It can take months to literally get to the bottom and that's going 2 to 3 times a week, with a good massotherapist.
What I'm getting to is that as long as the muscles are shortened, the skeleton is prevented from taking its natural positions (alignment), screwing up joints and causing all kinds of unnecessary pain. So until the muscles have been relaxed, the Chiropractor is forcing the joints to pop against the muscles and the PT is also working against the muscles in a similar way. Get the muscles resolved before under going either. You may find that massage is all you need once you are tuned up, say once or twice a month for maintenance. But once the muscles are relaxed, then the skeleton will move much more easily and take manipulation much better. The biggest problems with massage are two fold. Finding a good one and paying for it. Its not cheap and insurance rarely covers it. You can write it off on taxes if you itemize providing you have an Rx for massage. Easy to get, just ask your GP for one.
My massotherapist, Debbie (RIP) could play my body like a piano. Iffen I got some lasting pain, I would see her first before going to a doctor. She almost always found the source and fixed it. One sign of a good deep tissue massage is that if you don't hurt afterwards, you didn't get a good one. I did consider becoming one a long time ago, but alas I took a different road.
I will defer further to our two resident massotherapists triskele and Alexandra for any corrections or comments about the above.
HTH ... Edit: Its not so much that the muscles get shortened by the knots, its that the pathways are lengthened by having to travel over, under or around the knots.
thanks doc. i definitely want massage to be part of this.
I was very active in my youth and have a few injuries resulting from being invincible back then. I'm now a middle aged white guy with a (mostly) desk job. I use both. Chiro is good for normal, routine, keeping you aligned/in shape - I go to mine about once very 6 weeks on average and more often when I overdo something and can feel a specific area of tightness or discomfort. PT is more for addressing what I would call either injury or chonic issues. They typically work areas so that I build enough strength that I don't get the mis-alignment issues. I usually wind up in PT once a year (sometimes less), but it's usually after I feel something muscular go really wrong. The PT guys helped me with a knee alignment when I was sure surgery was in my future too. So they can be for that kind of problem too.
I have limited experience with both...I would say PT first. They might spend a number of sessions with you and then send you on your way with some exercises that hopefully help in the long run. Either way you go, you need to find a trusted doctor...someone who comes highly recommended.
I also have back issues...fractured it a couple years ago...and use an inverter which provides at least temporary relief. For me, the key to avoiding recurring doc visits is strengthening the area affected.
A good trick for the tennis elbow is to massage it across the grain of the muscle, right where it hurts. I had a bad one a few months back and that was the only thing that worked.
i would like to hear more about the inverter. ive seen that guy that sells them on late night tv and it does look interesting.
Deep tissue massage before either. With the list I read it might take 6 months with careful, yet aggressive massotherapy just to loosen you up enough for either. I've been in more accidents than the number of cars the wife has owned we figured out one evening. Gone through a windshield once as a passenger, too.
Any way, what I have learned from years of massage is that while PT or Chiro may be good, they are no good or harmful if the muscles are all knotted up and shortened due to the knotting issues. These knots I speak of are actually lactic acid deposits that require pressure or rubbing to break up as someone mentioned below regarding tennis elbow.
I once helped coach a young lady on the muscles and their location and function for her massage boards as our Alexandra is currently undertaking. There are layers upon layers of muscles running in all kinds of different directions making it very difficult to get the deep ones. You have to work on one layer just to get a chance to work on the layer below. It can take months to literally get to the bottom and that's going 2 to 3 times a week, with a good massotherapist.
What I'm getting to is that as long as the muscles are shortened, the skeleton is prevented from taking its natural positions (alignment), screwing up joints and causing all kinds of unnecessary pain. So until the muscles have been relaxed, the Chiropractor is forcing the joints to pop against the muscles and the PT is also working against the muscles in a similar way. Get the muscles resolved before under going either. You may find that massage is all you need once you are tuned up, say once or twice a month for maintenance. But once the muscles are relaxed, then the skeleton will move much more easily and take manipulation much better. The biggest problems with massage are two fold. Finding a good one and paying for it. Its not cheap and insurance rarely covers it. You can write it off on taxes if you itemize providing you have an Rx for massage. Easy to get, just ask your GP for one.
My massotherapist, Debbie (RIP) could play my body like a piano. Iffen I got some lasting pain, I would see her first before going to a doctor. She almost always found the source and fixed it. One sign of a good deep tissue massage is that if you don't hurt afterwards, you didn't get a good one. I did consider becoming one a long time ago, but alas I took a different road.
I will defer further to our two resident massotherapists triskele and Alexandra for any corrections or comments about the above.
HTH ... Edit: Its not so much that the muscles get shortened by the knots, its that the pathways are lengthened by having to travel over, under or around the knots.
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
Thanks
Suck it up and quit whining ya big baby. I had similar injuries in my yoot and chiropractic has done me a lot of good
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
Thanks
I was very active in my youth and have a few injuries resulting from being invincible back then. I'm now a middle aged white guy with a (mostly) desk job. I use both. Chiro is good for normal, routine, keeping you aligned/in shape - I go to mine about once very 6 weeks on average and more often when I overdo something and can feel a specific area of tightness or discomfort. PT is more for addressing what I would call either injury or chonic issues. They typically work areas so that I build enough strength that I don't get the mis-alignment issues. I usually wind up in PT once a year (sometimes less), but it's usually after I feel something muscular go really wrong. The PT guys helped me with a knee alignment when I was sure surgery was in my future too. So they can be for that kind of problem too.
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
Thanks
I have limited experience with both...I would say PT first. They might spend a number of sessions with you and then send you on your way with some exercises that hopefully help in the long run. Either way you go, you need to find a trusted doctor...someone who comes highly recommended.
I also have back issues...fractured it a couple years ago...and use an inverter which provides at least temporary relief. For me, the key to avoiding recurring doc visits is strengthening the area affected.
A good trick for the tennis elbow is to massage it across the grain of the muscle, right where it hurts. I had a bad one a few months back and that was the only thing that worked.
Location: i believe, i believe, it's silly, but I believe Gender:
Posted:
Mar 27, 2015 - 11:18am
buzz wrote:
Chiropractor or physical therapist?
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
Thanks
I'm good friends with an amazing OT.... I'll ask her
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
I have a whole list of issues that need work. The question is which way to go about treating them.
35 years ago I was in a car accident. I was hit head on and slammed my forehead into the windshield. It was the last time I drove without a seatbelt as I now have a constant reminder to use it. My traps and neck muscles are the tightest things ever. They have not relaxed in 35 years. There was a period of about 10 years where I was unable to turn my head in any direction. Things are not quite that bad now, but it still ranges from somewhat annoying to downright painful. There is never a time when it does't bother me.
Impingement syndrome in my right shoulder. It seriously limits my range of motion. This is fairly recent. I got a cortisone shot back in the fall but it only helped for a few weeks.
Tennis elbow in my left elbow. I've had this for almost 2 years. Cortisone shot back in the fall. As with the shoulder, this only helped for a short time.
Lower back problems that I have had since grade school or jr high. Almost constant discomfort and it occasionally goes out. When that happens I have a serious stabbing pain and am unable to support myself standing or sitting up. The pain is so intense, my legs collapse under me.
Arthritic knees and hands.
I was at an event at a school last week where I was able to speak to both PTs and a chiropractor. All said they could help. I would to hear peoples experience with both/either. I would especially like to hear from anyone with any professional experience.
That's a bit more common than I had suspected, but not the same as what Antigone's describing, that problem actually stops the heart.
My niece just had some balloon therapy where they jam a balloon down the esophagus and inflate and stretch the esophagus. About once a year or two, she'd have a choking attack and just gag instead of swallowing... they said it was because the esophagus was just so narrow, any little hangup (like a poorly timed belch) would cause a blockage and her body would just heave it all up. She ignored it successfully until it happened at Thanksgiving and she couldn't just go hide. So now it's stretched out and she also is on a pretty strict diet to try to prevent any reflux. Not sure if that's permanent or just until the area heals.
Yeah, I did check it out.
I thought that it might relate in some way because the doc says that the neurontin (which is an anti seizure medicine for epileptics) might be enough to help deal with the trigger mechanism in the esophagus that causes her choking. It has so far, two years out now. Hope that your niece does well as time passes.
The wife has a swallowing disorder that we thoroughly investigated. Never got an actual name for it. But we went deep. Scoped her throat all the way down. They even gave her a sensor thingy to swallow which reported to a device that she had to keep on her person for 5 days along with a food journal. All inconclusive.
The ENT directing all this finally narrowed it down to a nerve / muscle problem in the esophagus and prescribed a very low dose of neurontin an off label use of the drug which for the most part has been very successful.
HTH
That's a bit more common than I had suspected, but not the same as what Antigone's describing, that problem actually stops the heart.
My niece just had some balloon therapy where they jam a balloon down the esophagus and inflate and stretch the esophagus. About once a year or two, she'd have a choking attack and just gag instead of swallowing... they said it was because the esophagus was just so narrow, any little hangup (like a poorly timed belch) would cause a blockage and her body would just heave it all up. She ignored it successfully until it happened at Thanksgiving and she couldn't just go hide. So now it's stretched out and she also is on a pretty strict diet to try to prevent any reflux. Not sure if that's permanent or just until the area heals.
