Aches and pains are no new thing for me. I often joke that as soon as I hit adulthood, I felt like an old woman with sore hips, knees, and neck. I’m sure long shifts at work on my feet throughout the pandemic didn’t help, nor do the countless hours spent on my computer here at school. I’ve spent time experimenting with movement and other self-care in an effort to ease some of the pain and regularly prevent “sleeping on my neck wrong,” but eventually I decided it was time to seek professional help. That’s where the chiropractor came in.
It feels like I’ve heard every side of the spectrum when it comes to stories about chiropractic care. Some people swear by it, saying it’s transformative to feeling their best. Others warn against causing more harm than good. Obviously, I was looking for something along the lines of the former.
First, I sought a recommendation. I wanted to find a provider who someone knew and had a good experience with. My primary care physician wasn’t able to refer anyone in the area since I’m out of state, so I sought recommendations from friends in the area. Once I decided who I wanted to see, I gave them a call and booked an appointment.
As with many doctors or therapy offices, they sent me a boatload of intake paperwork to get started. At one point, I was annotating a little stick figure with places where I was experiencing pain. While I was there for general discomfort, it seemed like many folks seeking chiropractic care have experienced some type of prior physical trauma or injury.
Upon arriving for my appointment, I was met by the chiropractor, who took me back to the treatment room. We talked for a little while about my symptoms and goals, and then she had me stand up so she could examine me. If you’re going to a chiropractor appointment, I highly recommend wearing leggings or other athletic clothing (i.e. not jeans). It seemed to be helpful for her to be able to evaluate my hips, gait, etc. This involved some twisting, bending, and walking while she felt my joints and range of motion. One thing I found interesting is she immediately asked: “are you a stomach sleeper?” (Spoiler: I am). She seemed convinced all my symptoms could be explained by this fact and insisted I had to stop.
Once she was satisfied with her examination, I lay on the treatment table. She inserted blocks underneath my hips and thighs, so my pelvis was shifted into a different position. Towels and heat packs were layered on my back and neck. Then, she left me to sit. While this sounds very strange described, none of it was uncomfortable. Odd? Sure. But not painful or otherwise unpleasant. After I had sat with the heat and the blocks, she returned and made some adjustments. These adjustments are what I thought of when thinking about a chiropractor in the traditional sense, like cracking your back. Again, nothing was uncomfortable, just a little strange.
I am scheduled to return this week and I’m interested to see what she has to say. While the appointment was very out of the ordinary, I wouldn’t say my life (or my joints) changed in any amazingly different way. While I have tried to consider how I sleep, I’m not experiencing any life-changing relief of symptoms as I think is sometimes described. I’m interested to see what my follow-up appointment will entail, but if it’s anything like the first, I’m not sure I’ll be back again.
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