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When A Chiropractor Cannot Help You
There are few instances where a chiropractor cannot help you. Here are some (but not all) of them:
SUPER-acute Back Spasms
If your lumbar spine has become so tight or inflamed that you cannot stand up, it is usually too inflamed for a chiropractor to work on. (Especially if you would need to lie down in the car to get to the chiropractor.) In these super-acute stages, it is often better to rest (lying with your legs bent) and ice the spine to reduce the inflammation. (A few times for 10 minutes each time.) Once it calms down a bit, the chiropractor can start work on the underlying cause of the problem. This can take a couple of days.
Severe Disc Protrusions
If you have a disc protrusion that is severe enough to cause
- obvious muscle weakness or wasting of the muscle,
- or associated loss of control of bladder or bowel.
These cases are beyond the scope of a chiropractor. A surgeon needs to take pressure of the spinal nerve roots before they become so damaged that they never recover.
Other serious health conditions:
- If the bones of your spine are brittle and weak, like with severe osteoporosis, spinal cancer, or fracture, a chiropractor cannot work on your spine.
- If you have had major surgery on your spine, the chiropractor will need to avoid that area. (Especially if surgeons have put in rods, screws, cages, or replacement segments in the spine.)
- A history of stroke, or factors that predispose you to stroke, will mean that the chiropractor will need to avoid neck adjustments.
- Aneurysms, especially aortic aneurysm, are a red flag.
- Vertebral artery stenosis.
- If you have very high, uncontrolled blood pressure it is unwise to manipulate the neck.
- Undiagnosed blackouts would be a contra-indication too.
- If you suspect an infection in the bones you need to seek urgent medical attention. (Eg. Acute pain with swelling and redness over bones, or generalised symptoms like fever, chills, weight loss, stiff neck.)
- Severe inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine.
If in doubt, give your chiropractor a call before coming. Chiropractors are trained on when NOT to treat a patient too.
What exactly does a chiropractor do? Does it work?
Stefan Becker
Barcelona Chiropractor
