Back Health & Exercise Course Lesson 5

Hello and welcome to the fifth lesson of your Back Health & Exercise Course. 
 
This lesson is about the different types of back specialists and how they can help you.

If you are, or have been, dealing with sciatica and back pain you may have come in contact with a range of medical practitioners. For example:

• Your Family Doctor
• Physical Therapist
• Orthopaedic Surgeon
• Naturopathic Specialist
• Rheumatologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Physiotherapist
• Acupuncturist
• Massage Therapist
• Osteopath
• Chronic Pain Specialist
• Chiropractor

Which Specialist Should I Choose?

If you have already a favourite type of specialist or treatment that helps you look after your back and works for you - that's great . Keep using them!

Remember: "whatever works"

If you are not already using a back specialist woud like to try one out, but are not sure who or what here are some tips.

1. You have to trust and ideally understand the practitioners or specialists you choose.

Unfortunately, some treatment centers / specialists are set up for maximum patient throughput and profit, rather than optimal care. That's the reality.

You can tell if this is the case by if you are not getting enough time to discuss your situation and concerns thoroughly. Rather the treatment is rotuine and mechanical - a "cookie cutter" approach if you like.

2. The treatment has to work. Sounds obvious I know, but don't be overawed by the notionally superior knowledge of the practitioner or specialist. If the reatment isn't make a difference and you can't get convincing reasons why it will in the near future, try something else.

3. Ask friends and family if they have a trusted practitioner or specialist who has helped them with their back.

Chiropractors

I have the most personal experience with chiropractors and I have used one for many years and the treatment works for me. Remember we're looking what works to stop sciatica and back pain. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it works for you.

A key point though is that since I learnt how to look after my back and started to strengthen it, the sciatica and lower back pain rarely get in the way (unless I do something really stupid).

Now I need to visit the chiropractor much less often - on a monthly schedule, whereas before it was sometimes only a few days between treatments. What's more important to me is that my back feels good most of the time.

(You can take a look at the Better Back Book which describes a set of unique exercises to loosen and strengthen your back. Many people have get excellent results in a very short period of time.)

With any medical treatment, to get the full benefit you must educate yourself and decide for yourself if the treatment is giving you benefit and if it ongoingly works for you.

I have found a chiropractor who definitely helps me. I have also come across others where I was clearly just a number and they were only interested in patient numbers and throughput.

There are even people who say that the whole chiropractic profession is a hoax and the practitioners are basically charlatans and the treatment is pointless and even harmful. 

On the other hand, there are also clearly major deficiencies and pitfalls in the mainstream medical/pharmaceutical industry.

It is essential  for your own wellbeing that you take responsibility and come to your own conclusions.

As mentioned above, its what works for you that counts.

Background to Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractors regard your spine as the major influence on your overall health, because all the organs in your body depend upon the spinal cord (nerve) for the transmission of vital messages that are relayed backwards and forwards between your organs and your brain.

If your spine is injured or misaligned, this interferes with the transmission of these messages.

Chiropractors diagnose spine and joint problems with the help of X-rays. They are also able to detect various conditions of your spine, including the surrounding muscles with their hands.

The most common therapeutic procedure performed by chiropractors is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.”

The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury.

In the next lesson we'll look at other forms of exercise.

Best wishes & good luck.

Rita & Chris

Reminder: Take a look at the Better Back System It includes a set of unique exercises to loosen and strengthen your back and you can  amazingly good results in a very short period of time.