Has anyone used a chiropractor to get rid of a headache?

[Ns1]

I'm approaching day 5 of the worst headache I've ever had - it basically feels like a giant knot where my neck meets the skull. I'm calling it the "cul de sac of pain".

I've been uh, self medicating for the past 5 days and now I'm desperate enough to seek "professional" help. I've recently discovered that my insurance covers chiro visits, so I'm looking! At this point even a chiropractor that's a front for a massage office would be the second coming of christ.

But back to the point of this post - has anyone dealt with a headache via chiropractor? Did it work?

 

[Mayne]

use advil ..don't over-do it though.

 

[SSSnail]

By chiropractor you mean massage parlors in San Jose, then go for it. Other than that drink more water and stretch. If you think you're gonna die, can I have your stuff?

 

[Mayne]

seriously though advil or ibuprofen are meant for those stubborn type of headaches.

 

[MongGrel]

I've a guy I used to work for had a daughter that swore chiropractors where great until she had her neck messed up by one badly once, and she went to a "reputable" one ....

And she was in drug sales to hospitals and went into surgery with the surgeons a lot.

I'm just saying.

And personally, I had something similar during my first Divorce years ago, sounds like might be stress related and muscular.

Massage might be better than a Chiro, but in some cases it just takes time for it to work out.

 

[JEDI]

isnt there a chiro on this board?

pm him about your headache?

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

I would try both chiro and massage if I were you. I have had these kinds of problems before...and honestly neither one completely worked for me but it helped a bit.

 

[Ns1]

I would try both chiro and massage if I were you. I have had these kinds of problems before...and honestly neither one completely worked for me but it helped a bit.

I'm willing to try anything my insurance will cover!!!

 

[JEDI]

have u tried to crack your own neck?

here's a neck traction device ($5) that stretches your neck:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/DMI-Head-H...ingMethod=p13n

fill the pouch w/water to whatever weight feels comfortable

 

[Ns1]

have u tried to crack your own neck?

uh, I make a quick motion and it cracks. I do that several times a day.

I'm not sure it does anything but sure does feel good!

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

I'm willing to try anything my insurance will cover!!!

My insurance covers my chiro visits, but I have been going out of pocket for massage. I have pretty much chronic back pain so I'm forced to try anything. I actually don't want to get a massage at all, or have someone touching me, ever. But it does feel nice when you get over those initial feelings.

If your insurance wont cover the massage, go out of pocket. I'd do an hour massage and have them focus on neck and back. You're gonna want to solve this problem somehow.

 

[Strk]

How about just going to a real doctor?

 

[HeXen]

Spyrex is good for headaches. Prescription only though. Naproxen, Aspirin or acetemetophen alone never works for me however the mix of caffeine,acet and aspirin do often help if I catch it early enough.

When I used to get migraines, it turned out to be high blood pressure which apparently isn't always high but rather seems to skyrocket at night or if I was stressed and sometimes other odd occasions...so it took a while to catch that it would peak off and on. Anyway, taking Bystolic cured all of that. Still get some random headaches now and then though.

 

[Subyman]

BC Powder. Miracle drug, been around forever. Put it on your tongue, don't breath, and drink some water. Works within 5 minutes.

 

[Ns1]

How about just going to a real doctor?

I need (want) more work than the 15 minutes a real doctor will give me. That said, if chiro doesn't do anything and it sticks around for a few more days I will. Need to make sure it's not like a tumor or botfly or someshit.

 

[JEDI]

call several chiros.
tell them you have a prolonged headache and whats their success rate in fixing it?

goto the one that sounds the most confident to you

 

[Dr. Zaus]

wrong thread

edit:

Right answer: YES. Did it work... YES. Why did it work? Ah... well if I told you it might not work..

 

[Ns1]

Sweet, tangentially related, XKCD

http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/

you in the right thread?

 

[skyking]

my mom had these horrible migraines that would send her to bed. She worked at the hospital, had access to all sorts of doctors who basically had nothing for her in the way of treatments or suggestions.
She went to a chiro, very skeptical but out of options. Long story short she had been in a car wreck a year before and held on to the wheel hard enough that she hit her head on the roof. He found it in her neck, and two treatments late she never had one of those migraines again.
That's all I have, one anecdotal story but it did the trick for her.

 

[pete6032]

Yep I go to the chiropractor all the time for headaches. They're often caused by back out of alignment. Getting adjusted, especially in the neck, is almost instantly relief for the headaches I get.

 

[Ns1]

K fuck this shit I'm going to the chiro tmr will report back.

 

[BoomerD]

I've had mixed results from chiropractic adjustments for headaches. MOST of the time they work fine...but on occasion, they actually make it worse. I have a fucked up neck...it's been FUBAR'D for a couple of decades, and chiropractic is about the only thing that's ever helped.
As for OTC meds, Excedrin is the only thing that even makes a dent in my headaches. Tylenol, ibuprofen...equally worthless for me.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Short answer. Yes.

I tend to overdo things, or lift improperly, or other such stuff and get things in the neck all jammed up. Gets tight and "locked" feeling if it is bad enough and he can get it all straightened out. Just went through that a little over a week ago.

Advil only masks the pain. It isn't going to solve anything. I used a painkiller for a few days just to function without a headache until I could see the doc and get the problem fixed. I've had the occasional migraine too, and every single time I've had one the one C-something back there has been whacked out, so I try to stay on top of things. $35 once every 4-6 weeks and totally avoiding those migraines for the past several years? Uh, yes please.

Just make sure you go to a GOOD chiro. There are a lot of bad ones out there, which are probably the ones all the naysayers on here are thinking of. A good chiro is no less a "real" doctor than any other, they're just specialized in that area similar to how you have doctors specialized in all sorts of areas. What is your general family doc going to do about a vertebrae misalignment? Not much...

 

[Sulaco]

A good chiro is no less a "real" doctor than any other, they're just specialized in that area similar to how you have doctors specialized in all sorts of areas. What is your general family doc going to do about a vertebrae misalignment? Not much...

Uh, no. No they're not. They might be very good at what they do, but yes, there is a real, measurable, definable, gradable, quantifiable world of difference.

Let's not be silly.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Uh, no. No they're not. They might be very good at what they do, but yes, there is a real, measurable, definable, gradable, quantifiable world of difference.

Let's not be silly.

OK then, explain why a chiropractor, who went through the years of schooling, testing, certifications, etc is not a doctor. What makes them NOT doctors?

You don't have to be a drug pusher to be a doctor.

You're right, there is a measurable and quantifiable world of difference. My chiropractor doesn't make my wallet near as light as many other doctors do, nor am I in the waiting room for an hour because they actually know how to schedule appointments there