Reply #13: Pain is the body's way of telling you something is wrong

[floridaguy]

Some pain after an adjustment is not all that uncommon. Your concern should be based on the location, severity, and type of pain. Burning-type pain is more often nerve related, and aching pain tends to be muscular.

If you're like 44 million Americans without health insurance, running to an MD for a pain is not necessarily an option. Actually I call it sickness insurance, because if you're able to stay healthy, you don't need it. Besides, as a massage therapist for about 10 years, I could safely say that a whole lot of MD's don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, but they would like to know if you brought your insurance card. (Warning: This stereotype is based on experience and is not scientific- I have also witnesed a few excellent MD's but the number of pain specialists is minimal)

Your decision to go to a chiropractor may indicate you look to non-traditional medical treatments. If you're pain is actually in a muscle, a qualified massage therapist can help you. Any good chiropractor will work together with a massage therapist, because most spinal misalignment is related to muscular dysfunction. This is not true for trauma related problems. They may require immediate medical attention.

However, if you have serious pain near your spine, it may actually be neorological, which may require a neurologist(MD) However, good luck. Due to the current status of the medical profession, they will order 50 tests before they touch you, and after that, it's likely their first course of action, not the last, will be surgery. Get at least one other opinion. Try to find a pain specialists, as often people go to neurosurgens. They specialize in surgery, so that's their inclination. Again, I know one or two that aren't this way.

(Here's the lawyer bullshit that I once learned as a lawyer: The above is for general information purposes only and should not be used for specific medical advice.)