Chiropractic treatment vs. massage therapy and Reiki?

I know I have an L5-S1 disc issue. This flareup is the worst ever and has rendered me nearly nonfunctional. Every step, every movement is like I am lugging 500 bricks on the left side of my torso. I've tried everything and usually it would have subsided by now. No luck.

I posted an ad on craigslist asking to barter for chiropractic services. A gracious gentleman responded, saying he does massage therapy and Reiki and would barter.

For such an extreme disc-related issue, what are your thoughts regarding this treatment versus chiropractic therapy? I realize both in conjunction are the ideal, but unless I can find a chiropractor willing to barter or to offer services out of the kindness of his/her heart, I don't see that happening.

He does happen to rent space out of a chiropractor's office. She could take pity on me...lolol.

Thanks. :hug: in advance.

by disc "issue" and "disc-related"? Do you have any numbness or tingling?

You don't want anything deep tissue. With an adjustment, if the muscles are tense, the bones won't stay aligned anyway. Especially if it's all you can get, why not take it. Just to make sure, have you had back surgery or is this due to a trauma?

Have you soaked in Epsom salt at all? I can do a distance Reiki if you want. PM me if so.

if the muscle can be put in right place (normally done with a much more intense muscle manipulation called Rolfing which is painful but can or has on some people corrected spine problems because they are moving the muscle and connective tissue back to where it belongs ) the bone can follow new placement of muscle and correct a spine. I had a chiropractor ask me about my spine (she had done xrays and was 1st chiro for me) since it was straight but my pelvis was tilted. I mentioned the rolfing and she said that straighten out my spine. Since I had no xrays before the rolfing I have no idea if that was true. I did have a colleague tell me it straighten out his daughters spine when nothing else would

Now Reiki is energy and may or may not do anything

you don't have anything to lose trying the massage and reiki first - you can always do chiropractor later.

Chiropractor usually want to take xrays before to show you you have one leg shorter than the other and then they put you on a series of treatments. BUT they never take xrays again to show you it is corrected. Large Bill

Now I have had chiropractors who don't do xrays and what they did actually would relieve things for a time.

same as massage - it is not necessarily a permanent fix

Now there is also acupuncture which is again using the meridans and energy but it is Eastern medicine and might help. I tried that when I could hardly stand up and went twice and it was better. Again they suggest you come more.

in the sense that they realized they can be just as effective with a gentler approach, my rolfer told me. I had initially been wary of rolfing, but when I heard that - and also my own chiropractor who does a lot of soft tissue work before adjustments, and how that felt - I decided to take the plunge.

I have been going for a few rolfing treatments after a car accident (the insurance is covering it) and it is not any more painful than therapeutic massage. I feel much more of a difference afterwards, however, and that sold me on it.

I agree with everything else you said. Acupuncture could initially relieve the pain but if its a structural issue then it's important to address that.

once you are aligned, I would start Yoga to strengthen and keep your body in it's alignment.

Meanwhile, sending you healing light....

I left w/ increase numbness tingling. L4/5, S1 issues. Nursing injuries. I'm pretty fit-
try to keep my weight down- Surf, mountain bike, teach yoga- But no matter what the
discomfort and pain can creep back in anytime.

I have disc protrusion, otherwise know as "bulging disc" with degeneration (don't we all)

What works (for me) are a combination of many things noted above. Reiki, trigger point-
deep tissue massage, and most of all... What I just can't recommend enough (if you don't
have hypertension, or vertigo, anyeurism in the brain, is my inversion table.

I LOVE going upside down! Really creates space between the vertebra, and not only that
but stretches tissue/muscle in the opposite direction. And to add, it is like a daily dose
of antidepressant. Happy, happy, happy!

(Or also called cranial-sacro)

They do work similar to chiropractic, but instead of active manipulation they hold you in a position and allow your relaxation plus gravity to gently slide bones back into alignment. Because of the difference in technique, the adjustment holds much, much longer than chiropractic -- up to 6 months. That would give you time to follow up with massage, reiki, etc. to assist. Both my horse and I had excellent results with a single session. I had stopped getting my period following a car accident that left my spine and pelvis slightly torqued. About 6 months later, all resumed as normal as circulation was more fully restored to the pelvic region.

I've had mixed results with chiropractic for my horse and for me, but it did help Jake tremendously with his subluxation. *However* he did not yet have major disc injury, just either minor damage or, more likely, inflammation.

so very, very much for your thoughts and suggestions.

:grouphug:


Northernlights, I hadn't thought of craniosacral therapy. I just searched and found a local center, run by an older Chinese gentleman who looks like he'd be perfect for what I need! A true mind-body-spirit approach. I sent him an email and asked about bartering services (perhaps I could help him write a book! :)).

Purevidadreamin, I would LOVE an inversion table! It looks like it would relieve so much pressure (on all levels) and help spine-related issues tremendously. That, and a pool, are part of my ultimate wishlist. :)

Why Syzygy, 2Design, u4ic and rumpel, thank you all for enlightening me about different things and offering your healing vibes....much appreciated!!!

:grouphug: