I am a constant chiropractic patient. It's frustrating to me and my chiropractor that my adjustments don't seem to hold long. Any suggestions re stabilizing chiropractic care?
Also, the right side of my neck is tight and it hurts, and I don't know if people have pain remedies to suggest. I am constantly massaging there.
Posted by lymenotlite (Member # 33166) on :
Neck issues seem to be common with us. I've heard it called lyme shrug although I don't care for that term.
My neck problem has also been around and bad since lyme. Less than two weeks ago, I went to an osteopath who did her adjustment. She does not crack but rather kept pressure on a point on the neck while I extended my neck out. She said this lengthens your muscle.
After going home, I continued to crack my neck more than usual and I got a very satisfying crack which adjustment I kept cracking to maintain and it worked.
I shortly became very ill and that continued for a week-and-a-half. My entire body felt weakened. I feel sure this was a Herxheimer reaction, a toxin dump. So I assume the neck area and/or brain holds a lot of lyme-related toxins.
Probably about 3-4 days after the treatment, I strongly experienced what felt like fluid circulating about in my brain. So maybe the brain pump was activated, or some brain cleansing mechanism.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Consuming a diet high in oxalates makes all my muscles tight and painful.
Now I'm unable to eat even a low oxalate diet, it seems.
Posted by DebraKelly (Member # 24925) on :
I had similar symptoms and did physical therapy. They give you specific exercises plus heat and neck massage and traction.
If felt great and still does! It's worth a try and my pcp was the one that recommended it.
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
I am currently doing prolotherapy. On my 2nd round.(every 2 weeks.) Of coarse I researched it first right here on Lymenet.
Prolotherapy is injections into the injured or damaged tissue on the body. The injection causes a mild inflammation response that helps new fibers and collegen to repair the area. While inflammation is thought to be a bad thing, it also has important benefits for stimulating healing and repairing of damaged tissues.
Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) uses platelets taken from the own patient's blood. Concentrations of platelets contain a lest 7 growth factors, proteins, cytokines and other biofactors that promote natural wound healing.
I am on standard prolotherapy (procaine and irritants, no stem cells.) A JAMA study compared the 2 forms of prolotherapy and found they have similar effects.
It is painful, I cry every time. After the injections, I'm laid on a biomat for 30 minutes. My pain has COMPLETELY gone away after 3 days. I must get a treatment every 2 weeks for another month.
It seems ALOT of doctors are offering stem cell treatments. Stem cells don't necessarily kill Lyme, rather it's a healing agent to repair all the damaged the disease has caused. It is not the silver bullet. ( our broken record it seems.)
Have you tried cranial/sacral therapy? We've found that seems to help relax the tight muscles.
Our chiropractor says the patients who get the cranial/sacral therapy are easier to adjust.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Thx, all - responding to each here -
Lymenotlite - I've wondered whether the neck is a place for Lyme toxins, since it's near the brain. Or whether the bacteria settle there because we have tight muscles. Don't know.
I've never herxed from an adjustment. But if you notice you're responding to the osteopathic work, I'd say keep going with it.
Lymetoo - how did you figure out you are reacting to oxalates? I looked up the list of foods with oxalates in them - it's rather extensive - looks like quite a restrictive diet?
DebraKelly - I've tried PT for my neck. It's too stiff. But if you've gotten somewhere with it, great.
BartenderBonnie - I had a prolo injection once - it's very painful to recover from - I had it in my midback. I didn't go back. However, if you're getting results, I always say go for it, whatever therapy is working for us.
Stem cell injections are too expensive. It would be great if someday insurance would cover it. They should, because it makes sense for them to cover a 5K treatment rather than a 100K operation, for example.
MannaMe - I get cranial work when my face messes up, as in face/dental/jaw pain build-up - then I know to get it done. Otherwise, it doesn't seem to affect my spinal adjustments. Interesting that your chiropractor thinks that.
In general, I think it's important to strengthen, and I've been in PT for 2 years now, working from my feet on up. It just feels good to have a stronger body.
I also have done a lot of squashing of the tight neck muscles, using both hands on my neck while lying down on my back. When I first started, I could only turn my head 45 degrees, and now I can turn it almost almost 90 degrees.I think we need to work for whatever improvements we can get.
My chiropractor is a saint! So patient with everyone, and I'm one of his most challenging patients. He really likes the fact that I help so many Lyme patients. He's frequently had me talk with people coming in to his office whom he suspect of having Lyme.
Posted by aklnwlf (Member # 5960) on :
Hi Robin! Ever had whiplash? I've been in 3 bad car accidents which caused numerous injuries. Head and neck injuries seem to take a loooong time to heal.
My 3rd accident was this past February resulting in injuries including another whiplash.
I go to a very specialized physical therapist who is currently working on my neck, back and SI joints.
As usual I had limited movement of my head and had super tight muscles on one side of my neck. This was due to locked facet joints close to the base of my skull and on one side. My therapist manually moves the joints with finger pressure unlocking them.
I do a couple simple exercises about every hour to keep the joints moving. So far no hideous knotting and spasms in my neck muscles.
Hope this helps!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I did have a whiplash once, before Lyme. I was driving and suddenly was facing the opposite direction! An elderly couple hit the back of the car. Thank goodness we were the only vehicles around.
So everything locked up in your neck afterwards? I guess it's just the body being protective.
Posted by aklnwlf (Member # 5960) on :
That whole side locked up, neck, back and SI joints.
My first whiplash was in 1981. Have had problems with that side of my neck since. Doesn't help that I had 2 more cases of whiplash.
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