Expert: Scott F. Gillman, DC, DACBSP - 5/19/2011

Question
Hi I visited a chiropractor six monthas ago and he cracked he lied me on my side and cracked my si joint. Since that day my lower back has been in rough shape. It is always tight and the muscles in lower back often affect my the shape of my body. They often are so tight that, they mke my butt stick out and my back look like it is sunk it. The right side is worst than the left. I had an x-ray done and take muscle relaxers. I have been in physiotherpy for three months, none of it has worked. I also went to get massages and massage people told me I'm so tight that they can't get their hands were they need to because my back muscles are so tight.I strech everyday and only get a little relief. My right side is worst then my left I was told and everyone I went to told me to work on that side more and I do, but I get no relief. What can I do doc, if you know please help me? I went the chiropractor for neck pain, why did he crack my si joint?. I went to  a chirpractor not far from him for years, but people told me the guy who hurt me was better and I should go there, I did and I guess I found out the hard way he isn't. Six months of pain is too long, is there anyway I will ever get better?

Answer
Mark,

That's too bad this happenned to you.  There's no good explanation.  I don't know if the procedure was overly forceful, or if you had some inherent vulnerability.  The best thing you can do now is to visit an interventional pain management specialist (usually MD anesthesiologists or physiatrists) and see if they can perform a "diagnostic block" procedure.   This would involve injecting an anesthetic/corsisone mixture into different locations to see what produces pain relief.  They might also do an epidural steriod injection, bathing the area around the disc and nerve.  For some folks this provides long term relief, and for others it is only temporary, but it will give you an idea where the pain might be coming from.  You're likely wasting your time in physiotherapy.  If it was going to help, you would have noticed it in the first month.   My guess is that you have a lumbar disc lesion, possibly a tear.  If you can't get to an interventional pain management specialist, then you have to try different methods, not the same one for three months.  See if you can find a Graston Technique provider near you.  Also consider trying a few sessions of acupuncture.  If you have a chiropractor that uses flexion-distraction (decompression), then give that a try (see my web site, products/services);   

I hope this is helpful, and I hope you get relief with this.

Mark: one day later and I'm revising this answer when it dawned on me this morning:  Did you get your SI joint re-adjusted??   If you never did, you need to consider this.  



Dr.G
www.drgillman.com