Don’t get me wrong, I know people who swear by their chiropractic visits, but for some reason, my visits don’t result in long-term improvement. Sure, I know that chiropractors don’t promise to heal all that ails their patients, but what should I expect after a visit?

Case in point, I had a visit today after debilitating pain that has led me to reach for my crutches for the last several days. The treatment that I received during the visit was remarkable and I walked out of there with less of a limp. But here I sit several hours later in the same amount of pain that I limped into the doctor’s office with. What gives?!

Shifting in bed hurts, trying to get out of bed is excruciating, standing from a seated position is torture, and walking is painful. I like working out, but right now, it’s not something I can do routinely. On a good day, I sneak in a workout between mild bouts of pain, but there’s nothing mild about the pain this time. To sum it up, my lifestyle has been cramped due to the pain.

This is the second time in less than a year that I’ve received treatment for this problem and I’m at a loss for how to resolve it. I’ve seen two chiropractors, I soak in the hot tub for temporary pain relief, and my heating pad has become one of my new best friends.

Will I need surgery? Should I amp up my yoga routine? Do I just need to relax and just expect that chiropractic visits will be my new normal? Speaking of normal, visits to chiropractors are a normal part of care for people seeking both pain relief and routine alignments. According to Dr. Kelly Andrews of Spine-Health, an estimated 6%-12% of the US population seeks chiropractic care each year. In 2009, the projected number of visits was expected to range from 18 million visits to 36 million visits to chiropractors. Let’s add me to the list of people who sought chiropractic relief in 2011. The jury is still out on whether or not this will become part of my routine.

I have hopes of running my second 10K this spring, but the odds aren’t looking great from where I sit (painfully). However, I do know that God makes miracles happen all day every day. Perhaps my issue is too big for the chiropractor alone, because it’s a God-sized thing. I guess that’s my cue to tenderly get down on my knees and call out to Him for healing (and for a little help getting up from my knees).

Have you ever had chiropractic care? Was your treatment successful? Is it part of your regular health care routine?

Let’s chat!

Love to all!

CC