Just another update on my chiropractic treatment. I have mentioned it can be a lifelong affair (if you want it to be) as it is so similar to doing to the dentist or gym. I started reading up on chiropractic treatment after my first encounter with it in 2007. I was aware of the risks involved (yes, you could be paralyzed if the chiropractor did not do a good job) but I wanted to give it a try since conventional methods did not work much.
I used to suffer from migraines and tension headaches frequently. When the attacks came, I just could not do much to alleviate the pain. Regular painkillers did not work for me, plus I am allergic to many other painkillers so my options were very limited. My doctor prescribed Naramig for my migraine. At $9+ per pill, it was a costly affair.
My shoulders, neck and upper back were also very achy and sore all the time. Regular massage (sometimes 3x a week) did not work either. I would feel good for the first few hours but the ache and pain would be back the next day. This is apparently a very common problem for office workers, those who are desk bound, due to staring at the computer screens for hours on end with no break.
So I was at a fair and met a chiropractor in Vancouver. I paid for the trial and went to his clinic to learn more about it. There was an X-ray machine and he took X-ray of my spine. After which he went through my X-ray and told me how my spine was faring. Seriously if you ever see your own X-ray and the shape it is in, you may be more receptive to chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractors believe the body has the ability to heal itself when everything is working properly. That includes a healthy spine where messages can be passed from the brain to various parts of the body sent via the spine. When the spine is compressed or out of shape, the messages may get lost or delayed, resulting in a less than healthy body. So the chiropractor tries to adjust the spine back to its original healthy position. This takes time and so one needs to persevere to see results. This is my crude interpretation of what chiropractic treatment can do :p
I believe it and I also do not want to keep popping pills which are chemical and only mask the problems. I only completed a couple of months of chiropractic treatment before I left Vancouver. It took me a while before I finally found a chiropractor in Singapore who is similar to the chiropractor I saw in Vancouver.
So I went back to regular adjustments. I started with 3x a week for 2-3 months before dropping to twice a week, and then once a week to alternate week and finally once every 3 weeks. My chiropractic journey in Singapore started in July 2009 and is still going on. I must state that for most of last year and this year, I was already on once every 3 weeks treatment and I thought that was pretty good for me.
Results: Drastically reduced migraines or tension headaches attacks. I think I only get it 1-3x a year and only when I am very tired or ill. I don't need massages anymore. If I go for massages, now I only go for swedish or relaxing style as I don't need the hard stuff to remove the knots on my shoulders and neck.
Everything was fine until my chiropractor stopped practising at Chiropractic Infinity. So for about 2 months I was not adjusted and I could sooooo feel the difference. The body was uncomfortable for the first few days but after a week or so, it got used to the ache and pain so I did not feel so bad. That is really how the body cope with pain. Someone once told me when you feel pain, it means the body could not bear it anymore. The body can actually absorbs 90% of the pain.
There is a new chiropractor at Chiropractic Infinity ~ Dr Alex. I am not sure I would be comfortable letting him adjust me, so I arranged for a consultation. As the treatment of the spine is very important with serious repercussions, I want to be sure I would be ok with the person first.
I found out Dr Alex is originally from Greece and moved to the States when young and graduated from a chiropractic school in Chicago (not Palmer which is where both my chiropractors graduated from and Palmer was the guy who invented or originated with chiropractic treatment). Dr Alex examined me and was able to tell me which were the problem areas and advised me to add some exercises to strengthen my core besides chiropractic treatment. I found his style to be similar to an osteopath. Osteopathy is a cross between chiropractic and physiotherapy (again, my own meaning) and osteopath believes in strengthening the core and exercises to build the body.
In any case, I was not comfortable with Dr Alex to adjust me so I did not get any treatment from him.
Luckily my usual chiropractor (Dr Dylan Altfeld) has set up his own practice and so I am able to get adjusted again. Yay!
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