PT or Chiro?

[Momto1and1ontheway]

Hi mamas... for any of you that have had bad sciatica this go round (or even before for that matter), can you tell me what worked for you in terms of getting treatment?

I can barely walk anymore without pain and weakness on my left side. I don't have the pain shooting down my leg, just the sharp stabbing pain and the weakness. I'm not sure if I should be asking to see a Physical Therapist or a Chiropractor. I just need help.

Can anybody shed any light on this topic??

TIA!

added: Oh, I forgot to mention... I felt this pain last week and went to a prenatal massage therapist. I felt great for the rest of that day, but it's like the massage woke something up in there. Perhaps more treatments would make it better?

[saritabeth]

I am biased. Im a massage therapist who works with a chiro.

Massage and Chiro will really help you. In fact, I was all out of alignment the other day and had my boss adjust me and felt instant relief.

that lower back stuff really hurts...

Just my biast .02 worth

[busybusymomma]

I haven't ever had any PT or massage so I can't comment there, but I adore chiro for sciatic pain. :thumb It was extremely helpful both of my pgs... and I plan to go at 36 weeks for a regular ol' adjustment unless I happen to have more pain before then. :D

[amybw]

Never tried just PT, but I have been going to the chiro. Mine never went away frommy first pregnancy and it has been pretty bad this time around and i am only 19 weeks.
I was going 2x a week, then weekly, now I am biweekly and soon should be every 3 weeks or so. I plan to go all the way up til delivery.
My chiro incorporates electro-pulse whatever it is called :lol with a hot pack ( not too hot).
I am very pleased with going to the chiro! He also gives me exercises to do that help and recommends sleep positions, etc...I feel like he covers the whole person.

:)
Amy

[`guest`]

Chiro is ok, be careful though, try to find a gentle release practitioner. Acupuncture also works well, it worked for me. Massage can sometimes "open" things up.

[nova22]

Chiro!
Chiro!
Chiro!

Find one who is gentle and has good bedside manner...seeing a rough and gruff chiro sort of defeats the purpose to me. :) My FIL used to see one who would twist him all over the place to align his back and that isn't something I'd like. Our chiro is really gentle, takes things slowly and has a really good open schedule. We can waltz in whenever we want (as long as we don't mind waiting for a little bit) and never make an appointment if we don't want to. I had AWFUL sciatica pains with my first pregnancy and chiropractic care worked miracles.

[ChattyCat]

Last pg, I had HORRIBLE sciatica starting around 16 weeks (lasted the whole dang pg). UGH! Anyway, I saw a PT once and took dh with me. She was AWESOME! She helped me out a whole lot that day, and taught dh how to do a lot of the exercises so that we could do them at home, whenever I needed the help. It was great!

That said, I think there are really great and really crappy chiros and PTs. I think it may boil down more to finding someone who's really good at what they do vs. finding one or the other. Make sense?

Hope you feel better soon. :)

[Bellasmom]

A good chiro will usually refer you to a PT if (s)he thinks you would benefit from physical therapy. Often they will have suggestions for exercises you can do, too. I have seen a chiro for sciatica both pregnant and not-pregnant, and I find it really helps. I have also had success with PT - a combo of both might be the way to go.

[ArlyShellandKai]

From my experience as a therapist and working with PTs they can show you stretches , releases and exercises however I would see a chiro. I saw one with DS1 because of bad sciatic and it was also causing him to be breech because my hips then were out of alignment so DS didnt have room to move to head down. After several adjustments ( and i did have the chiro webster tech done) he was freely and safely able to get into the head down position. Chiro for pregnancy is great,. UGH I remember before i did the chiro while pregnant I would practically walk with my one leg swinging out to the side cause it was so out of alignment along with the pain.

Michele