For years I have been bothered with neck pain. In fact, I have had a stiff and sore neck for so long that I can hardly remember when my neck didn't hurt. I never really shared this with people because I just figured it was something I had to live with. It wasn't unbearable and I thought it probably just had to do with getting old. I really noticed it when I was driving. It was difficult for me to turn my head at intersections to check for traffic. I would turn it as far as I could and jolts of pain would shoot through me and my neck would crack and groan in protest. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it was slowly growing worse and I began contemplating going to a doctor for advice and treatment.
I started mentioning my neck woes to my family and Steve made the comment, "why don't you go to my chiropractor and see if he can help you?" Anybody that knows me has probably heard me say that I would NEVER go to one of those. I grew up in a family where going to a chiropractor was unheard of. In my parents eyes they were seen as "quacks" and not at all professional. If you wanted help for an ailment, you needed to go to a "real" doctor. When I met Steve I was horrified to find out that he and his family used chiropractors regularly and spoke highly of them. Even when I saw first hand how much one helped Steve with his back issues, I remained an unbeliever myself. I begrudgingly admitted that they probably had their usefulness for some people, but they certainly weren't for me.
Well, I started considering Steve's suggestion. I knew that if I went to my doctor, I would have to go through a bunch of tests and x-rays and in the end they would probably just prescribe muscle relaxants which may or may not help. What would it hurt to give the chiropractor a try? What did I have to lose? I made the appointment and when the day came, took Steve along for moral support (and because I was scared).
The receptionist was very friendly and helped to put me at ease. Dr. Goodman took several x-rays of my neck and then invited Steve and me into his examining room. He explained to us that my neck bones were out of whack and my head was sitting crookedly on my neck. He assured me that there was a bone that he could "push" back into place to set my head straight and told me that should take care of my pain. Of course I was skeptical, but laid on the table for the treatment. He pushed and prodded and then felt my neck and proclaimed it "much better." He asked if I could tell a difference. I actually felt a little dizzy and couldn't really tell if it had improved anything. My neck still hurt. He told me that it could take a couple days, and that I should report back to him in one week.
As the days passed, I began to notice that the soreness in my neck was subsiding dramatically. I could actually turn my head from side to side and it didn't hurt! I was ecstatic. By the time I went back a week later, I felt so much better. I had two more treatments and then Dr. Goodman pronounced everything perfectly back in place and told me that I only had to return when my neck started bothering me again. He told me that it will probably shift again, but it was hard to say how soon. It could be in as little as a few weeks or as long as a few years. I would know when I needed to go to him again.
For the first time in a long time, I am enjoying turning my head from side to side and not having it be a painful experience. It is almost too good to be true. I can scarcely believe that one chiropractor could correct the problem in three sessions. And it didn't even cost much!
They say you are never too old to try new things. I am so glad that Steve suggested it and that I followed through with it. I have now joined the multitude of people that believe in chiropractic treatment. What a difference it has made! I am grateful.
