Chiropractic Has Trade-Offs Too – Part 2 (Continued Use Pain vs. Faster Healing)

I keep running into a particular situation in my office and it involves a trade-off – I call it Grandparents’ Syndrome.

Men and women come to me with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, lower-back pain, upper-back pain, neck pain, etc. I ask, “What are you doing to cause this?” They reply, “It hurts when I crochet/work in my woodshop/pick up the baby.” I say, “You need to stop doing that for a while.” The response, “NO!”

I explain that if they are constantly re-injuring the area with activities that are aggravating, the problem will not heal, but continue to get worse. “I HAVE to crochet ten afghans, OR finish building these presents, for the grandchildren.” “I HAVE to pick up the baby.”

I now clarify that if they want to get well as quickly as possible, these activities will have to be temporarily dropped. I can still help it to heal, but the process will be much slower and take longer if they continue. I ask, “Is it worth it to have your hands so numb that you have to be looking at them to continue to crochet? Is it worth back pain and spasms so bad that you can’t sleep at night to finish those woodworking projects. Do you HAVE to pick up the baby?” The answer, “YES!” (Usually, the best concession I can get on picking up the baby is that the children will be taught that Grandma only picks them up when she is sitting down.)

So I tell them that they will be coming to me very often for treatments until the projects are completed, and that the rate of improvement and pain relief will be much slower, but that they can expect to get some relief of their symptoms with each visit to Val Vista Chiropractic.

Imagine:  Patients trading their health and well-being to make their grandchildren happy! There are ALWAYS trade-offs.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic