[gruff]

Has anyone had any experience of lower back pain?

I get it once every month or so for a few days, where my lower back seizes up, I can't breathe, and I'd probably scream if my lungs let me.

I've booked a free consultation with a Chiropractor for a week's time. Thing is, to actually get treated it's £40 for 3/4 of an hour. Which is pretty steep at half the price. Anyone know if it's worth it or not?

Gruff

[webbo]

see an osteopath their usually cheaper.

or buy pain free by peter egoscue for a tenner.

both work.

[SA Chris]

Aye, I get it occasionally after bouncing off a tree while skiing. Suffered a compressed vertebrae and torn spinal ligaments, so to will never really heal 100%. I saw an Osteo for a while and he fixed me up a treat. Checks out posture, alignment etc, and gave me some godd stretches and stuff, which really helped, as well as sound advice as far as dos and donts go.

Now it only twinges occasionally, especially when I am belaying from an awkward position, and sometimes in the morning.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Chiropractor's are miracle workers, my back used to hurt regularly, now it doesn't. Simple as that. They are worth every penny, especially if you only pay £7 a visit. My advice to any climber who is getting on a bit (or feeling like they are!)  is join Westfield Health Scheme, pay around a pint and a half a week, then claim at least 75 percent of all health related costs back (dental, specs, contacts, chiro, oesto, physio etc etc). It's brill. This way, you go and get your back/whatever sorted when it starts hurting, not when you can't bear it any longer.

There's a very good Chiropractor in Broomhill called George Carruthers.

[bigphil]

I second that.  A chiropracter on Broomsgrove Road sorted my back out after it went pete tong two weeks before I got married.  I don't think I could have gone backpacking around yurp for three weeks if I hadn't seen one.  Never been to an osteopath but I'm sure they do good work too.

[Claire]

I went to the chiro on collage road gruff and he crunched my back when my shoulder hurt! Made a pretty nasty noise but the consoultation was free.

[saltbeef]

word. my ex was a chiropractor. she sorted my back out a couple of times a week and it was briliant, i'm sure i was taller. she used to deride osteopaths for the limited level of skill they had. consider this  she did a 3 year course post grad having done an anatomy degrree and all they "adjust" are backs. there's got to be something in it, (and i do medicine and am supposed to view alternative medicine with disdain.)