About 6 years ago, Mahala started experiencing some spine related back pain. Her pain became so severe she decided to seek medical help. Her doctor sent her for an X-ray and found out that her L4 and L5 vertebrae were fused together.
She was told to modify her workouts, stop running and avoid anything that was aggravating her back. “It was a little depressing because I was very active at the time. I played tennis, did yoga, golfed, and skied.” For a while, she went to physiotherapy which seemed to be helping.
A couple of years ago, her right hip got tight and she developed a limp. Mahala went for more physio and then finally decided to go back to her medical doctor for another X-ray which determined that she has arthritis in her hip. Mahala’s husband suggested chiropractic care and found a chiropractor in their neighbourhood.
When Mahala went in for her first appointment, she was already convinced that she will need a hip replacement and that chiropractic would just help her feel better in the meantime. Her chiropractor made an assessment and assured her she will not need surgery. After her first adjustment, Mahala “felt so good, and could walk up a hill. It was amazing!” In the beginning, Mahala visited once a week until her hip was in alignment and pain-free. Now, she sees her chiropractor every two to three weeks for maintenance work.
Mahala is back to doing gentle yoga, golfing and even skiing. However, she has to be careful and avoid things like running up and down stairs and heavy lifting which irritate her hip and back. “Chiropractic has definitely got me back into my active lifestyle and I’m thrilled.”
“I would say to anyone looking for alternatives to pain medication to visit a chiropractor and deal with the source of pain. Don’t be scared and give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain if it works for you.”
