About two years ago, Willie and I started going to a chiropractor. I had never been to one before, so I did all the reading about the dangers, the benefits, and so on. The doctor explained the how and why of chiropractic care and focused on the science of it.
I had always put chiropractors in the same camp as herbal supplements: there might be something to them, but I'm not desperate enough to try them. Then one day, I came home sick because of a brutal headache. I took Advil and massaged my shoulders until I could sleep the rest of the pain off. The next day, Willie made a chiropractor appointment for me.
Since we're still going, you can probably guess how that visit went. It was unbelievable how much better I felt. For the first time in years, it didn't hurt to stand up straight, moving was light and easy, and I generally felt wonderful. And, I still feel that way when I come back from the chiropractor, but it never lasts. Why? My job, my tendency to worry, and probably, our bed.
Now, with the bed replaced, I'm back to just the classics: my job and my worry. Sitting all day at a computer is notorious for giving people upper back, shoulder, and neck pain. I was relieved to find out that it wasn't just me. I was horrified to find out that it's as pervasive as it is. The worrying is part of my nature, so that one's going to be harder to address.
The one joint in me that goes out of alignment all the time is my right hip. That throws everything else off because my muscles are overcompensating. Thinking about how the chiropractor describes my hip mis-alignment, I'm certain it's related to when I sprained my ankle in college. The way I did it, I fell with my ankle twisted under me. My right ankle. That was 1995 or 1996 when it happened. So my system had just gotten used to having that hip mis-aligned.
Once I started getting the debilitating muscle-related tension headaches, I knew I had to do something. I'm just glad it was something natural and non-invasive. On the other hand, if I had described my headaches to my family doctor, she might have given me some bitchin' pain killers. :)