My Personal Chiropractic Experience -- One Leg Shorter Than The Other?

I, Karl Loren, recently had a chiropractic experience that I am anxious to share.

By way of background, I normally see a chiropractor, and hardly ever a medical doctor.  I've had good benefit from several different chiropractors.

But, I had some hip pain, didn't get any relief from my regular chiropractor and heard about the results a friend had, so went to see Dr. Price, in Hollywood (Shaw Health Center).

I was amazed.

You know how must chiropractors will put you on the table, check your leg length, and typically find that one leg is shorter than the other?  They typically pull on the short leg and get the two legs "back" to equal.

Well, I've just discovered that these friendly "pulls" were, for me anyway, just pulling my hip joint OUT of alignment.

Dr. Price took X-Rays of my hip (rather usual) but also took X-Rays of my legs (very unusual).  He took all of these so he could actually measure, on the X-Ray image, the true length of my leg bones when the hip was carefully positioned on the X-Ray table to be "level" or "even."

So, with my hip properly aligned with the spine, and IN THAT POSITION, the leg bones showed up as being of unequal length.

Isn't that interesting!

I had an "anatomical difference in leg bones."

This meant that when some chiropractor pulled my "short leg" to make it equal to the other, he was actually pulling on a "short bone leg" and pulling the hip joint out of alignment -- just to make a short-boned leg come down to the same position as the longer-boned leg.

Every time I had my leg pulled, I was putting my hip out of adjustment.

Then every time I walked, I was walking with one leg shorter than the other which causes a terrible amount of turmoil for that hip joint.

So, the hip joint was hurting.

Massage wouldn't help, more chiropractic adjustments (by pulling the leg) wouldn't help.  If I had not found Dr. Price I would have had a continually worsening situation.

What is the solution?

Simple!

A "lift" to wear in one shoe.

Dr. Price measured the leg bones and found that my right leg bone was 6.5 mm shorter than the left leg!

So, I just needed a "lift" of about 6.5 mm in thickness.

I've been using that for several days now and believe I can already feel a difference.

I don't fault my "usual" chiropractors.  But, I think that this situation ought to be suspected more than it is -- it does cost a bit for the X-Rays, but without them the chiropractor cannot get any accurate measurement of the leg bones.

So, if you have low back pain, or hip joint pain, you might ask your chiropractor about this.  It might just save your life!

Well, things turned sour, so I canceled any further treatments from Dr. Edwards, with the letter below.

KL

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July 4, 2002

 Dr. Edwards
Arlo Gordon Medical Group
3535 Cauhenga Blvd. West
North Hollywood, CA

By FAX:

 Dear Dr. Edwards,

 I have decided to cancel any further treatments from your office.

So, I will not be there at 10:45 AM, Friday, July 5, 2002, as earlier scheduled.

The last treatment, on Wednesday, July 3, 2002, resulted in an immediate and major deterioration in my condition.  Fortunately it seems to have been temporary, but for some hours I was not able to stand up straight, or to walk without experiencing a “disequilibrium.”  It was not “dizziness” as I could perceive it, but a simple feeling that I didn’t know how to walk or stand without falling over.

It happened within a few seconds of getting off your table in the first session on that Wednesday.  I was not able to walk to the front reception without balancing myself against the wall.

Then walking outside to the elevator I found that I had to hang onto the handrail, or fall.

I didn’t seem to have any trouble driving, but when I got to my destination, I could hardly walk without some support.  It seemed to be getting worse.  That was when I called asking for a review and re-adjustment right away.

I arrived back in your office about 12:00 PM.

You did what appeared to be the usual types of adjustments, but this very uncomfortable feeling of disequilibrium lasted for several more hours.  I took some pain-killer and a nap – awoke with that feeling gone.  It has not returned.

After virtually every one of my treatments I had little or no relief from the pain that has caused me to limp and take pain-killers.  In general the pain has been worse than before I started seeing you.

This last visit you suggested that I get an MRI, looking for a bulging disk and a pinched nerve.  That doesn’t indicate to me.

Less than one year ago I was running, doing two hours of vigorous exercise every day and feeling great.  I understand that you believe that a bulged disk can cause pain suddenly, but I am not happy with a series of treatments that produces either continued pain, or new health problems, with the only further solution to lie in the direction of possible back surgery.

So, I will not be getting any more treatments at the Gordon Center.  I have no faith left in the diagnosis that one leg is shorter, either, and will try for the next few weeks NOT wearing any lifts in my shoes.

I will be increasing my exercise.

I would like to arrange for a return of money I have paid – I am specifically not satisfied with the service I’ve had, although I like you as a person.

Karl Loren

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Sincerely,

 

 

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