A very powerful figure on the Scrabble board

[annathepiper]

So I went out for a chiropractic appointment this morning, to the office of one Dr. Cynthia Dowell, who had been heartily recommended on the seattle community, as per a post forwarded me by solarbird. Boy, am I glad I did that. My entire body is going "What just happened?" in a sort of bemused but good kind of way, as my muscles are slowly realizing that the underlying bones aren't quite so out of alignment now.

Things I liked about this chiropractor: 1) Very reasonable rates. She does $36 a visit, or $50 for TWO visits, and there is no time limit on when the second visit should be. 2) She had me do a lot of little shifts in position as I was sitting talking to her, as well as getting up and standing in certain ways, so that she could both visually and by touch judge what she thought needed adjusting. 3) Very fast and on the ball. I filled out my paperwork, went back with her to the exam room, chatted a bit, she had me lie down on the table, arrange my assorted limbs, and *CRACK!* Didn't even make me strip. 4) Asked me several knowledgeable questions, and listened to the information I provided her, too. So it was a very satisfying sort of experience; I essentially told her, "this, this, and this have led to the conclusion that my hips are out" and she said, "How about this other thing?" And I said, "Yep!" And she said, "Yep, it's your hips." 5) Very easy to get to from the University District. I just went over on Ravenna, drove several blocks to Greenlake, and there she was right there on the right in a little medical office building.

She's asked me to call her back in a week and see how I feel, and maybe have another adjustment next weekend. And if not that, then the weekend after. She seems to be of the mindset of "let's adjust you a couple of times and see how that goes", which is a much more laid back attitude than "Ohhh, I have to adjust you THREE TIMES A WEEK or else you're completely fucked!"--which is an attitude that my last chiropractor seemed to espouse, and which is kind of annoying, not to mention expensive. ;P

All in all, a good experience. I'd recommend this woman to others. :)

Comments

[kairee.livejournal.com]

I wonder if my dad, a chiropractor himself, might know of her.

[annathepiper]

Hrmm. Any reason why he'd be acquainted with chiropractors in Seattle? :)

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

She sounds like one of the good ones; this is excellent news.

A great many chiropractors in this state, in my opinion, are quacks. The way the state treats them contributes to this, from what I've seen. Where I'm from (Minn.), they can also do PT like ultrasound and electrostim, stuff you have to do go a phyical therapist for, here. And curiously enough, you can't have PT and a chiropractic adjustment from the same person on the same day, according to many insurance plans. I'm not sure why this is so. But I've noticed a great many more chiropractors who think they can cure EVERYTHING, as opposed to helping you with something specific. A great many of them push supplments and other woo-woo stuff, and they seem to think you need to come in all the time no matter what. OK, I'll stop ranting now...

My advice to you: take it easy today. Your muscles may well freak out, and you might be a bit less coordinated for a little while while everything readjusts.

(Verbose little writer today, aren't I?)

[annathepiper]

*nodnods* Planning to take it easy indeed... Dr. Dowell advised that I might be sore this evening as my muscles adjust, and I can already feel my muscles feeling a bit weirded out.

Yeah, my last chiropractor did exactly what you described, pushing supplements and asking me to see her a lot. Now, I will grant that some of the stuff she recommended to me was effective--the arnica-pine salve she recommended to me at one point for treating a nasty bruise, was good stuff.

But I didn't care for the attitude of one having to come in all the time, no. I understand why chiropractic adjustments are good for the body, but there should be some sort of happy balance between preventive maintenance and fixing stuff that's actively wrong!

[emmacrew.livejournal.com]

Your description of your LAST chiropractor is pretty much why I've been unwilling to visit a chiropractor, because it seems the majority of people I know who talk about visiting their chiropractors do so in a "augh I need to move up this week's visit because my back hurts so much" EVERY SINGLE WEEK sort of way. Yes, I sometimes have back problems and I bet a good chiro could help me out, but I don't seem to have anywhere near as many problems as the folks who feel they have to go back every few days. Sounds like this new one is a keeper, I'll probably come after you for referral info next time I'm in a "I really ought to get this looked at" mode.

[annathepiper]

Yeah, this person reminds me of the guy in Kentucky I went to when I had this incident my freshman year, when I threw my back out so badly that I was actively sobbing in pain. Dara got me to the emergency room of the local hospital, but they proved to be totally useless... so I called my dad up the next morning and begged him to take me to a chiropractor.

The guy did a few adjustments and *POW* my back felt worlds better. As I recall his price was only like $18 or so for the one visit, too.

[emmacrew.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when my back does its worst thing (which it has done 2.5 times total in the last 12 years, so it's not like I'm constantly having this problem), I was unable to get up our of bed. I rolled onto the floor and crawled to the phone to call a friend for help. By putting my back flat against the wall I managed to eventually work myself into a standing position. The .5 is a couple of weeks ago where I had a few days where I knew if I wasn't super-careful it was GOING to do that again. So next time that happens, maybe I'll give a chiropractor a try.

The second time my doctor here gave me muscle relaxant and pain meds. WOOOOHOOO was I loopy. It was sort of fun except for the back pain part...

[annathepiper]

It still does kind of amuse me how doctors and chiropractors still don't much talk to one another. When I had that incident in college, a pain prescription was what the emergency room tried to do about it--and I never took it, since it just seemed to me at the time that it would not fix the problem. Siiiiiigh. :)

Though yeah, I BET you were loopy on that kind of medication!

[emmacrew.livejournal.com]

I was at chorus rehearsal chatting to one of my friends there and he said "it's like I'm seeing this whole other side of your personality." And, yeah, it didn't help the underlying problem at all, but it did make it so I could sleep those first couple of nights...

[annathepiper]

There IS something to be said for getting rid of enough pain to sleep, that's for sure. Boy howdy was I miserable when I ran out of the Vicodin, before my arm was fully healed!

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

Hark! An Eddie reference!

[annathepiper]

Niiiiiiiinety-three letters! "Chiropractor"!

[wingedelf.livejournal.com]

I filled out my paperwork, went back with her to the exam room, chatted a bit, she had me lie down on the table, arrange my assorted limbs, and *CRACK!* Didn't even make me strip.

I'd be really suspicious of a chiropractor for whom i needed to strip.

Remember to drink lots and lots o' water.

[annathepiper]

My last chiropractor always had me change clothes--not in front of her, of course--and put on a hospital gown before she came back in and adjusted me. It was an interesting contrast to be adjusted right there in my own clothes, sort of a visual affirmation of the difference in attitudes between my last chiropractor and this one.

And yeah, I just had a big ol' glass of water; something did, in fact, just crack REALLY deep in my neck when I moved it the right way. And now my neck feels suddenly loads better, freer and looser, but I just got a little queasy too. I think some pent-up ick got released.