Private Medical Care

[Max Reheat]

I've been having neck/back problems for years, seen the RAF docs who referred me to a sports physio who was good in the short term but the problem reoccurred and is still present. Rather than run the risk of being downgraded I found a Groupon for a local Chiropractor so signed up for 4 sessions, the 1st of which was really good. However I've since been informed that the RAF frown upon the use of private Chiropractors. Can anyone shed any light on this. If that's a load of rubbish would it be possible for me to be referred to him by the medical centre or would I be forced to use the rehab clinic on camp and be downgraded?

 

[Rigga]

Medics shun Acupuncture too - but it works a treat.

Just don't tell 'em - and potentially suffer a huge and sudden recovery!

 

[firestorm]

Accupuncture treats the symptoms and not the cause, you're right though, it treats the symptoms well. For me it took the spasm out of my back but still left the underlaying problem, a prolapsed disc. (Not my idea of fun!)
Chiropractors? Didn't do a thing for me, some of them are also a bit "quacky".

 

[Max Reheat]

He used deep muscle massage, acupuncture and spine manipulation. Also got an exercise programme to follow

 

[Dazzy26]

I do sympathise with anyone with a back injury, what started out as simple prolapse disc for me led to 6 months in hospital! Maybe I was lucky, but when I escaped from hospital the RAF medics at my place were brilliant. The physio's did deep muscle massage, spinal manipulation and even acupuncture and were great. They talked through all the options with me and if they didn't have anyone qualified for what they thought i needed, then they got someone in for specialist appointments so I didn't have to look anywhere else for the treatment, med centre sorted everything I needed. Maybe worth asking the question? Yes I was temporarily downgraded whilst all this was going on, but sometimes you do have to put your health first mate. Good luck with it.

 

[Stevienics]

Me too. I got 6 weeks in Hedley Court for my back and they used thr lot on it, inlcuding acupuncture with electricity. And they teach how to manage it, because in essence you have it for life.

 

[Flybynight]

Accupuncture treats the symptoms and not the cause, you're right though, it treats the symptoms well. For me it took the spasm out of my back but still left the underlaying problem, a prolapsed disc. (Not my idea of fun!)
Chiropractors? Didn't do a thing for me, some of them are also a bit "quacky".

Acupuncture works by balancing energies. When I had it and eventually it started to hurt I took it as a sign that I'd had sufficient for the time being. I never needed to go back. If, however, there's a surgical problem, in your case a disc out of line (ouch! I sympathise) it won't cure that.

Since 1994, originally after publicity by Diana Princess of Wales, it has been illegal to practise as or call oneself a chiropractor unless registered with the General Chiropractic Council, a difficult and expensive course. Unfortunately the medics (in the NHS sense of 'doctors') like hanging onto their power, hence next to no chiropractic in hospitals or universities. But for medical politics I can see that orthopaedic surgery plus chiropractic would work. The best results from chiropractic are with joints. I can think of an old lady who was able to stop using her sticks or taking painkillers after chiropractic on her hips.

I'm glad to learn electro-acupuncture is used at Headley Court, it worked wonders for my wife's pain from injuries caused by an incident when she was an equine veterinary nurse.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

I really rated Chiropractice, did wonders for my back.

Only stopped going because £25 for a 5 minute appointment was too rich for my blood (would rather be tight and stay in pain haha)

 

[Digzster]

I'm surprised to see that some posters in this thread actually got good treatment from the RAF for a back problem.

My case sadly was different. After 2 years of problems, downgrading/upgrading, irregular physio,the local physio would not touch my case (and military physio was located 5 hours away), which if treated at his location was negated by the car trip back to my base. The military physio was deterred from travelling to our base by his "high-ups" as it would "set a precedence at their budgets cost".

Now a year after leaving the RAF, I still have issues that are being addressed by a chiropractor and I must say they are starting to provide relief.
Chiropractors are shunned by the military, probably because they would show how poor some of the doctors are in their diagnosis of these issues.
In the meantime, I am willingly paying privately for my chiro and am claiming against the RAF as I will require this treatment for some time.

 

[Stevienics]

In the end, it is self manageable and you just get used to the morning pain. Just do what is counter-intuitive. The more it hurts, the more you need mobility and exercise. Tense your core muscles in the mornings to take the stress until you get settled and it goes away, do a gazillion sit ups and learn your McKenzies.

A far as the general medical profession is concerned, they can't see it, so as far as they are concerned, it doesn't exist. Screw em.

 

[vim_fuego]

Bowen Technique...Bloody miracle. Only went and cured me it did!

 

[firestorm]

In the end, it is self manageable and you just get used to the morning pain. Just do what is counter-intuitive. The more it hurts, the more you need mobility and exercise. Tense your core muscles in the mornings to take the stress until you get settled and it goes away, do a gazillion sit ups and learn your McKenzies.

Thats decent advice for general back maintenance and mobilising, its no good for prolapsed discs though.