7 Uncomfortable Questions For and From Your Chiropractor
7 Uncomfortable Questions For and From Your Chiropractor
When you’re looking for a new chiropractor, you’ll have to be ready to face some uncomfortable questions. Sometimes, you’ll have to discuss your sexual health. It’s usually awkward for a few moments, but the information is valuable in helping your chiropractor develop an effective treatment plan for your back pain.
To help you prepare, here are five uncomfortable questions I encounter regularly and two I usually need to ask.
Uncomfortable Questions You Should Ask Your Chiropractor
Sexuality is a profoundly private and personal part of our lives that most of us don’t like to share with strangers. However, sexual function and pain are frenemies, so these questions help me guide you in the next treatment step.
#1: Can back pain decrease my sex drive?
Yes. Sex should feel good. So, what happens when it’s painful? Suppose you experience back pain in the throes of passion. In that case, you’re likely to experience anxiety whenever you consider doing it again. This can lead to self-doubt, depression, and lower libido.
#2: Can back or neck pain lead to erectile dysfunction?
Yes. ED is a slow, silent killer of passion. Sometimes, the problem is in the lower back. Recent research that looked at men under 50 with lower back pain found that 34% of them also had erectile dysfunction. If erectile dysfunction and lower back pain are a concern, call our Norwalk clinic for an appointment. We may be able to help get you back to yourself and your partner.
#3: Do I need to take off my clothes to receive treatment?
Yes. But only your shirt. Just like a dentist needs to see inside your mouth, I need to see and feel your spine. We respect your privacy and dignity, so you’ll be covered with a gown.
#4: I have chronic lower back pain. How can I strengthen my pelvic floor?
A weak pelvic floor has a similar effect as erectile dysfunction. It steals the passion out of life. Many women with chronic low back pain worry about making that pain worse with pelvic floor strengthening exercises. However, a trial study in 2013 found that women with chronic low back pain who did routine pelvic floor exercises had significantly less severity in their pain. Here are ten exercises to help you strengthen those muscles.
#5: Why does my anus hurt if it’s back pain?
There are many nerves in the lower back. Several connect to the organs in the pelvic cavity, including the anus. Back pain may lead to anal pain. You may feel intense itching or burning. If this is a concern, try using ice packs on your lower back and a tailbone/hemorrhoid seat cushion to remove the pressure from your anus when you sit.
Uncomfortable Questions Your Chiropractor May Ask You
#6: How is your sexual function?
This question is often the starting point of the conversation that leads to the above questions. I don’t need to know the details, just the basics. Can you perform? Does it hurt?
#7: Have you or your partner recently had unprotected sex with someone other than each other?
Believe it or not, many people go weeks or even months without realizing they have a sexually transmitted disease. An STD can wreak havoc on your body. Severe infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis result in pain radiating from the pelvis to the lower back.
Asking your chiropractor uncomfortable questions is tough, but it’s how you take control of your health. If chronic spinal pain is becoming or has been an issue, it’s time to start healing from the inside out. Most of that comes from you. We help you change behaviors outside the office.
Remember, there’s no hard-and-fast rule to maintaining good spinal health. It’s a lifetime practice, not a medicine. You don’t take a pill and get better. You put in the physical and mental work to heal.
We’ll help you find real solutions to the pain that interferes with your life. When you’re ready to start your journey, make an appointment at Slovin Chiropractic Center. We’ll help you get back to yourself.
Sources:
Bio Spine Institute: Help! My back pain is killing my sex life
Health Central: Erectile Dysfunction in Men with Low Back Pain
Journal of Internal Medicine: Pelvic floor muscle exercises for chronic low back pain