Hi Krazigirl,

I, too have L5-S1 trouble and went to a chiropractor who used the activator but I did not achieve any relief. I also went to another chiropractor and asked if she used it......she didn't. It's funny, because some people I have spoken to only get relief from that but for me, there was none.

I like your motto! Good thinking.

Hugs, Margaret

Well, this chiropractor turns out does a mix of manual adjustment and activator- and surprisingly it felt gooood- but painful, lol!

He did several adjustments of my C-spine and T-Spine, and he was VERY gentle... no rapid jerky movements- very light movements that caused some SERIOUS cracking! I can't believe how many pops came from my upper back- I have had 2 other chiropractors and have NEVER had this many pops in my upper back. His technique is AWESOME- so people in So Cal, let me know and I'll get you his name!

The activator was odd- but really pulverized the muscles that were in severe spasms, and it helped break the spasms a bit.

Thanks for commenting! Glad you like my motto- I got it from my granma when she was going through chemo (for 3 years)- I don't ever remember seeing her NOT smiling- even during horrible chemo, she always kept the smile- but her motto helped her through.

i had a series of treatments with activator on my cervical spine (no manual adjustments, and no muscle massage). It was a disaster for me, i have developed breathing difficulty from the treatments (i now have a protruding stomach as my diaphragm has been in constant cramping state). C3 C4 C5 supply diaphragm.... my neck and back now clank ALL THE TIME... Along my cervical/thoracic spine, it is now full of scar tissues!

on top of that, i have a number of other changes in my body that i believe was also a result from the treatments on cervical spine, affecting thyroid gland:
-- metabolism slowed down (weight gain - i eat only 1/3 of what i used to eat, but my stable weight has actually gone up)
-- increased thirst (6-8 liters of water intake everyday and i am still constantly thirsty)
-- low energy (sleep 12-20 hours a day, and i am still tired).
-- brain fog

To clean up the mess, I have found great help from Acupuncturist, Theta Healing, and Osteopath.

it was an awful way to live like that! my advice is to be cautious with the activators, as they can be deceptively "gentle".

I've been seeing a chiropractor that only uses an activator and it did seem to help muscle-wise for the time I went--10 visits. I stopped going because I started getting more tingles in my fingers and arms and could feel the bones grating more. I was sore everytime and everywhere he thunked me with that activator though! I would yelp too. He seemed to find all my knots and most painful places. He did help with the knots and was trying to realign my cervical vertebras, but I think that was where my other symptoms were being amplified and I got scared. I had insisted on an MRI after having xrays just so we'd know more about what shape I was in.

I'm now seeing a new internal meds doctor who is sending me for a nerve study at a neurologist and for a consult with a new neurosurgeon.

Oh, and I had seen another chiropractor for my lowback several years ago and he also used an activator for my SI joints and lumbar. It helped while I went to relax muscles, but the pain never really stopped.

I have several herniated discs in each part of my back, If Dr. L did not have that little tool I would have had surgery several times by now. I see him about once a month when things flare up, I would never let a chiro rack and crack my back!

Just like Krazigirl79's chiropractor, I too use both a good mix of activator and manual adjustments (I am a chiro).

I have heard MANY, MANY times I'm the best chiropractor the patient has ever been to (often from people that have been adjusted for decades), and I have all of about six months of experience.

It's pretty easy for me to understand why I get these compliments... and it's certainly not because I'm the best adjuster. I think I'm decent... but it's my willingness to work on the muscles before doing the adjusting. I use the activator almost in place of trigger point therapy. It does a great job of loosening muscle fibers.

Two other chiros with seven and ten years experience work at the same clinic I do, but several of the patients that see me won't see either of them. Both are more technically sound adjustment-wise... but booth are TOO forceful for many and don't loosen the muscles beforehand. Several patients have told me this, but I wouldn't dare tell the chiros above me they are too rough... I do like my paycheck. lol

Oh... and anyone that has a herniated disc... don't let a chiro hammer on it using side-posture. I've seen it done before. Activator can help... and a decompression table can help even more (not always though). NEVER have back surgery unless it's absolutely necessary. When I was in chiro school, my sister had a low level car accident and complained of back pain. Her medical doctors instantly suggested surgery... and I told her not to. I had just gone through a class where we talked about 90% of back surgeries (or more) end up doing nothing or making the pain worse meaning you'll being having more surgeries.

My sister didn't listen... and she had the surgery. Within a couple weeks she had a seroma... there was a nasty infection in her lower back and she had to have a 2nd surgery. Within six months and tons of medication and a bunch of pain she had a third surgery because the screws in the hardware came loose. Six months later she had a forth surgery because the metal cage keeping L5 and S1 together was giving out. They gave her a titanium cage. Within a year of that and a bunch more pain she had a fifth surgery because the disc and vertebra above was giving problems because of the change in biomechanics of the lower spine.

Surgery is cool.

my chiropractor only dose manual adjustments no tools ... been happy once a week untill i flair up.... then twice a week..........

Wanted to post this I have had 2 treatments with the activator, he told me that my spine is really crooked.I stay in pain 24/7 and have had back surgery. I am just so leery of trying this and wondering if it can do more nerve damage?

The best chiropractic treatment I ever had was with the activator, and it is so easy to take without being pushed on and twisted around. Usually leave feeling pretty good all over. One time I felt so good I couldn't find a pain anywhere. One time though, after leaving feeling OK, the next day I hurt all over. Both the best time and that worse time were done by the same chiropractor. But that bad time only happened the once. When I moved away from the area and found a new chiropractor, I never had a another painful experience, but never had a good one again either. So I guess it's determined by the expertise of the chiropractor. Never had any pain with the actual treatment itself. Never had any "popping" sound.

The best chiropractic treatment I ever had was with the activator, and it is so easy to take without being pushed on and twisted around. Usually leave feeling pretty good all over. One time I felt so good I couldn't find a pain anywhere. One time though, after leaving feeling OK, the next day I hurt all over. Both the best time and that worse time were done by the same chiropractor. But that bad time only happened the once. When I moved away from the area and found a new chiropractor, I never had a another painful experience, but never had a good one again either. So I guess it's determined by the expertise of the chiropractor. Never had any pain with the actual treatment itself. Never had any "popping" sound.