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For those of you who don’t know, I get pretty bad headaches from mild scoliosis and uneven hips. I usually go to a chiropractor once a month to get adjusted and then I’m on my merry way. If I don’t get an adjustment for awhile I get bone-crushing, brain-numbing headaches. So, I’m in the market for a German chiropractor.
After a few google searches and phone calls, I made an appointment for this afternoon. The lady on the phone had said it was on the second floor and when I didn’t find them there, I remembered that the German second floor is actually the third floor (same as England). I climbed the next flight of stairs and into the correct office and as another woman was exiting she held the door open for me. “Danke!” I said, and felt so proud of myself for using one whole German word in real life. As soon as I walked in the door I was whisked away by a young woman to a small room surrounded by curtains on 3 sides and a window on the other, without so much as signing in on a clipboard.
“Do you speak English?” I asked.
She smiled shyly and said “A little…”
She then asks me where the problem is and I told her about my headaches.
She nodded and said, “Ok take off your shirt and lie down.”
Thinking I misunderstood her or that maybe she meant to say “take off your coat,” I smiled and said, “Do you mean ‘coat’?”
“Yes, your coat and your shirt.”
Dumbfounded I asked, “…and my bra?”
“No, of course leave your bra on.”
She left the room and I turned to stare out the window and process all this. Now, I’ve had many massages and I have no problem stripping down to my skivvies for a massage at the spa. But here in a different county, in a room that seemed more like a fitting room than a doctor’s office, I really started to question if I heard her right or even if I was at the right place.
I did as I (thought) I was told and took off my coat and shirt, leaving my bra on “of course” and got on the adjustment table. She returned, unhooked my bra, and as she started to rub oil on my back I began to wonder what kind of appointment I had actually booked. I’m not one to turn down a massage so I enjoyed my unexpected massage and 20 minutes later we were done and she left the room.
I stood up to look out my window again and wondered if the Chiropractor was going to come in now… I should definitely put my shirt back on, right? After a few minutes and no Chiropractor I wandered back into the lobby.
The woman had returned to the front desk and collected my cash. She really did speak only “a little” English and as I asked her about the adjustment part of the appointment I had to do a dramatic head twisting and a CRACK! sound for her to understand. “Ahhh, no… not that. I did … adjustment … after loosening the muscles.”
So that’s my story of going topless at the German chiropractor. I guess I will just have to see how I feel over the next week to make sure my headaches will stay gone for awhile. Not a bad way to be adjusted if it works! I did laugh out loud the majority of the drive home imagining her coming back in the room and yelling at me to put my clothes back on.
Oh, Germany, you have been fun so far! And tonight I start my German language class – wish me luck!
Have you been to a Chiropractor or Doctor in another country and had a funny experience?
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Hilarious! I’ve never been to a chiropractor at all, but I’d love to try one one day. I’d love to go to Germany one day, as well. Such a beautiful country. Thanks for such a great post!
Thanks! Well if you’ve never been to one, you probably aren’t surprised to hear that usually you keep your shirt on :) I hope you get to travel to Germany one day (but I hope you never need to go to a Chiropractor)!
Definitely not what I would have expected for a chiropractor experience either! I recently ‘visited’ the chiropractor- my husband’s team’s chiropractor, because I definitely had something out of place. Well, originally I was going to visit him during the team warmups when they weren’t in the locker room- well, that didn’t end up working out for the chiropractor, so he had me come down in between periods. So here I am in a room of 20+ sweaty men, in the middle of the game, getting an adjustment. Talk about weird!
Samantha, that’s really funny! And doesn’t sound relaxing at all… totally awkward!
Ha! You’re smarter than me – I definitely would have stayed and waited for something else to happen :)
lol I thought about it!
Ha ha – language barriers are so much fun! It makes me think of that scene in Bridget Jones where she skiis into the drugstore and tries to get a pregnancy test in Germany! I hope that the headaches stay away – I get them from the base of my spine being up to no good in pregnancy.
I don’t remember that scene, I’ll have to look it up on youtube! I hope your headaches stay away too :)
That is too funny! No, I’ve never been do a dr in a foreign country. But I can only imagine the language barrier would be a little difficult to work around. I hope your headache stays away. Your experience gave me a chuckle.
Well that was my first time at a doctor in a country that doesn’t speak English. It was definitely an experience to remember and I’m sure I will be seeing more doctors while I’m here :)
Oh that is pretty funny! Hopefully that massage will help with your headaches. I would have been a little confused about why she wanted my shirt off at first too ha ha.
Haha yep, Kenzie, that’s exactly what I was – confused! But I figured, hey a massage, why not!?
That’s hilarious! But not surprising given how into natural remedies and things like that Germans are. Hope your massage helped!
You’re totally right, it’s kind of a European thing :) When I lived in London I saw a Chiropractor that used really gentle adjustments and techniques.
I really should go see one, my back just gets worse! I will be keen to hear how your headaches are and if it helped you x
What’s wrong with your back, Holly? The adjustment definitely helped, but so does getting regular massages, stretching, and watching my posture. I hope your back feels better soon!
Oh man this is definitely a very funny and interesting story! Haha, hope your headaches do go away though! Man what an awkward situation but hope it works out in the long run. I have never heard of this treatment before but I don’t know if I would be okay with getting naked at a chiropractor.
Thanks Michelle! The headaches have stayed gone since then, so I’m hoping it lasts :)
I’m glad you’re enjoying your time in Germany. I hate being put in those awkward situations were I’m not sure what to do or if I’m in the right place so I can imagine how you felt :) Seems like a great way to get a back adjustment though – a relaxing massage is far better than a twist and cracking noise! I hope it helps your back :)
Very funny story… Not sure what I would of done. Prob. try and sneak out without being noticed for fear I was not suppose to take of my shirt. haha Too funny.
haha Peggy! I did think about leaving, but the headaches have been so bad… I was willing to be found topless and yelled at if they would just adjust my neck! After it happened I just imagined telling the story to you, my mom, and your girls then everyone laughing at me/with me :) Miss you guys!
I’ve never been to a chiropractor in another area but I did use one to try to help with my back pain before I had back surgery. I wanted to try all of my options before having the surgery and I knew going in that the outcome would be a less than 10% success rate for my injuries. I kept my clothes on at all of my visits lol. Good luck learning a new language. I really want to learn a new language as well, but I’m not as brave as you. It’s only a thought that I haven’t made happen yet.
I hope your injuries have healed up since then, Terri. And thanks, I need all the luck I can get learning German :)
Oh, I’m laughing! This is right up there with the couple’s day at the spa Nick accidentally arrange for the day I met Maria. Great story.
Exactly! Too funny… gotta love good memories :)
I went to a Chiropractor here in London (canada) and it was similar. No big cracking but more a gentle massage but the adjustment worked. Good luck to you with your headaches.
I have been to a number of different kinds of Chiropractors, and i use to prefer the softer adjustments, but the last few cities I’ve lived in I’ve had the cracking kind. I really don’t have a preference as long as it does the trick!
I need to go to a Chiropractor like for reals.. After kids, my back has been forever jacked up since then. Like I just have pain everyday all day, but I’ve became used to it though. I have my bad days some days, where I just want to rip my back off. But there’s not one near me and so I’ve just never made the appt, but I should now.
You should definitely go! Or at least find a good place to get massages regularly. I used to drive about an hour and a half once a month when I lived in northern Illinois to see a chiro in Chicago. It’s worth it if you’re in pain!
Wow what a crazy experience to go through. I courious to see if it helped with your headaches. I have never been to a chiropractor but I sure would love to go get adjusted.
It’s definitely worth a try to see if it helps you at all :)
That is hilarious! I often feel like that when I get my nails done in Texas. Mostly Vietnamese families own the salons here and I can never understand when they ask me to do something. It has never led to nakedness though, at least not yet. I am so sorry that you suffer from headaches. There is nothing worse! I wish you swift healing! Enjoy Germany, my friend! Xo
Interesting. Hope it works! One of my friends was prego in Germany. The doctor asked her to walk pantless from the one exam room to an ultrasound room across the office. She was horrified.