every morning for several months now my lower back L5 is very sore. It takes at least a couple of hours before it settles down and feels normal.
When I wake up and look in the mirror each morning the line that runs down the middle of my chest and down to my belly button looks crooked, and when it settles down a couple of hours later I can lift up my shirt, look in the mirror and everything is straightened up. I've been seeing a chiro for the last six months (the last 3 months 3 times a week) and my back is still very tender in the morning.

I would say the chiropractor has been given more than enough time to show he can help you. He has not been successful. You'll find that most of us here aren't particularly pro-chiropractic. I think they have their time and place, if you're careful which one you go to, but if you're having a real problem with your back, not just stressed muscles, you need to see a real doctor and get a diagnosis. If there's something serious going on in there, a chiropractor could ultimately do you permanent damage. I would not go back to him unless you have a doctor's okay.

If I were you, I'd go to my family doctor and have him take a look and do some basic x-rays. He can then refer you on to a specialist or order more in depth testing, such as an MRI or CT scan.

I hope you can get some answers and relief.

Emily