Chiropractors

[4X4]

I just wanted to hear a few opinions on the chiropractic industry. I got my back cracked the other day after sleeping funny, and it was a godsend. I've gone to this guy for a couple years now, on a 'need to' basis, and my back is usually just fine. Every so often I do something stupid and need a kink popped out, so I pay a few bucks and buddy fixes it. I'd say I go to the chiropractor about 2-3 times per year.

The only bad experience I've had at a chiropractor was the time I went to a different guy because he was closer. I made an appointment, and when I got there, the guy started doing all this weird sh#t, like making me fill out forms about my lifestyle, measuring my height and weight, make me walk back and forth, etc, after which, he insisted that I come in regularly to "correct my walking patterns" and "maintain the health of my back" (by regularly, he meant weekly). What's the deal with that? It just sounded like such a scam.

And another thing... From what I've gathered over the years, much of the medical community looks down on chiropractors. Why? I mean, besides that one guy trying to con me into permanent treatment for a one day thing, I don't understand why these guys get mocked on TV and stuff. Is there some kind of epidemic of bad chiropractors paralyzing people or something? Seems to me that the spine is one of the more important pieces of the body. Why not make fun of dentists? I mean, at least teeth are replaceable.

[flip]

I've had some pretty good chiropractors in my day but haven't gone in a few years.

I think the reason they get a bad rap is because some/lots/most chiropractors run their businesses like crooks. They act like used car salesmen when it comes to treatment schedules.

I'm pretty sure the healthiest person in the world, with a perfect back and posture, could go to a chiropractor and the "doctor" would tell them that they need weekly fixing to deal with all of their "problems".

I've never had a dentist or regular doctor try and swindle me by asking me to come back more often than is required or necessary.

[burning_acid1]

Their degree is "DC; Doctor of Chiropractics". A lot of people don't believe they are a true "doctor" since the requirements to get into school to become a chiropractor is like a joke. In some schools in the US, the minimum requirement to apply is a 2.5 GPA. The average GPA of matriculants (individuals who are accepted) is below 3.0.

One of our family friends was a high school dropout. He decided to upgrade and eventually got his DC. Now, he is known as a "doctor".

[JustAnotherGuy]

I believe that going to a chiropractor can help fix your back if you have thrown it out or something. I had a minor back problem many years ago. I went for about 6 of the prescribed 12 week program and I was all fixed. No problems since.

BUT, like the previous poster said. I believe the scammers will do all of their checks and balances on you and confirm that you do need about 12 weeks of therapy to fix that fact that you don't stand straight. He/she will prove it to you as well.

[ken0042]

I have a couple of chiro experiences:

- First one- I go in because of back pain. After 3 days of adjustments the pain still isn't much better. Get the old "this is a lifetime maintenance thing- not a quick fix" speech. Went to a massage therapist and was 90% better after my first visit, and 100% after my second one.

- Second one- in my building there is a massage/chiro place. I book a massage there. In the standard paperwork to fill out there is a waiver the want me to sign; that I will not ever seek malpractice against them. I ask about this and they try to tell me that it is standard. I forget the exact wording, but it waived any claims against everything including incompetance.

It all seems like a scam to me; like ear candling in the 90's.

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by flip

They act like used car salesmen when it comes to treatment schedules.

, us used car sales guys always get such a bad rap! comparing us to Chiropractors. the nerve of some people.

[photon]

I think if you find a chiropractor that just focuses on the lower back and is basically a physiotherapist that can be ok, but a lot of them still go with the idea of subluxations (a pinched nerve in your spine) being the root cause of everything.. seriously I know ones (one personally!) who tell you not to vaccinate your children and that to bring in the kids for a neck manipulation and they won't get the flu / measles / whatever.

And that's the problem I have with them, their governing body doesn't seem to care like doctors do.

So if you go to one and they order up a full body x-ray and want to set up a permanent regiment I say look elsewhere.. if you find one that's setup with some physio people and don't manipulate the neck then that's probably better. Best to me is to just avoid the risk and go straight to a physiotherapist.

A doctor will tell you the risks of a procedure, I've never heard of a chiropractor being up front about people dying from stroke after neck manipulation, and I don't think they keep records and report like doctors do to get feedback on effectiveness of treatments and such.

http://www.chirobase.org/

[Locke]

....are not real doctors?

Also, the clocktower is gone, it'll be back 50 years ago.

[old-fart]

I'm pretty sure Chiros are the only profession that can end up calling themselves "Doctor" by doing their entire training completely by correspondence. Well, maybe "naturopaths" can as well.

If you find one that is good at what they do and focuses on the back issues you complain about, and don't try to "upsell" you into the once a week for the rest of your life plan, you've found a good one. But there are ones out there who will claim to cure everything from hearing loss to cancer.

Like most things, there are good ones and bad ones.

[4X4]

Huh. Well, I guess I know why the medical community has their...reservations.

[old-fart]

An interesting link ...

Are chiros real doctors?

[MoneyGuy]

I've said this here before. I have a compressed neck vertebra and if not for chiropractic treatments, my neck would have half mobility at times. I've seen five chiropractors in my lifetime, and four have been absolutely terrific. My bro-in-law can do incredible things. He can tell when something is out in my body without me telling him. He can pinpoint the exact location with some weifd-looking method that I don't understand. All I know is it works. I see one chiro regularly now and I trust him. Once I threw out my back and was in lots of pain. It was a long weekend. My bro-in-law treated me and I had relief. I'll defend these chiros vigorously. A good one is gold.

I used to be a skeptic. But afte rhaving Ryley I had serious back issues. If it wasn't for my Dr. I'd be dead!

[Peanut]

One of my friends got bell's palsy, and her (actual) doctor told her it was likely related to her chiropractic adjustments. Ever since her incident I've avoided chiropractors and just done massage or physio if my back is bugging me.

[Northendzone]

My Chiro (Dr. R Weaver in MacKenzie Towne) is awsome - he has helped me through some back issues when I was almost unable to walk.

He also does the active release thing as well, which can be painful but very helpful.

I strongly endorse chiros.

[Ashartus]

Chiropractic seems to work well for short-term fixes for back pain; long-term most back pain gets better on its own and clinical trials show it pretty much doesn't matter what you do (chiropractor, physio, exercise, nothing).

As a few others have alluded, the medical community looks down on them in part because of the beliefs of a lot of chiropractors (from their training) that pretty much all health problems are caused by "subluxations" in the spine and their attempts to treat things other than back pain. The anti-vaccination position of chiropractor schools and professional organizations doesn't help, nor does their doing things like suing a writer for libel for saying they can't treat asthma by manipulating your back. Then there's the whole issue of neck manipulation possibly being linked to strokes.

There are tonnes of articles about the dark side of chiropractic on sites like www.quackwatch.com (and its affiliate www.chirobase.org) and sciencebasedmedicine.org; but I personally don't see a huge issue with using it for back pain if it works.

[chid]

I pulled my neck and shoulder at work once and went to a chiropractor for help. He did all those weird tests, made me walk, do a bunch of weird tests and suggested I had to come back twice a week indefinitely. I went for a few months and couldn't justify the costs anymore, I felt better, my posture was better, I had to break free!

[GGG]

I would say that Chiropractors are 50 / 50. Half of them are quaks and energy flow sublaxation people the others are good who are much more inline with Physio therapists.

After going to several chiropractors 3 of whom I wouldn't let touch me I would now only go to chiropractors who work with in clincs which Physio's and Massage theripist.

I really wish that the chiropractors organization would split down the middle. I don't understand how the good chiropractors put up with the quacks in the same organization.

[Khel]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

My Chiro (Dr. R Weaver in MacKenzie Towne) is awsome - he has helped me through some back issues when I was almost unable to walk.

He also does the active release thing as well, which can be painful but very helpful.

I strongly endorse chiros.

I'll 2nd this, R.Weaver is awesome.

[oil99ers]

I had a client recently that had a severe stroke right after an adjustment, he is about 45 years old and very healthy. After meeting him and hearing what happened to him, I will never be going to a chiropractor again.