chiropractors- the real deal or quack-quack?

[trenchfoot]

been having cervical and lumbar problems. my HMO tells me temporary relief is all they can offer, so off to my first chiropractic visit. after a free consultation and a free "spinal adjustment" they tell me it's going to take a year to correct my spinal abnormalities and 3,500 of my very hard-earned dineros.

would you all please share your chiropractic experiences with me as i'd like to know if it's truly worth the time and expense or not..........thanx all

 

[purplehayes]

I've never been, so I can't share any experiences, but the reason I don't go is because I think they're quack-quack.

Not really based on sound reasons, more like my big-headed opinion!

PH

 

[cxim]

Their actual treatments are often effective. The theory of spinal malposition is crap.

If a few treatments don't fix it a lot won't either.

 

[Zipperhead]

a friend of mine has 3 practices,their quacks!

 

[Taz4158]

Quacks. A friend of mine was getting a neck adjustment when one of the arteries in his neck got pinched. He suffered a stroke and as he's vomiting and the dizziest he's been in his life he's begging them to call an ambulance and they kept putting it off because they were afraid of getting caught. He's fine today but it just reinforced what I'd always thought. They're quacks and dangerous.

 

[gittyup]

I personally wouldn't let those people near my neck. I think cracking necks could be very harmful when not done just right. For me, not interested. To each his own....

 

[Tauren]

They cannot PERMENANTLY fix spinal problems. All they can do is temporarily relieve the pain, for anyone. If you don't mind spending the cash on the upkeep, then go.

 

[Teego]

I used to work in a chiro clinic and was accepted to chiro college. (chose lifescience research instead, throwing away a chance for tons of cash)

The chiro will always tell you that you need to come in 1-3 times a week for a really long period of time. This of course is to keep the money rolling in.

There are some spectacular benefits to chiropractic care if you happen to have the appropriate ailments. Many Neuromuscular related ailments can be treated via a manipulation to loosen up a muscular region, facilitate blood flow and increase the range of motion. Helpful things, but you can get a similar benefits from an extensive yoga video.

For some nerve impingements, chiropractic care is the only solution to subside the pain and the pressure effectively. Well actually I lied, time also works. I can't remember the stats exactly but over 90% of all back and neck pain spontaneously recover within 6 months. That also coincides with a chiro's recommended treatment length. They are smart huh ?

If you are in alot of pain, and you know of a Chiropractor or an Osteopath (a chiro with an MD) that has a good track record of helping people out, then it might be worth throwing away your money. Otherwise I recommend biting the bullet, using NSAIDS and gentle stretching and the back pain will likely go away.


(The one bright side is that chiro adjustments are completely safe. The average yearly insurance that a Medical Doctor pays in Canada is 100 to 200 thousand dollars. A Canadian chiropractor pays 3500 dollars a year simply because there have been so few law suits against chiropractors and we all know how lawyers love MDS..........)

Also only 5 schools in America are recognized by Canada (los Angeles, Logan, national , can't remember the last 2.) National is the most prestigious. If the Doctor you visit doesn't have their education from one of these schools, get out and get out quickly.........

 

[palad]

I have had some great experiences with Chiros. I myself have some pretty cosmetic leg problems -- I'm pigeon-toed due to the way the leg sets in the pelvis. I was teased a lot as a kid about it, but there were only two options: surgery, which would have required me being in a large cast for a good portion of the summer, or chiropractic adjustments to my lower back/pelvic area. We tried the chiropractor, who was able to straighten my legs out, but as many people have pointed out, it was not a permanent or complete cure. When I stopped going, my legs started rotating back in a little, they are not as bad as they used to be, but it's still noticeable. Both my parents and my brother have gone to chiropractors as well. My folks went for headache treatments, and to this day swear by them. I don't know exactly why my borhter went, but I do know that he received some acupunture treatments by the same doctor, and he swears by those.

Now, chiropractors are people, too. Some of them are bound to be dishonest, money-grubbing quacks, just like an any other field of medicine. It is not fair to judge the entire group based on the actions of a handful of doctors. Just like with any other doctor, you should do some research before committing yourself to his care. FInd out what you can about his practice, his medical philosophy, etc.

Of course, I'm the guy whose parents took him to get braces as a kid, and only halfway thru the course of treatment found out that the guy was not a licensed orthodontist. My results may not be typical.

 

[SOONER]

Can they cure cancer? NO. Can they relieve pressure/pain from a pinched nerve, etc? YES.

 

[Azraele]

I think it depends on who you go to. Some are more skilled than other. There's definately potential benefit from going, but I doubt that benefit is worth 3500$
I would go a few times, just to see, and if you don't notice a major difference, then cancel the rest.

 

[Spamela]

becoming a chiro was how several of my not-so-bright high-school classmates became rich. but, the whole chiro theory is 99% bunk.

 

[Eug]

Chiropractic manipulation has been shown to help in acute low back pain, and perhaps in other situations as well. However, yes, most of the theory is crap.


<< The average yearly insurance that a Medical Doctor pays in Canada is 100 to 200 thousand dollars. >>

Actually, in Canada it's more like $1200 (Pathologist) to $60000 (Obstetrician), with most docs paying under $5000. (1 CDN dollar ~ $0.65 US)


<< The one bright side is that chiro adjustments are completely safe. >>

For the most part they are safe, but they are not completely safe. There have been freak accidents (resulting in death) from vigorous neck manipulation. Also, a big issue is delay in proper diagnosis (which also happens with MDs). A person may go to see a chiro because of back pain. The chiro will then do manipulation for months before it becomes obvious that the patient has cancer that has spread to the spine (and thus was causing the back pain).

 

[axelfox]

Got a quick adjustment from a (I think) osteopath. I was a bit bigger than what he was used to, so he didn't do much other than some back and neck stuff. Still felt the same though....

 

[trenchfoot]

thanks for your comments all...well, here's an update to my story. i spent quite a few hours trying to get some sleep, but after that free adjustment i received, my lower back feels worse than it's ever been, and i probably got at most a fitful hour of rest at most.. i heard that sometimes these treatments can possibly make things worse before they get better, but after reading all of your posts, i feel quite skeptical about going back. i'm calling them to file a complaint. more on this later. thank you all for your input. twks2

 

[BigKev]

A lot of it IS crap, however ... they have corrected my horrible neck problems and I thank them for that. I can't say much for the spinal thing, though.

 

[LordMaul]

Extremely effective(thats what I am working on becoming). But, in my opinion, Palmer Metheod is the only way to do it...I know a guy who couldn't walk for years(was in some kind of car accident or something) and went to a bunch of chiropractors. With no avail. THen one day he went to this guy who practices Palmer, and after his FIRST VISIT, he WALKED out of the room. He then went to school and became a chiropractor as well, and was this guy's apprentice. There you have it. I go to him whenever I need it.

 

[LordMaul]

BTW, this guys stuff is PERMANENT. He MOVES the bones.