What to look for in a chiropractor?

[highland145]

Friend is a PT and they say they'll teach you how to strength your problem areas.

I did both. L5 is misshaped and it "shifted" while I was on a crunch machine. That's a hell of a feeling. Chiro got me out of pain and my PT, the best, worked on stretching, balance, small muscle control and core strength. :thumbsup:

 

[kami333]

People really should say if they've been to one when giving their opinion.

I have.

Most of my experience is in Japan, growing up my grandparents were pretty big on alternative medicine including chiropractic, acupuncture, and TENS. My experience there was positive, but in the US I have yet to run into a chiro (I've been to 4 in 3 states) that wasn't overstepping their expertise or trying to get me to commit to X visits a month.

 

[highland145]

I have.

Most of my experience is in Japan, growing up my grandparents were pretty big on alternative medicine including chiropractic, acupuncture, and TENS. My experience there was positive, but in the US I have yet to run into a chiro (I've been to 4 in 3 states) that wasn't overstepping their expertise or trying to get me to commit to X visits a month.

Chasing the mighty $$. My guy's been good to me when I need him and I don't go if I'm not out of wack. Maybe I was fortunate but I asked around 1st.

 

[hdeck]

hmmm...i went to a chiro when i was having a back pains and he helped adjust my spine and gave me exercises to strengthen my next. not placebo at all...

 

[SilthDraeth]

In retrospect, the chiropractor my mom went to, and I have used, did about the same sort of adjustments the physical therapist did. However, my sister once went to another that was into using magnets to align chakras, and stuff. So, there is a huge disparity in the quality of a chiro.

Even though I personally support one chiro, as a whole I don't support the profession, and 2nd the other posters here, to have your wife get a referral possibly to a hip doctor, orthopedic, I guess, and get a real evaluation.

 

[Bateluer]

ATOT hates chiropractors. For back pain, its prescription grade pain killers or you suck it up.

If BCBS wasn't such a PITA, I'd see mine on a regular basis.

 

[nanette1985]

Avoid a chiro that also sells pills (supplements) The only 2 bad chiropracters I've ever seen both were heavily into pushing herbal stuff - not a good sign. As an arthritis (RA) sufferer I've seen several good chiro's. Recommendations from friends is important. I've known a lot of really bad (dangerous) PT's My current one is great. The advice to find a DO is good - Ive liked them, no bad experiences.

 

[Perknose]

Anecdotallly, over the years, I've been to a total of 5-6 chiros. Every single one has helped me, and not one has been dangerous or a charlatan . . . although one, I would say, believes chiropracty to have more benefits than I believe can be legitimately proved.

I have also heard from others about chiros who vastly over-sell what their discipline can do.

There are also ONE TON of time-serving regular doctors out there, so . . .

Caveat emptor.

 

[OutHouse]

ATOT hates chiropractors. For back pain, its prescription grade pain killers or you suck it up.

If BCBS wasn't such a PITA, I'd see mine on a regular basis.

MMJ baby, MMJ....

 

[Dr. Zaus]

So what i'm hearing now is that I should go to a chiropractor, but as referred by my PCP and only if it fits within the few problems that the chiropractor has any chance of helping with (back for example); and be careful of chakra-enzymes as may be required after numerous x-rays. Otherwise go to a PT.

Is this a good outline?

 

[TheVrolok]

So what i'm hearing now is that I should go to a chiropractor, but as referred by my PCP and only if it fits within the few problems that the chiropractor has any chance of helping with (back for example); and be careful of chakra-enzymes as may be required after numerous x-rays. Otherwise go to a PT.

Is this a good outline?

... trolling?

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

I go a couple times a week and both my young children go every couple of weeks.

Watch out for the new age BS guys. I dropped my last chiro when he mentioned my chakras not being aligned or some nonsense.

In case you weren't aware, that's what chiropractic is. And that's why there's so much opposition to it. The best chiropractors restrict their therapy to intrinsic back or spinal problems, and they're really not that much more than physiotherapists.

 

[ringtail]

``

 

[Dr. Zaus]

... trolling?

NEVER!

Where are the real chiropractors? etis and the other guy?

 

[Squisher]

What to look for in a chiropractor?

Warm hands

 

[eits]

my friend, yhpm

 

[sonambulo]

So what I'm hearing is go to my primary care provider and have him refer us out to an in-network PT ?

So why did my mom feel better after she went to a bone-cracker?

Chronic pain is caused by a lot of causes. Things are definitely 'out of alignment' or 'out of balance.' A chiropractor will re-align the bones which will make you feel better temporarily. However that doesn't address any of the muscle imbalances that caused the problem in the first place so you just lapse back into pain. You don't want a chiropractor. A physical therapist is ok but they won't solve all your problems.

What you want is a myotherapist or, even better, a book on myotherapy and the gear to do it yourself. Myotherapy is basically a mix of non-intrusive acupuncture (pressure points but NO needles) to find and release the pain, followed by plenty of physical therapy and moderate intensity exercise to keep the pain gone for good. The best thing about it is that if you decide to go the self-help route you can get a used book and use your hands on your wife for less than $10.

 

[DrPizza]

When looking for a chiropractor, ask if they believe that adjustments can help prevent colds, the flu, etc. - if so, skip them. However, despite what a few ignorant people are saying in this thread, there is plenty of evidence that chiropractors are effective for various types of pain.

I've been to one chiropractor - once it was 5 or 6 visits before I was good to go. I felt relief almost immediately. My problem was chronic upper back/neck pain that resulted in a headache, like a tension headache. M.D. doctor: "take advil. Take tylenol, more exercise, you must be stressed and that's causing the tension headaches." That's the extent that "regular medicine" was doing to help me. On the advice of a few people, I went to a chiropractor who was highly recommended. He examined me for a while, and then declared a symptom that I hadn't even mentioned to him - I thought I had the beginnings of carpal tunnel syndrome starting & didn't think it was related at all. Some sort of compression in one of my vertebra was causing it - muscle stuff, etc. The chiro asked, "you're having a lot of tingling in your right fingers, aren't you?" The occasional tingling in my fingers went away after the adjustments. The headaches went away. We were buying Advils in 500 packs directly from the hospital - I was taking them multiple times a day, at least 5 days a week for the headaches. Each time I was "adjusted", the benefits lasted a little longer than the previous time. After maybe a half dozen visits, the problems were gone.

Years later, I started having trouble again. I only needed one visit & the problem was taken care of.

 

[DCal430]

When looking for a chiropractor, ask if they believe that adjustments can help prevent colds, the flu, etc. - if so, skip them. However, despite what a few ignorant people are saying in this thread, there is plenty of evidence that chiropractors are effective for various types of pain.

I've been to one chiropractor - once it was 5 or 6 visits before I was good to go. I felt relief almost immediately. My problem was chronic upper back/neck pain that resulted in a headache, like a tension headache. M.D. doctor: "take advil. Take tylenol, more exercise, you must be stressed and that's causing the tension headaches." That's the extent that "regular medicine" was doing to help me. On the advice of a few people, I went to a chiropractor who was highly recommended. He examined me for a while, and then declared a symptom that I hadn't even mentioned to him - I thought I had the beginnings of carpal tunnel syndrome starting & didn't think it was related at all. Some sort of compression in one of my vertebra was causing it - muscle stuff, etc. The chiro asked, "you're having a lot of tingling in your right fingers, aren't you?" The occasional tingling in my fingers went away after the adjustments. The headaches went away. We were buying Advils in 500 packs directly from the hospital - I was taking them multiple times a day, at least 5 days a week for the headaches. Each time I was "adjusted", the benefits lasted a little longer than the previous time. After maybe a half dozen visits, the problems were gone.

Years later, I started having trouble again. I only needed one visit & the problem was taken care of.

Fact is no scientific study has shown Chiropractic to be any more valid then Placebo or a simple massage.

The only thing their is anecdotal evidence, the same evidence that things like homeopathic and acupuncture have.

 

[eits]

Fact is no scientific study has shown Chiropractic to be any more valid then Placebo or a simple massage.

The only thing their is anecdotal evidence, the same evidence that things like homeopathic and acupuncture have.

that's a fact, huh?

cool.

http://www.acatoday.org/level3_css.cfm?T1ID=13&T2ID=61&T3ID=150
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chiropractic
etc.

 

[Q]

I only go to a chrio because the lady that feels me up is so fricken hot and wears loose cloth. I wish i can take a camera in there

:biggrin:

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Fact is no scientific study has shown Chiropractic to be any more valid then Placebo or a simple massage.

The only thing their is anecdotal evidence, the same evidence that things like homeopathic and acupuncture have.

Placebos are way under-rated.

 

[jagec]

Placebos are way under-rated.

This is true.

Mind you, don't over-pay for a placebo. But placebos have a pretty big place in medicine, particularly for the elusive sorts of semi-psychosomatic problems that traditional Western medicine has trouble treating.

 

[abj13]

that's a fact, huh?

cool.

http://www.acatoday.org/level3_css.cfm?T1ID=13&T2ID=61&T3ID=150
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chiropractic
etc.

Have you read those studies, or do you just post links to things and hope people don't actually read them?

So I checked out the first study, the Nyiendo et al study. I now understand why this study is published in the "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" and not in a reputable scientific journal. Anybody with a critical mind would laugh at how this study was performed. So what they did was compare outcomes in patients seeing a chiropractor vs family medicine physicians. No, these patients weren't seeing spine specialist, orthopedic or other specialized physician, but rather a generalist in family med doctors. Strike one. It gets better, they followed these patients for one month. Not an appropriate extended follow-up like a year, but a MONTH. Strike two. What's worse is that the populations were statistically different. Whooops, not a really randomized controlled study there. Strike Three. Even worse, the follow-up wasn't even controlled for. The patients saw chiropractors on average four times during the month, while the family med patients saw them on average ONCE during that time period. Even the authors admit that the psychosocial status of the medical patients affected their outcomes. A bonus strike four!

And this is the type of studies that are supposed to validate chiropractors? For shame.

 

[eits]

Have you read those studies, or do you just post links to things and hope people don't actually read them?

So I checked out the first study, the Nyiendo et al study. I now understand why this study is published in the "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" and not in a reputable scientific journal. Anybody with a critical mind would laugh at how this study was performed. So what they did was compare outcomes in patients seeing a chiropractor vs family medicine physicians. No, these patients weren't seeing spine specialist, orthopedic or other specialized physician, but rather a generalist in family med doctors. Strike one. It gets better, they followed these patients for one month. Not an appropriate extended follow-up like a year, but a MONTH. Strike two. What's worse is that the populations were statistically different. Whooops, not a really randomized controlled study there. Strike Three. Even worse, the follow-up wasn't even controlled for. The patients saw chiropractors on average four times during the month, while the family med patients saw them on average ONCE during that time period. Even the authors admit that the psychosocial status of the medical patients affected their outcomes. A bonus strike four!

And this is the type of studies that are supposed to validate chiropractors? For shame.

first off, you'll never hear me say the chiropractic field has a ton of good research... research in the chiropractic field isn't exactly easy to do because of 1, funding, 2, interexaminer reliability sucks, 3, the same reason "strike four" was given. however, the number of good research being done in the field is increasing. secondly, your "strikes" aren't exactly strikes. you're basically trying to construct a completely different study in your mind and comparing the study you want to see with the study that was conducted. that's like me saying i want to compare how many people liked apples to the number of people who used oranges and you get butt-sore because you'd like it to be apples vs pears.

good research is something that's relatively new to the chiropractic profession (evidence-based chiropractic). i know it seems silly, trust me. it's one of the biggest gripes i have about the profession. there are many chiropractors out there who are throwing hurdles in the way of chiropractic research because, 1, i think deep down they don't believe it works, 2, it ends their bullshit sales pitches to the average, uneducated layperson, 3, they believe in a mystical force that cannot be researched or quantified through research, 4, they believe the medical community is still out to squash the chiropractic profession, so any research that's done is false. i, on the other hand, readily welcome tons of research. i know chiropractic care works, especially in conjunction with physical therapy.

the chiropractic profession was borne of a very unscientific and somewhat mystical origin. over the years, the profession has evolved, but many like to cling to the roots of chiropractic (either to vilify it or to try and ignorantly "keep it real"). however, just because there isn't a breadth of research doesn't mean it doesn't work. it just means that there needs to be a lot more research done. one thing has been consistently shown, however, and that's that it is helpful for pain. whether you'd like to call it placebo, bad research, anecdotal, whatever, the fact remains that people felt better. the research on psychological vs physiological still hasn't been done to make any sort of conclusive claim one way or the other.