Chiropractors? Real medicine or quacks?

[stevenpensacola]

what do you think?

I go about once a year...first time I ever went, was skeptical...but when I laid on the table and the Doc ran his fingers down my spine and put his finger on the VERY spot I was hurting I became a believer.

I did let them know that I would set up my own appointment if needed...as I had heard that many unscrupulous chiro's like to see you a lot....which may be needed is some cases.

The same chiro I occasionally see has kept my FIL from going under the knife for back surgery (something he did not want to do)...

So many chiro's have that used car salesman "look" about them...

share your experiences...

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

My best friend "threw out" her back and a chiropractor has been invaluable in helping her get better.

Plus, my daughter is thinking about going to chiropractic school, so I vote "real medicine." She doesn't look like a car salesman.

 

[golfgal]

I think there are good chiropractors out there that know what they know and don't try to "cure" everything through chiropractic care. I know of some chiropractors that claim they can cure everything from ear infections to cancer just by aligning your spine.

If you have back/muscle issues, a good chiropractor can help with that but if you have serious back issues like slipped discs, etc. it can make your issues WORSE.

Yes, MANY chiropractors are no better than a used car salesperson and the high pressure sales tactics are a pretty good indication that they are more interested in your money then your back.

 

[Chelley00]

I think it can depend. My chiropractor is constantly training, and believes in total body health care. He does Xrays before the first visit and a physical. He does ask that his patients set up a care routine and go regularly, especially at the beginning of treatment, but it's not as crazy as I've heard others. I'm on an every 4-5 week schedule, because if I go less than that I get migraines from an old neck injury.

My husband's chiropractor I'm not a fan of. He worked on my husband without even really asking him anything other than "where does it hurt". His fees are really low and he doesn't like to file with insurance companies. It just makes me nervous, but DH likes him, and likes that he takes walk-in established patients as DH never can schedule in advance.

 

[mhsjax]

I think there are good chiropractors out there that know what they know and don't try to "cure" everything through chiropractic care. I know of some chiropractors that claim they can cure everything from ear infections to cancer just by aligning your spine.

If you have back/muscle issues, a good chiropractor can help with that but if you have serious back issues like slipped discs, etc. it can make your issues WORSE.

Yes, MANY chiropractors are no better than a used car salesperson and the high pressure sales tactics are a pretty good indication that they are more interested in your money then your back.

This My DMIL. Chiroptactor kept adjusting, by the time she went to an ortho. she was too far gone. I still don't trust them. I know too many people that have just gotten relief without any regards to what the actual problem is.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

My DH swears by his chiropractor, I call them witch doctors.
Seriously though, I prefer always to go to my family doctor before considering a chiropractor... I have even had the discussion with my family doctor about chiropractors, and though he agrees with me that most are witch doctors, he has told me that sometimes he does refer patients to one, rather than dope them up on painkillers, or recommend surgery.

 

[Disney Doll]

Like any other medical specialty, there are good and bad.

A good chiropractor will tell you that his/her treatments are a complement to good overall health care. Any chiro who tells you that he/she can cure anything that ails you with chiropractic alone is probably high on the "quackometer".

I have used chiropractors in the past and had very good experiences.

 

[HsvTeacher]

I went to a chiropractor a few years ago when I started having back problems. It was the worst mistake I ever made, and my neurosurgeon completely agreed. He ended up doing more damage than good.

I ended up having back surgery and have been much, much better since then. I think it's best to leave such delicate areas as the spine to doctors who are very well trained, and in my opinion, chiropractors don't fit into that category.

 

[MichelleVW]

I'm very skeptical, but I know some people swear by them.

 

[MushyMushy]

I've been to chiropractors a few different times in my life and they've all ended up helping the problem I went in for. This most recent one started back in September. I'd been having bad neck and lower back pain for months. It got to the point where I was having headaches and pain was radiating down through my shoulder to my middle finger! Ouch.

This particular doc uses a machine (I'm having a brain fart and forget what it's called). I was a little leery of it, but so far it's done just as good a job as having manual adjustments! I did a month of treatments, 3 times a week and now I'm going as needed for maintenance.

So, my experiences have all been very positive.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well they don't practice *medicine* (which is one of the many reasons I see them and why I also became one (though I don't practice now)), they practice chiropractic. So your question is hard to answer b/c it's "no, no".


But I don't go to "wrack 'em crack 'em" chiros anyway; I see light-touch, osseous adjustment every so often, make the whole universe seem a happier place after a visit chiros, and I don't *want* to stay away. In fact I was just looking up colleagues of our chiro for when we're in Orlando, just in case.

 

[SaraJayne]

There is a reason they aren't MD's.

Quacks, all of them.

 

[marcyinPA]

I never went to one until about 5 years ago, when I had unbearable tension in my shoulders and upper back. I could barely turn my head....

I saw him twice a week at first, then once a week, and then eventually didn't need to go. He was wonderful! Between the treatments, and teaching me how to strengthen that area of my body through exercise, I haven't had many problems since. He is also very knowledgeable in homeopathic medicine, and helped me treat my reflux by recommending that I take acidopholus and educating me further than my family doctor.

One of the things that really impressed me with him, though, was when he saw that my specialist co-pay was $40, he told me he was only going to charge me $20. Every time! That helped me so much, because there was no way I could have gone to him that often!

 

[okeydokey]

When I pinched a nerve in my back last spring I could hardly walk because of the leg pain. My MD gave me vicodin and said if it didn't resolve itself in a couple of weeks they would give me shots.

Vicodin did squat so I went to the chiro recommended by a friend. He took an xray and began treatment. It took a few weeks to get completely better but it worked wonders

 

[Hoodie]

I went to one when I had sciatica while pregnant. She did an amazing job! I was almost to the point I couldn't walk. She was a life saver!

My brother just discovered that he has some major back problems. One chiro didn't help at all. The doctor just wanted to do surgery and put him in traction for literally months. He found another chiro who is helping him tremendously. they've already seen changes in his x-rays and it's only been a couple of months of treatment.

I'm actually fairly leery of most doctors. I have multiple experiences of them abusing my insurance (I have good insurance and doctors like to take advantage of it) and also recommending drugs/surgery/treatment that was not actually needed.

 

[BC]

Well, let's put it this way....the hospitals won't let them darken their doors for a reason!!! And I know what some of you are gonna say....it's because the hospital wants people to go under the knife so they can make money, but I'm not buying it.

 

[LisaR]

I was just coming on to post this exact question. The right side of my body is screwed up. I didn't do anything lately to cause this. I do have an old shoulder injury but it hasn't bothered me for years. Suddenly, it is killing me. On top of that, my right hip and ankle keep causing me pain. It is an off and on type thing but at times it bugs the heck out of me. DH swears by his chiropractor. I am so skeptical. I am concerned about being twisted, cracked and jostled around when I already have pain. Not sure what I should do.

 

[BELLE1109]

I think there is some degree of placebo effect with chiropractors. They work if you think they work. I went to one for 2 years for my neck...no results. The only thing that has helped me is PT.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I love my Chiro, very gentle and holistic. I only see her every few months, but she helps tremendously when my muscles spasm and pull me out of alignment.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I love my Chiropractor. It really does help. She doesn't claim to cure everything. If she did then I wouldn't trust her.

I was having aweful tension headaches everyday for many months. It got to the point where I would go to bed with a headache and wake up with one. They never let up. My doctor just gave me stronger pain killers that I hated taking, and they didn't work anyways. My family doctor actually told me to try a chiropractor.

I didn't believe that it would work, but at that point anything was worth a try. It actually worked. It took a few visits, but I am so much better. I don't know how I could have gone on with my daily headaches for much longer. It was taking a toll on my everyday life.

Now I just see her once in a while as needed. My insurance pays for the visits too. I don't even have a copay.