How do you feel about Chiropractors?

[IloveDMB]

I guess I don't understand why it doesn't stand to reason that babies and children's spines can also be out of alignment. I know when I was a kid my back would hurt and I had a friend walk on my back to make it feel better(remember George Jefferson?? )I sure wish I had gone to a chiropractor then instead of damaging it even further by having someone walk on it!

Baby's spines should not be manipulated because they don't even fully develop their primary and secondary curves until they sit up and start walking.

To the OP, I can only recommend that you try to find a D.O. in your area that specializes in OMT. If I recall, you also have an issue with plantar fascitis, right? They can help you with that, along with your current issue.

 

[declansdad]

Baby's spines should not be manipulated because they don't even fully develop their primary and secondary curves until they sit up and start walking.

To the OP, I can only recommend that you try to find a D.O. in your area that specializes in OMT. If I recall, you also have an issue with plantar fascitis, right? They can help you with that, along with your current issue.

So can a chiropractor.

 

[cepmom]

Baby's spines should not be manipulated because they don't even fully develop their primary and secondary curves until they sit up and start walking.

To the OP, I can only recommend that you try to find a D.O. in your area that specializes in OMT. If I recall, you also have an issue with plantar fascitis, right? They can help you with that, along with your current issue.

obviously I don't know all the ins and outs of chiropractic....at what age could children be safely adjusted?

 

[Babboo]

Chiropractic care is not a one-time cure-all. It is a progressive approach to whole body health. In the hands of a well trained and qualified practitioner the patient's overall health can improve. Chiropractic is based on several disciplines of both medicine as well as other methods of treatment such as acupressure, acupunture (in some cases), homeopathy, naturopathy, and so on.

While many tend to dismiss this as "voo doo" or a "placebo effect" or even that back problems are largely "psychosomatic" it is a proven fact that when forming - the fetus has a brain and brain-stem that later develops into the spinal cord. This cord later develops little "buds" off it that become the internal organs. They are immediately tied to the branches off the spinal cord that develop almost from the very start of our lives. Is it any wonder that in the care of a properly educated and trained professional such as a chiropractor that other ailments - including those previously un- or mis-diagnosed - have been resolved? Of course if it's all just voo doo treating a psychosomatic condition then certainly there is no one that is actually being "cured" - right?

I have numerous back and neck issues stemming from a pretty severe injury sustained during Operation Desert Storm (which of course is all in my head). Part of those injuries resulted in the lower portion of my spine collapsing leaving me with a thin opening for the nerves leading to my legs to pass. It also compressed 3 of the discs in my neck so much that I cannot turn my head without losing all sense in both hands (shown and tested by a nerve conduction test - of course that's just all in my head and the doctor who did the nerve study - RIGHT?). The military in their infinite wisdom elected to give me "flexeril" and Motrin (good ol' vitamin "M"). After a few days I'm up and operational. The VA's approach to treating me was more muscle relaxers, pain meds (where the very knowledgeable doctors almost killed me with the combo that stops your breathing - gotta love that medical schoolin'). Eventually they decided that the best course of action is to let it ride until I'm in so much pain and have lost the use of my legs (and anything else below the waist) so that I am in a wheel chair - THEN they will take action by fusing my spine.

THIS is what proper (non-voo doo) medical science will tell you to do.

Many long years ago the ancients had many cures for ailments. In many cases so-called modern medicine is trying desperately to recapture that lost art and science (is THAT why MODERN DOCTORS are using leaches and maggots???). Of course back then the practitioners of medicine were just witch-doctors and voo doo priests. They never studied the herbs, the climate, the seasons, or the patient to get an understanding that if we are out of alignment with nature, and our bodies are out of alignment, then we have ailments. Ever wondered what asprin is?? It's an extract that comes from a tree bark - guess who found THAT out?

I started going to a chiropractor - with reservations.

I my most recent move I was picking up freezers and refrigerators - and lifting them onto a truck - and to what do I attribute this? Had it not been for my voo doo priest chiropractor who got my spine back into alignment and then worked on it more so that I was actually getting relief from the pain and finally able to exercise those muscles to improve the strength of my core I would have been contending with the traditional approach of giving me a pill and making me more of a zombie.

I still have aches and pain on occasion - it is called WORK. It is something a traditional doctor never would have gotten me to.

Maybe a chiropractor is NOT a trained or qualified MD - guess what? Neither was Hyprocrates.

 

[nuke]

I've never been to a chiro but I do have neck problems from a car accident several years ago. My neck cracks all the time and sometimes I'll get a headache or an earache and if I crack my neck just right it clears right up.

 

[Arielx2]

obviously I don't know all the ins and outs of chiropractic....at what age could children be safely adjusted?

My kids have been adjusted since they were 2 hours old and continue to get adjusted on a regular basis.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I asked around my Hospital to get a reccomendation to a Chiro after a horrible whiplash. I chose the one that actually treats some of the neurologists and their family's in town. She is wonderful. She uses a very gentle approach with lots of stretching and "body work" techniques along with adjustment.
Once when i was intense pain at work, and couldn't get into see my Chiro, I went to one of our Physical therapists instead.....and he used the exact same technique as I got from my Chiro!

 

[CowboyCO]

OMT is not chiropractory. OMT doesn't just involve the spine, but can treat other parts of the body as well. You can open up lymphatic channels to help drain lymphatic fluid, normalize sympathetic nerves, etc. I am currently at an osteopathic school, and last year, when I had pneumonia, I went to our school;s clinic where they wrote me out a prescription for antibiotics, and then did some techniques to help drain the chest congestion and make breathing easier.

Chiropractic doesn't involve just the spine either. I have had my hips and shoulders manipulated by my chiro, as well as my spine. Saying that one shouldn't go to a chiropractor because they are not a DO is the same as saying you shouldn't go to an MD because they are not a DO. There are very few medical schools that offer a DO -- too few. With the shortage of DO's around, going to a medical doctor and a good chiropractor as necessary is prudent.

Does a DO know a lot more about medicine than a chiro? Absolutely. And a Neurosurgeon knows more about the brain than a DO. You go to where you need to for the best care. If I need brain surgery, I'm not seeing my chiropractor...

 

[Calliaz]

I was extremely wary when I first went to a chiropractor years ago. I was actually looking for help with my son who had congenital torticollis. I had recommendations for a chiro who specialized in cranio-sacral therapy. I got adjusted first so I knew what was happening. It was amazing when he treated my son (not as much spinal adjustment as stretching). The difference in my son's behavior was marked.

Later, I went to a couple other chiropractors who did not have good business practices. I finally found my current chiropractor. I saw him more when I started and now go back maybe once a month for maintenance. I go more frequently if there is a problem. He is also trained in acupuncture, so the treatment is very different than some chiropractors. He also focuses on strengthening the muscles to improve your overall body.

I've seen exactly what classes he took and know he has a very good working knowledge of the body. He doesn't claim to cure cancer, but can help with headaches, congestion and sleep issues. Frankly, I get much better medical treatment from him and he knows when to send me to a Doctor or Naturopath.

For people with long-term back pain, I highly recommend prolotherapy. I had a painful bulging disc at t1 that did not respond to chiropractic or anything the MD had. I was scheduled for a pain management specialist for epidural steroids when I found a naturopath who did prolotherapy. I was a little better in a week and felt 100% better in 5 treatments. It was much cheaper than conventional treatment and was an acutal fix for the problem and not a mask.

I am a skeptic and prefer science as evidence. Still, I can't ignore the benefits I've had. Of course, you have to find the right people regardless of the type of degree. There are some awful MDs out there.

 

[Lintasare]

Obviously there are people here who no matter what others say are not going to go see a chiropractor.

A former coworker of mine went to go see one and he told her that she didn't need to take birth control...his adjustments would do the same thing. For some reason she believed him and guess what...she got pregnant. Another coworker went to see a chiro who was highly recommended and he almost broke her neck. She had to have surgery to correct the damage he did.

I used to work at a job where one of my duties was to look up license information about chiro customers of ours. You would not believe how many had disciplinary action on their records for things like selling products and services there were not licensed to sell. Or those who were practicing without a license or letting unlicensed therapists and assistants work in their offices. I had more of those than chiros with clean record. A close friend had to see a chiro after a bad car accident and several times he tried to molest her and the practice and insurance company would not let her switch doctors.

Based on all that...I won't be seeing one anytime soon.

 

[Compte de Yoyo]

A close friend swears by hers for a bad hip.

 

[jamimb]

Obviously there are people here who no matter what others say are not going to go see a chiropractor.

A former coworker of mine went to go see one and he told her that she didn't need to take birth control...his adjustments would do the same thing. For some reason she believed him and guess what...she got pregnant. Another coworker went to see a chiro who was highly recommended and he almost broke her neck. She had to have surgery to correct the damage he did.

I used to work at a job where one of my duties was to look up license information about chiro customers of ours. You would not believe how many had disciplinary action on their records for things like selling products and services there were not licensed to sell. Or those who were practicing without a license or letting unlicensed therapists and assistants work in their offices. I had more of those than chiros with clean record. A close friend had to see a chiro after a bad car accident and several times he tried to molest her and the practice and insurance company would not let her switch doctors.

Based on all that...I won't be seeing one anytime soon.

There are also real MD's who accidentely kill people, been known to molest people, and are just generally unethical are you going to stop going to the doctor altogether? Just like anything else you need to do your homework but I shudder to think about some of the damage real MD's have done in the past.

I had a friend whos baby was in the hospital for surgery and the doc prescribed the wrong combo of meds and it almost killed the child but if I need surgery I am gonna have surgery!

 

[jax677]

For year my family went to a chiro. My girls were adjusted very soon after birth. But my back problems haven't been helped from a chiro and eventually I went a different route. I am now under the care of a pain doc and am getting a mixture of treatments for my neck and back problems. They consist of p.t., injections and meds. Nothing is curing it, just helping me deal with the day to day problems.

I think there are problems that a chiro is able to fix and some that other docs are better at helping.

Unfortunately the years and years of daily, weekly, monthly adjustments hasn't helped and hopefully didn't make all my back problems worse. But sometimes I do wonder. My back problems are not muscuar, which I think chiros are great for.

I hated the push for their brand of vitamens, like others can't be useful. Plus our last one started pushing foot baths. I mean really push them. Its the same as those kinoki(?) foot pads. Its suppose to take the toxins out of your body. The problem for me was I was friends with his wife and she was bragging about their increase in salary because of these. An extra $100,000 for 1st year. It just left us with a bad taste in our mouths. I am all for people increasing their business, but don't brag about it. Plus insurance woudn't cover this.

We also had a chiro who was telling their cancer patients that she could cure them with some treatments. I saw her a few months later and she was complaining that they were all dying.

There are great chiros out there, ones who don't push experimental treatments on the customers. That is one I would like to find for my husband.

 

[pweyl36]

LTS,
I love love love my Chiro!! He is amazing! Yes, you do need to find one that is good and right for you. We have 4 chiros in our office and each one is more aggressive then the next. The kids and I see the most gentle, DH will see him on occasion or the next one up if he's really needs extra tough adjusting.
I started seeing ours when I was pregnant with DS8, he kept me walking. My sciatica is soooo bad that one false move and I am literally paralyzed. It typically happens when I am moving from sitting to standing or vice versa. Nothing else helps but adjustments. When I was pregnant with DD2 I was getting into my car and my hip went out, I had to call my mom to come get me. She had to carry me into the Drs office. I walked out healthy and standing straight.

DH sees him a lot too. Between the car accident and hereditary bone issues he needs to stay adjusted. When he first started going he did go every other day for about 3 months, then it dwindled down. The day before the accident it had been 7 months since DH needed and adjustment. Now we are back to square one but he is slowly getting better.

Oh and the kids have been adjusted since the day they were born. DS7 has respiratory issues and one trip to the chiro and his breathing eases up.

This is what I dont understand,Why in the world would a brand new baby or even an older child need a back adjustment??? What would of you done if the chiro paralzyed your child?

 

[Shmily1]

We were in a bad accident in 2003 and all of us ended up going to the chiropractor. I had been to a couple before that I didn't believe were doing me a good job, but this one does an awesome job. DD17 has been going since she was 12 and will call me from school to tell me when she is sick and needs to go to the chiro. DS18 has been going since he was 13 and he still goes to her when he comes home from college.

With DD17 going there, I do believe it is possible to cure problems by aligning your spine. DD calls when she has a cold, a stomach ache, an ear ache, or even constipated (and after getting her alignment, she goes within 30 minutes!!). DS goes for his tremors and for allergies. It does seem to make his tremors less harsh.

Like has been said though, it really depends on which one you go to. Some are quacks and some are great!!

 

[Arielx2]

Obviously there are people here who no matter what others say are not going to go see a chiropractor.

A former coworker of mine went to go see one and he told her that she didn't need to take birth control...his adjustments would do the same thing. For some reason she believed him and guess what...she got pregnant. Another coworker went to see a chiro who was highly recommended and he almost broke her neck. She had to have surgery to correct the damage he did.

I used to work at a job where one of my duties was to look up license information about chiro customers of ours. You would not believe how many had disciplinary action on their records for things like selling products and services there were not licensed to sell. Or those who were practicing without a license or letting unlicensed therapists and assistants work in their offices. I had more of those than chiros with clean record. A close friend had to see a chiro after a bad car accident and several times he tried to molest her and the practice and insurance company would not let her switch doctors.

Based on all that...I won't be seeing one anytime soon.

So you ONLY looked up chiros? No other type of Doctor? I guess I should never see a gyno again because mine took perscription pain meds illegally, treated her patients while on them and ODed.

 

[Arielx2]

This is what I dont understand,Why in the world would a brand new baby or even an older child need a back adjustment??? What would of you done if the chiro paralzyed your child?

Ever seen a baby yanked on with forceps? Kids get constipated, ear infections, sinus issues, fevers all of which Chiropractic can help. Why would they paralyze a child any more than they would paralyze you?

 

[Cool-Beans]

My central and peripheral nervous systems are WAY too important to me to put them in the hands of anyone but a really, really, super-well-trained doctor. No way in hell I'd go to a chiropractor.

But, that's me.

 

[declansdad]

My central and peripheral nervous systems are WAY too important to me to put them in the hands of anyone but a really, really, super-well-trained doctor. No way in hell I'd go to a chiropractor.

But, that's me.

and why do you think they are not super-well-trained doctors?

 

[pweyl36]

Ever seen a baby yanked on with forceps? Kids get constipated, ear infections, sinus issues, fevers all of which Chiropractic can help. Why would they paralyze a child any more than they would paralyze you?

I will pray that your child doesnt get a serious illness. How on earth can a cracked back cure all of the above? And what does forceips have to do with having a day old infant getting there back cracked. My oldest son had a vacum used to assit his birth and has never had a back problem. He had ear infections that was taken care of by having tubes put in his ears, I would never risk his hearing by having an non-md crack his back,Its just insane>