What do you think of chiropractic medicine??

[grinningghost]

if you "guess" you could call them migraines, then they are not. Any migraine sufferer will tell you that. They might be bad headaches but not migraines

True, although some people suffer from migraine aura with no headache. I learned that recently after way too much contact with my neurologic ophthamologist.

Funny thing is, when I get the migraine aura, I get no headache. But when I get the severe migraine headache, I get no aura. I am such a mess.

 

[mickman1962]

sugar pills = 30% success rate
chiropractor = 30% success rate

hmmmmm

not saying they don't help people, but hmmmmm.

 

[mickman1962]

True, although some people suffer from migraine aura with no headache. I learned that recently after way too much contact with my neurologic ophthamologist.

Funny thing is, when I get the migraine aura, I get no headache. But when I get the severe migraine headache, I get no aura. I am such a mess.

never got an aura, guess I'm lucky

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Chiropractic medicine - it either helps you, does nothing, or makes you worse!

 

[cardaway]

sugar pills = 30% success rate
chiropractor = 30% success rate

At least sugar pills cost less and have less side effects.

 

[Chris2597]

We are back from a long afternoon at the drs. office. The dr reassured me that the traction type treatment that ds recieved is not unusual and is used by some physicians. He told ds, however, not to have him do it again, as it caused such severe pain. He prescibed a pain patch for ds to wear to get the pain under control and hopefully things will start to improve. It is so hard to get pain under control when it is so out of control....If things dont improve the md wants ds to see a neurologist to have a nerve study and to a pain management dr.
I dont know whether to lay off of the chiro for a week or so or go back next week for his scheduled appts, minus the neck traction.
The accident happened 8/25 and I am about at the end of my rope, between dealing with the injury, seeing ds in pain, and trying to negotiate with the other drivers insurance co....

 

[PrincessCLM]

I think the PT's are the money-grabbers.

I'm sorry-but are you kidding me?! Every PT I know makes a HECK of a lot LESS than any chiro.
And the point other posters were making was that SOME (not all) chiros make it seem like they want you to come back for life.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I have a wonderful chiropractor. I think there is a place for chiro care as well as traditional medicine. There are some things that each does better. Just depends on what it is.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I'm sorry-but are you kidding me?! Every PT I know makes a HECK of a lot LESS than any chiro.
And the point other posters were making was that SOME (not all) chiros make it seem like they want you to come back for life.

No, if you go through your initial schedule of treatments and you are feeling better they well tell you to come in "as needed". For some people, like my Mom, that is every week. For others it is every month or 2. Some come in even less.

Do you keep the same family Dr. for life? How about the same Gyn.? And do you go to them when problems come up?

Same concept.

 

[isla bonita]

Love mine.

 

[tiggersmom2]

True, although some people suffer from migraine aura with no headache. I learned that recently after way too much contact with my neurologic ophthamologist.

Funny thing is, when I get the migraine aura, I get no headache. But when I get the severe migraine headache, I get no aura. I am such a mess.

I have the exact same thing. I get the "starburst" aura .....and go completely blind for about 20-30 minutes. The first time this happened I was at WDW!! Thank goodness I was there with Mom that has the same thing...I thought I was having a stroke or something!


Anyway, I do not think highly of chiropractors.....if I want to see a quack, I'll go down to our lakes and feed the ducks.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I never thought much of chiropractors until DW went to work for one and she suggested I give the guy a try.

I was noticing a constant numbness in my left leg -- my left foot would feel as though it were immersed in warm water while I was standing.

The chiropractor took X-Rays (students at chiropractic college spend more time learning how to read x-rays than do students at medical school) and explained the x-rays to me. A head-on x-ray showed that my pelvis had a serious tilt to one side and my spine curved like an S in an attempt to keep me straight. He pointed out spots on the x-ray where I had obviously experienced injuries -- he was able to tell me that I had injured my shoulder very recently and my lower back had been injured approximately 13-15 years previously. He was right on the money in both instances. He might have learned from DW of the whiplash that injured my shoulder, but even DW didn't know about the lower back injury I incurred while attempting to lift my bedridden father from the floor just months before he passed away. He began his treatments.

After 2 years of regular adjustments he took another series of x-rays. A week later he sat me down in his office and showed me the original x-rays with the tilts and curves and then showed me a set of x-rays with a spine in near perfect alignment and no pelvic tilt. I asked, "Whose x-ray is that?" It was mine.

Now I don't believe everything a chiropractor will tell you -- I don't think this is going to solve all my problems in the world, but I know that I started to feel better.

I still go to the chiropractor on a regular basis -- but it is now the original chiropractor's daughter who is the Doctor there. She keeps me going -- she spots injuries, aches and pains before I even tell her about them.

I don't pretend to know how chiropractic medicine works. I'm a pastor -- I went to school to learn something else. It might not work for everybody, but I do know that it works for me.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Not a fan. Never been to one, and never plan to go.

 

[DWDreams]

I think chiropractic treatment can be beneficial if done properly with the right goals in mind. IMO, I've found those that are co-trained in PT to be more beneficial, but it's a personal choice. I do feel there are some in the field for the wrong reasons, but that could be true for many things. I'm sorry but any treatment provider who tells someone upfront they'll require 18 months of treatment is someone I would place in that category. That isn't treatment, that's a payment plan.

I'd go to a chiropractor, and have, but would be reluctant to do so if I thought I had or knew I had a herniated disc either in my back or neck. I just think that's too big a risk for serious complications.

Link of interest Spine Health

The point of interest I wanted to highlight from the link:

Low-velocity chiropractic manipulation may be helpful; however, caution should be used with manipulation if the patient is experiencing any neurological deficits

Please, please use caution if there is any chance your son has a herniated disc in his neck.

 

[Buckalew11]

I agree with you Royal Canadian.

I think you can be blessed to find a good chiropractor. I think there are good ones and bad ones. And the ones who think they can cure anything are loons and I'd run like heck to stay away from them.

Jenn Lynn is right. Chiropractic care isn't always a one time (or get you over one trouble) type of care. Most will see you through a problem and then say "as needed".
That is what mine tells me. Sometimes I have 1 treatment and sometimes it is many more.

But I know when he says he needs to see again in X amount of days he means it for my own good and not his pockets because he does NOT charge me a dime for a treatment.

 

[PrincessKitty]

I think it really depends on the chiropracter. I have a chronic medical problem that traditional Western medicine can't fix, and I would try ANYTHING (really!) to get better. Although I am extremely skeptical, I went ahead and tried a chiropracter. I truly think the particular person I went to was a complete quack. He didn't help at all, and his methods were extremely suspect.

However, I know some people who have been really helped by chiropracters. One of my sisters swears by chiropractic treatment for her migraines.

BTW I have been going to an acupuncturist for over a year now and these treatments REALLY help. The fact that I need to go every 2 weeks does not faze me. I feel MUCH better with nearly every treatment. I pay $75 out-of-pocket for every treatment and it is worth every penny.

I went to a different acupuncturist about 15 years ago and his treatment made me very ill. I later heard that he was considered (by other practitioners in my city) to be a rather heavy-handed acupuncturist.

It really makes a difference who you go to, no matter what profession they are in. I have been a health professional (RN and OT) for 20 years, and have met plenty of low-competence MDs, RNs, PTs, OTs, etc. I'm sure there are the same discrepencies in the skills of alternative health care practitioners.

 

[PrincessKitty]

I should add that my DH is a PT. He and I both shake our heads in wonderment at my acupuncturists talk of "chi," "meridians," "pathways," "pulses," etc. But just because we don't understand the methodology, doesn't mean it doesn't work! And just because we grew up with traditional Western medicine, doesn't mean that it DOES work. A significant amount of Western medicine is palliative at best, and harmful/painful/futile at worst.

 

[Chris2597]

We had an MRI done of ds to insure that his condition would allow chiropractic care....
Has anyone else had a chiro use the traction device on their necks? That just freaks me out.
I didnt go to the appt with ds last week when the chiro did this....I dropped him off and ran an errand....I dont think I would have allowed this even though my reg. dr says it is common practice.

 

[sha_lyn]

I had a DC that used the traction frequently. He retired due to health problems I believe (long sotry, he retired for a while, came back and a few months later doors were closed and no one really knows what happened). anyway I loved the traction. IT really helped my neck problems and headaches.

 

[Buckalew11]

no. No traction here that I have ever heard of and I'd probably run from that.