Chiropractors -- What is Your Opinion?

[FreeAtLast]

My son has had cronic stomach problems for the past 3 years. While we continue to see a pediatric GI and use normal meds we also see a chiropractor. He does also does acupuncture. Things were getting better and we stopped going and things took a turn for the worse. We are back with the chiropractor. There is a holistic approach to treatment seldom used by a MD.

I think that we have seen favorable results. I am sure some are better than others. We seem to have found one who is excellent.

 

[harley]

I have to say I'm truly surprised by the number of negative comments on this issue. When I started to read it I assumed it would be fairly heavily pro-chiropractors. I thought most people now accepted them as legitimate (if limited) practitioners of a field of therapy/medicine.

I've personally never been to one, but I know many (more than 10 off the top of my head) people (including DW) who have used them for various issues, and have been helped noticibly. Most have to visit a number of times at first, then work down to occasional visits when something comes up. We belong to the largest HMO in the country, and they've been paying and recommending chiropratic treatment for quite a few years, although I don't remember exactly when they started. At least 7-8 years. Sometimes you have to bring it up, sometimes the docs do, depending on their opinions of the treatment. But if this fairly conservative company covers it, I would assume they were in standard acceptance. Sort of like the post office recognising Santa by delivering mail to him

As far as the horror stories, DW used to work in a hospital, and we've heard our share related to regular medicine too. I think anytime you are messing with the human body there are going to be mistakes due to incompetence, bad luck, whatever. That's why I try not to see any of them too often.

I think they are a valid form of physical therapy, although I would never go to one for anything major without discussing it with my GP first. I also think acupuncture has it's place in the medical pantheon. I'm not sure about some of the more obscure althernative medicines, though, not having had much experience with them.

 

[W2R]

I have to say I'm truly surprised by the number of negative comments on this issue. When I started to read it I assumed it would be fairly heavily pro-chiropractors. I thought most people now accepted them as legitimate (if limited) practitioners of a field of therapy/medicine.

I've personally never been to one, but I know many (more than 10 off the top of my head) people (including DW) who have used them for various issues, and have been helped noticibly. Most have to visit a number of times at first, then work down to occasional visits when something comes up. We belong to the largest HMO in the country, and they've been paying and recommending chiropratic treatment for quite a few years, although I don't remember exactly when they started. At least 7-8 years. Sometimes you have to bring it up, sometimes the docs do, depending on their opinions of the treatment. But if this fairly conservative company covers it, I would assume they were in standard acceptance. Sort of like the post office recognising Santa by delivering mail to him

As far as the horror stories, DW used to work in a hospital, and we've heard our share related to regular medicine too. I think anytime you are messing with the human body there are going to be mistakes due to incompetence, bad luck, whatever. That's why I try not to see any of them too often.

I think they are a valid form of physical therapy, although I would never go to one for anything major without discussing it with my GP first. I also think acupuncture has it's place in the medical pantheon. I'm not sure about some of the more obscure althernative medicines, though, not having had much experience with them.

The chiropractor I went to was a good one, and in fact worked on the Texas Aggie football team at the time. He was very cautious in my case and emphasized that he would not agree to replace or interfere with any conventional medical treatment of my condition. Only when I told him that my neurologists had done all they could for the time being, would he treat me. I think that is a very responsible attitude.

Like you, I regard chiropractors as a form of physical therapy and not a replacement for medical care. Even though he was not able to help me other than improving my posture, he did help my ex with his back problems, to a remarkable degree.

 

[haha]

I also think acupuncture has it's place in the medical pantheon. I'm not sure about some of the more obscure althernative medicines, though, not having had much experience with them.

Almost 30 years ago I gave myself a bad case of toxic bronchitis from some rehab work I was doing. After the infection subsided, I was left with rather severe asthma- to the point where many nights I had to sit up to try to sleep, in spite of taking all the meds my GP gave me.

My Dad knew a Korean MD in his city who offered acupuncture, and who claimed to be able to help asthma. I went to him, and he treated me 3x/wk for 3 weeks, after which I flew back home. I was 60 % better when I returned home, and got to 100%- no wheezing under any normal circumstances-in about 6 months more, despite having no further treatment. So I am a believer, at least for certain very skilled practitioners. I won't let them give me any herbal medicines though, I have read too many clinical reports of liver and renal damage from that stuff.

Same way, I will go to certain chiropractors, but say no to the neck stuff.

Ha

 

[Buckeye]

Folks in OH are very conservative politically but not medically as they love their chiro's and there are several in each of the surrounding small towns out here in the cornfields. I go to one in the small town close to the plant ($26 per visit including therapy after adjustment). I met him a few months after I started the job on the day I slipped in the parking lot at work with things in my hands and landed backwards on my head (man, that hurt). The VP of HR (also manages our workers' comp) had me in the chiro's office within an hour and I was good to go within a couple of days and I was back to work immediately. There has to be some good data they are effective (or maybe just cost effective) or the insurance companies would not be paying.

I only use chiro's who diagnose and treat only with their hands. When I lived in Orlando, I needed to see a chiro after basically getting whiplash on a very, very rough boat ride. I used to go to an exercise class which was attended by the wife of a very well-known local ortho-surgeon. She was having some knee pain that DH could not fix so he referred her to a local chiro. That was the kind of reference I needed and went to see the chiro. Not only did he fix my neck in about 3 visits, he also fixed the persistent low back pain I had had for 13 years (additional visits). No x-rays, no MRI's...just his touch. Unfortunately, he died at 52. He was something special.

As with every profession, someone had to graduate at the top of the class and someone had to graduate at the bottom of the class. You always hope you are being treated by the person who graduated near the top.

 

[Martha]

One argument to be wary of using for the validity of chiropractic is the fact that insurance companies may cover the treatment. Aggressive proponents and strong lobbies may account for that.

I know a person who argues that a particular treatment (not related to chiropractic) is valid simply because the proponents have received millions in federal grants to study it. As near as I can tell, the treatment is bogus and not born out by the research, but the proponents are sure good at getting government grants.

To the extent that chiropractic treatments work, I think it has nothing to do with the underlying theories, which seem peculiar at best.

 

[Buckeye]

Martha - I don't think we even know exactly why aspirin works so not knowing exactly how or why treatments work is not something new in medicine. I don't think the FDA requires an explanation of why it works, just studies to show that it did work (whatever "it" may be). If the "why" and "how" had to be explained, many drugs and treatments would have to be taken off the market.

 

[Martha]

Buckeye, I am not saying we need to know "why" treatments work, only if they work. I did mention that the theories behind chiropractic do seem strange, FWIW. I also don't disagree that chiropractors seem to help some people with some things.

 

[Kronk]

Wow, I'm also surprised at the number of anti-chiropractor posts.

As others have mentioned, it all depends on the particular practitioner. Well, that, and whatever your problem actually is. Some things can't be improved by manipulation, and a good chiropractor will help figure that out.

My 10-month shoulder issue, which, by the collective best guess was a mononeuropathy (single nerve paralysis) caused by Lyme disease. I got the following recommendations:

Primary care doc: hunh, your shoulder looks weird.
Chiropractor: You have scapular winging, and I might be able to do something about that. Several weeks later: would really like an MRI to rule out more serious issues.
Neurologist: EMG shows a mononeuropathy with no indication of a degenerative issue. Wait it out, it'll probably come back.
Accupuncturist: Ah, Lyme disease. I fix. (I gave up after a month.)
Physical Therapist: Nerves are tricky, and might come back at any time. Let's strengthen the rotator cuff muscles and do some massage and electro-stim of the surrounding areas.

I'm not sure any of those answers were really better/worse than others. The chiropractor actually did a number of things similar to the physical therapist (heat, massage, ectro stim). In the end, in the past week, I have suddenly been able to pinch both shoulder blades together, and so I think the nerve is now working and I just have to clear up 10 months of atrophy.

In other cases: chiropractor got a rib back into place. Manipulation of one hip didn't last more than a day or two (physical therapy seems to have cured that one). Minor back/neck issues from a whole lot of martial arts were successfully treated by the chiropractor.

But I can understand the skepticism people have regarding repeated visits. I've gone back as needed, but there's obviously the potential for abuse of self-interest there.

 

[haha]

As with every profession, someone had to graduate at the top of the class and someone had to graduate at the bottom of the class. You always hope you are being treated by the person who graduated near the top.

Agree. Some are perhaps pure fakery, but some are really good. The guy I went to after my auto crash was excellent. He entered the profession because when he was a US Olympic gymnast he saw how much a chiro helped him and his teammates.

Ha