Chiropractors...do they work?

I'm going to do Pilates instead.

Sarah, I heartily recommend a chiropractor! Mine has done a world of good in just 4 sessions. ...
-- jocelyn (nalra...), September 27th, 2005.

i only realized recently how homeopathic chiropracty (sp?) is. I always thought of it as violent.

-- kelsey (kelstarr...), September 27th, 2005.

Should I go to a chiropractor? My shoulders are really fucked up. There's so much CONTROVERSY about chiropractors, though. My mom thinks I should see a physical therapist instead.

-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), September 27th, 2005.

Yes, I love the beard. I look forward to beard time every year, and appreciate that Jeff is willing to go through the itch.

Jeff used to be a neck beard man - and man what a neck beard he could grow.

I went to a chiropractor once to fix some horrifying pack pain of no discernable cause. It worked! But my insurance wouldn't pay for it after five sessions. They were perfectly willing to pay for surgery and addictive prescription pills, however.

Fuckers.

-- pullapartgirl (rabbitrabbi...), September 27th, 2005.

See a massuess instead.

-- Jordan (jordan...), September 27th, 2005.

My view on chiropractors in general:

1. They are great for musculoskeletal issues and chronic pain, but they are not panaceas. If you have stomache aches, I don't think that a chiropractor is the way to go.
2. Chiropractors will try REALLY REALLY hard to convince you that they will fix everything from acne to bunions. Just be knowledgable and ready to say no to treatments that you think are superfluous.
3. Not all chiropractors will do this, so it's worthwhile to shop around until you find one you really like, just like with a regular doctor.
4. Make sure your insurance will pay for it.
5. INSIST that your chiropractor give you a definitive number of treatments. If he or she tells you that he can't set a number of treatments and you'll just have to see what develops, find another doctor.

-- pullapartgirl (rabbitrabbi...), September 27th, 2005.

Good to know.

-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), September 27th, 2005.

I agree with Jenny on all points, esp. # 2. If they try to tell you that they can cure the entire body with spinal manipulation, find someone else who will ask you what your goals are during the initial consultation. Also, if they try to take x-rays right away without a physical/range of movement exam first, say no.
My insurance won't cover it though, because they are part of a rather corrupt HMO (as it is emerging in the news) So I have really had to budget my spending this month.

-- jocelyn (nalra...), September 27th, 2005.

i was just about to say, OTM on #2 (xp, re: chiros). i've had an amazing chiro who really did wonders for my knees/hips (it was all about body alignment stuff), but others who were just a waste of time. best to shop around, or better yet, get personal recommendations, which is how i'd found my wonderful chiro guy (he was in milwaukee).

-- Juulia (j_bdule...), September 27th, 2005.

i need to start doing yoga again.

-- kelsey (kelstarr...), September 27th, 2005.

I got a vague cult-like feeling off the place.

I think recommendations are the way to go. Sadly, the ones recommended to me were all busy.

Did he tell you you need a full set of xrays at £££s to verify that he could fix your incorrectly bent spine?

Before: sore neck
After: sore neck, sore shoulder, light wallet

His diagnosis
"You have postural problems."
My response
"You don't fucking say!"

They really work best with regular visits, howev.
Funnily enough, that's exactly what the chiropractor said.

I say bunch of charlatans with a license to print money, yet my boss goes to the guy who fucked my shoulder and he swears by it.
You pays your money...

I got a bit of the "cult-like feeling" Alba mentioned. All the gubbins about the life forces and spiritual energy being held back by musculoskeletal subluxations had SCIENTOLOGY SPLINTER GROUP flashing up in my brain. Sadly I was so desperate I had to try it as I'd exhausted all conventional methods and constant pain starts to get to you after 12 years.

I'd trust them more if they said "youre spine's out of whack, I can try to put it back into whack" and dispensed with the life force bollocks.

xp

i didn't even know what a chiropractor was when my sister recommended her's to me. after three visits (on consecutive days), i was able to get in/out of my car and sneeze without pain again. afeter a couple weeks of 1x/week visits it was like it never happened.

after that, i am a full believer.

You do have to keep an eye out, as there are those who pull the "subluximations" shit...

That much said, my wife and I use a local chiropractor for our musculo-skeletal pains, mainly because she is a wizard at diagnosing their cause and is not at all tied down to the old chiropractic dogma of the past. She's far more likely to prescribe a set of exercises and stretches than to do a series of spinal adjustments. She's like a super-competent physical therapist - better and cheaper than a doctor for certain ailments.

I don't suppose they're all as good as she is.

http://drjoannechapman.com/gratitude-challenge-book.html

"How the Activator Method is Thought to Work

The Activator Method Chiropractic Technique is a type of manipulation described as follows:

A spring-loaded, hand-held mechanical instrument called the Activator Adjusting Instrument provides a quick, low-force impulse at specific points.
"

ALSO - placebo