Are Chiropractors Quacks?

I dunno if I would go so far as to say that chiropracters can cure things like diabetes (I would say they can't). But, they do help with aches and pains, cricks and spasms that can make life miserable if untreated. At best, they might be able to help a person's digestive issues by aligning a spine so as to provide proper posture and digestion....... something like that.

In high school I knocked my hip out of place...took a few days for me to feel the effects but I was in bad shape...two trips to the back cracker and I felt so much better. Pain gone, cured.

I know people that go twice a week or quite often, for odd sounding reasons...all in the head pain...or just faking. I think that's where the quack myths stem from, hard to cure someone if there is no actual sickness.

Chiropractors here are usually 'normal' physicans with a special, additional further training ('specialists' in chiropractic) or (in lesser cases) nonmedical practitioner (who are generally not allowed to write prescriptions).

Speaking only about the 'chiropractic string', I agree to littlek's post.

Not in the US, Walter. They're not even close to being a physician. Here, we have orthopedic surgeons, which is an advanced certification. Our chiriopractors range from total quacks to physical magicians. My doctor's practice inclused a chiriopractor and a doctor of oriental medicine (acupuncture mostly, and I would bet the chiro is one of the better ones in town. We have an industrial/sports medicine practice also employing a chiropractor. This is not the normal lineup of talent, though.

I used to work with a guy who had a standing appointment with his chiropractor every Wed. afternoon.
Every Thurs. morning he would come in huddled over, in excruciating pain. Friday would be slightly better...and so on... Until Wednesday. We used to beg him to stop seeing this guy, but he stubbornly refused.

I've heard of people, like LionTamer's associate, who went to a chiropractor, it seemed, to get jacked up instead of fixed up. And then I've heard from other people who swear that the only reason they are able to put one foot in front of the other is because of their 'spinecracker' so it's a very hard call.

They're definitely an interesting group. Powerful political lobby here in Canada - and almost no training. It's a one-year program - less than to become a massage therapist or dental assistant - but they call themselves doctors. Given some rehabilitation files I've been involved in over the years - injuries resulting from chiropractic treatment - you wouldn't be able to get me into a chiropractor's office on pain of death.

This sounds like the guy in Massachusetts who went in for his S/M treatment, After he was naked and cover with a hood, he apparently became overexcited, suffered a heart attack and then expired.

The practioner and her boyfriend than chopped up the body and disposed of it in an unknown place.

Seems like it's better to avoid over-excitement. :wink:

Jacked up, Miller. Not jacked off!!

Jacked up means broken, battered and beaten up.

It all depends on the Chirpractor. The best kind of chiro treatment I've gotten is from the ones who are certified in using an Activator. This is a device that resembles a staple gun (without the staples) and they place it on certain points of your body. There is no twisting -- it simply releases tension from points in the body.

Heres the link where you can put in your city, etc. and find one--

http://www.activator.com/qualified_doctors.asp

I agree, it all depends on the invididual chiropractor.

On 2 occassions I've had pinced nerves in my neck (my vulnerable spot) that I know would have involved muscle relaxants and bedrest. On both occassions they were quickly relieved by an adjustment. How do I know the pain would have lasted a long time? The first time I got to a chiropractor within the day and got relief. The second time (years later) it happened over the holidays, and I remained in bed for 4 days until the offices were open.

Done by the right person, it makes sense to me that adjusting your spine, hips, etc. improves your overall health.

That said, I did go once to a chiropractor who was a total quack.

my experience with a Chiropractor was not something I would do again

I tend to agree with ehBeth, er, as I often do, with the aside that it can be a useful adjunct if done by an excellent chiropracter in an overviewed situation such as Roger describes. I am very chary of people with subluxing discs getting whacked around and would be quite circumspect myself in the choice to go to one.

Like other professions, there are good chiropractors, and bad chiropractors. One of the big problems is that many chiropractors attempt to involve themselves in ailments that are beyond their education and training.

Personally, I think that a chropractor is great in working with otherwise healthy, young individuals who have an acute problem. When I was in my 20's, I could not move my neck for over a week. In two sessions, I was fine.

My mother had gone to a chiropractor. It was a damn good thing that she went to an MD for a 2nd opinion. She had a condition that without medical treatment, she could have had a stroke. The chiropractor did not have a clue.

I used to get dibilitating neck cricks. I would be in tears of pain for a couple of days and no medicine, stretching, heat, cold would help. I started to see the one chiropractor (I had a gift certificate to a 'wellness center') who was ridiculous. He seemed to be afraid to even touch me. I dunno what good that does as a chiro - you need to lay hands on and crack some joints.

So, after getting no where with 2 visits with this guy, I went to my sister's chiro and he had me fixed up quick. I realize that this could have been, or was likely, due to time healing all wounds..... But, after having these terrible cricks every few months for a long time, I haven't had one in the last year and a quarter (since I started seeing this new guy). My neck doesn't even come close to getting into that old-style type of jam anymore. I'd say I've been cured, not just fixed up temporarily. He stepped me off from once a week to every 3 weeks rather quickly. Gave me stretching excersizes.

He's very simple, direct and non-spiritual (crystal-waving). Several of my sister's coworkers and my sister also swear by him.



But, diabetes? Nope. I don't even think he'd say chiro can cure diabetes.

Chai Tea, perhaps your neck problems are a result of your elaborate hairdo? Surely, it must weigh around 10 pounds.

Chiropractic care can really help-- if you are considering it but somewhat hesitant, feel free to ask the potential caregiver as many questions before you go to the office-- the premise of the practice is supposed to be holistic, so if you sense something is off with them, like they won't speak with you directly, or if the receptionist is stressed then simply don't go.

It sounds like Roger has the best situation, the more the caregiver familiarizes themself with pain relief other than the traditional, the better they are at treating your specific needs.

Good evaluation technique, Cliff. "If the receptionist is stressed. . . ." It has application in more fields than this.

And, how many chiropractors does it take to change a light bulb? Just one, but it goes out if you don't take it back for adjustments every week.

oh no, it's quite light!

under the surface is an elaborate aluminum mesh, with a forehead strap to evenly distribute the load.

The hair itself is merely a brushing of cotton candy, colored with "porn star red" dye.

Chiropractors claim that 80% of their patients get better. Oddly enough, that's the same percentage that would get beter on their own.