Frez Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Do you have faith in Chiropractors for back problems? Are they witch doctors or can they actually heal?
KRC Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Do you have faith in Chiropractors for back problems? Are they witch doctors or can they actually heal? 480966[/snapback] Like any other doctor, it depends on the quality of the Chiropractor. I have been to good ones and bad ones. The good ones will help you. The bad ones just make things worse. Do research ahead of time and try to get testimonials from patients.
HopsGuy Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Until recently, I never would have believed that chiropractors were anything more than witchdoctors. For the last few years, I've had an on-again-off-again problem with a pinched nerved in my neck. A couple of months ago it got so bad that I could barely move. I knew that if I went to see a regular doctor, the recommendation would be for rest and if that didn't work, surgery. I figured that since there was limited risk, why not try a chiropractor? I gave it a shot, and while I'm not comfortable with the noises my spine makes while being "adjusted", I haven't encountered the pain since. I see the guy every two weeks just for maintenance. Who knows? Maybe the whole thing is in my head. The great thing is, the guy comes to the office in his RV. He's got the whole set up in the rig and comes twice/week. He's under our insurance and takes simply what the insurance gives him (no co-pay). His brother is a surgeon, so he doesn't pooh-pooh the whole medical establishment and say that he can cure everything. Go with KRC's advice on recommendations. Ask around.
Fezmid Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 I see the guy every two weeks just for maintenance. Who knows? Maybe the whole thing is in my head. I've heard that the "maintenance" is unnecessary and is just a way for them to make more money. People I've talked to have said it works great after a few sessions, and then it's no longer necessary to go. YMMV. CW
eball Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 this is a topic that i unfortunately know too much about, being in the practice of personal injury law. KRC is correct -- you can not make a blanket statement about "all" chiros, just as you can't make such a statement about "all" lawyers, doctors, car salesmen, etc. regrettably, however, there seem to be a much higher percentage of chiropractors who are simply in that gig for the $$. i've always found it peculiar and suspicious that a chiro can tell a person she needs a "3-month plan" after one cursory examination. the treatment very rarely appears to be specifically tailored to the individual, and is more likely to follow some certain "schedule" that has the patient going 4x a week for 2 weeks, then 3x a week for 3 weeks, etc., etc. i have been shocked by how many chiropractors also claim that they should treat children, and even <gasp> infants. i have found that the "maintenance" recommendation is primarily a way for the chiro to keep a steady income stream. in our practice we specifically advise clients who want to treat with a chiropractor to discontinue that treatment if they do not see positive results within 8 weeks or so after an accident. the public at large simply does not "buy" chiro treatment as a truly legitimate method of medical care. that said, there ARE chiros out there who really care about their patients and are not afraid to refer them out to "real" doctors (orthopedic specialists) if the chiro treatment is not helping. i have never treated with a chiro myself and never intend to. it's just a personal choice. the best recommendation or suggestion i could make is to obtain as many customer referrals as possible before selecting one, or go with someone you know personally and trust. make sure you tell them it is NOT a personal injury or car accident case, because those scenarios put the $$ signs in their eyes. hope the info is helpful. (and by the way, don't believe the bush administration hype about frivolous lawsuits and litigation spiraling out of control. their own studies show that exactly the opposite is true. do a little research on your own and you'll see what i mean. think about where the pressure is coming from when you hear those comments -- it's coming straight from the insurance companies' deep pockets.)
erynthered Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 (and by the way, don't believe the bush administration hype about frivolous lawsuits and litigation spiraling out of control. their own studies show that exactly the opposite is true. do a little research on your own and you'll see what i mean. think about where the pressure is coming from when you hear those comments -- it's coming straight from the insurance companies' deep pockets.) 481006[/snapback] You were doing great all the way up to here. Thanks for the commercial.
eball Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 You were doing great all the way up to here. Thanks for the commercial. 481028[/snapback] i know, i know...but i get SO tired of the misinformation out there. people are just too lazy to investigate the issues themselves, and they believe the soundbites. it's frustrating.
Ghost of BiB Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Ditto to what everyone else has pretty well said. I have gotten some relief in the past, and was lucky enough to have my last one refer me to an orthopedic surgeon instead of screwing me around with stuff that wasn't helping. I have found, in my case that repeated treatments actually made things worse, after the initial relief. Everyone is different.
Gavin in Va Beach Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 this is a topic that i unfortunately know too much about, being in the practice of personal injury law. KRC is correct -- you can not make a blanket statement about "all" chiros, just as you can't make such a statement about "all" lawyers, doctors, car salesmen, etc. (and by the way, don't believe the bush administration hype about frivolous lawsuits and litigation spiraling out of control. their own studies show that exactly the opposite is true. do a little research on your own and you'll see what i mean. think about where the pressure is coming from when you hear those comments -- it's coming straight from the insurance companies' deep pockets.) 481006[/snapback] Gee, you wouldn't have a biased point of view on this issue, would you? How's about you link to the studies showing the opposite to be true rather than just have us take your "unbiased" word on it. See, I read the newspapers and whatnot and I sure see a lot of frivolous suits out there...
aussiew Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 I worked in a clinic for 4 years in California that had a chiro, his brother an orthopedic surgeon and an osteopath. Very interesting combination. But because they each had their strengths and were friends, they were able to offer our patients the best of care and good choices about their care. I'd agree. Beware of the Chiropractor who looks at you for a few minutes and immediately determines an automatic treatment plan. A decent Chiroprator has a more holistic approach to treat ing the whole patient, not just the immediate problem. They believe that a patients attitude and life style can have either a positive or negative effect on the healing process. He will recommend an exercise plan to strengthen all the muscles down your spine. Getting those muscles stronger and keeping them from going into spasm will help to hold your vertebrae in their correct position. He will also help you with contributing health factors, such as stress, depression, your health history, diet, regular exercise etc., He will also take x-rays of the full spine as part of a responsible diagnosis before he starts treatment. Appropriate "maintenance" is often necessary to keep the spine aligned correctly while the muscles surrounding the vertebrae are being strengthened. But it shouldn't be automatic. The maintenance schedule should vary depending on the patient's condition. Hope this helps - good luck!
Frez Posted October 20, 2005 Author Posted October 20, 2005 Long story short... Hurt my back on Monday lifting at work. I went to the Chiro yesterday. She did x-rays first and then talked to me. She did adjust my back and neck yesterday before I left. I have to say that today I do feel about 10% better. Maybe it's just the muscles healing themselves from rest, I don't know. I'm scheduled to go back tonight at 6:30 for another adjustment. I will give it a few weeks to see what happens. I'm not sure what that healing oil is she rubbed on the back of my neck though?
Gavin in Va Beach Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 I'm not sure what that healing oil is she rubbed on the back of my neck though? 481131[/snapback] Maybe she wasn't really a 'she' and that heating oil wasn't really 'heating oil'...
KRC Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Long story short... Hurt my back on Monday lifting at work. I went to the Chiro yesterday. She did x-rays first and then talked to me. She did adjust my back and neck yesterday before I left. I have to say that today I do feel about 10% better. Maybe it's just the muscles healing themselves from rest, I don't know. I'm scheduled to go back tonight at 6:30 for another adjustment. I will give it a few weeks to see what happens. I'm not sure what that healing oil is she rubbed on the back of my neck though? 481131[/snapback] When I was in a car accident and injured my neck, it took about 2 months of treatment (one visit per week). I then only needed to return when things fell out of alignment (about once every six to eight months). It sounds like your chiro at least is doing the responsible thing: x-rays and a background history. It is also nice that you are not expecting to be immediately healed, since it ain't gonna happen. A few weeks sounds like a good timeframe to evaluate progress, depending on the extent of the injury. At that point, you will have a good idea on whether it is working and if you should seek alternative treatment. Have you looked into Reiki?
eball Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Gee, you wouldn't have a biased point of view on this issue, would you? How's about you link to the studies showing the opposite to be true rather than just have us take your "unbiased" word on it. See, I read the newspapers and whatnot and I sure see a lot of frivolous suits out there... 481069[/snapback] it's clear you don't understand the issues, or else you'd see the irony in a personal injury lawyer criticizing the chiropractic industry. if i was only interested in making a buck i'd send every client to the chiropractor. "reading the newspapers and whatnot" doesn't mean you're doing legitimate research on the subject, and i'm not even sure you know what "frivolous" means in the context of litigation. i'm not going to get into this debate here, but it's a shame the way those on one side of the argument are "bullying" their way into the public consciousness.
Gavin in Va Beach Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 it's clear you don't understand the issues, or else you'd see the irony in a personal injury lawyer criticizing the chiropractic industry. if i was only interested in making a buck i'd send every client to the chiropractor. "reading the newspapers and whatnot" doesn't mean you're doing legitimate research on the subject, and i'm not even sure you know what "frivolous" means in the context of litigation. i'm not going to get into this debate here, but it's a shame the way those on one side of the argument are "bullying" their way into the public consciousness. 481159[/snapback] it's clear you can't keep a consistent train of thought or are engaging in the time tested tactics of lawyers to obfuscate and blur the meanings of things, because your (and by the way, don't believe the bush administration hype about frivolous lawsuits and litigation spiraling out of control. their own studies show that exactly the opposite is true. do a little research on your own and you'll see what i mean. think about where the pressure is coming from when you hear those comments -- it's coming straight from the insurance companies' deep pockets.) doesn't mention anything about chiropractors and my post doesn't mention anything about chiropractors either, simply frivolous lawsuits. Main Entry: friv·o·lous Pronunciation: 'fri-v&l-&s, -v&-l&s Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin frivolus 1 a : of little weight or importance b : having no sound basis (as in fact or law) <a frivolous lawsuit> 2 a : lacking in seriousness b : marked by unbecoming levity - friv·o·lous·ly adverb - friv·o·lous·ness noun from Law.com, regarding a Republican tort reform bill... Democrats challenged GOP claims that frivolous lawsuits were on the rise. However, the American Tort Reform Association, which lobbies for liability reform, said lawsuit abuse is at an all-time high, with the average family of four paying a "tort tax" of $3,236. The House-passed legislation would revive a pre-1993 rule setting mandatory sanctions against lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1095107244862 Of course I would expect the American Tort Reform Association to be a little biased themselves, but why not link to the studies showing them wrong, unless of course you can't. Or you could continue to be a condescending prick...
eball Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 Of course I would expect the American Tort Reform Association to be a little biased themselves, but why not link to the studies showing them wrong, unless of course you can't. Or you could continue to be a condescending prick... 481181[/snapback] i didn't call you any names, but i'm thinking of a few. here, read for yourself: Linky Poo true, this is a biased organization as well, but i'll let you draw your own conclusions. while you're at it, learn how to have a conversation without getting personal.
Frez Posted October 20, 2005 Author Posted October 20, 2005 Maybe she wasn't really a 'she' and that heating oil wasn't really 'heating oil'... 481132[/snapback] Ewwwwwwwww, I'm outta here!
taterhill Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 i only go to the chiropraters that give happy endings...
sweet baboo Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 i only go to the chiropraters that give happy endings... 481256[/snapback] you watch disney movies while they adjust you?
ajzepp Posted October 21, 2005 Posted October 21, 2005 i'm not even sure you know what "frivolous" means in the context of litigation. 481159[/snapback] Yep.....you're a lawyer I actually agree with you. A very good friend of mine is a chiro "doc", and we've debated about medicine vs. chiropractic until we're both blue in the face. Where she lost me was when she began talking about all these other areas that chiro was expanding into. Without getting into all the specifics, I basically gave her a scenario of two hospitals - one run by docs trained in the medical model and another run by chiros. I asked her which of the two hospitals she'd want her mom to be treated at if she went into renal failure. What about an exacerbation of CHF or COPD? How about diabetic ketoacidosis (high blood sugar levels resulting in lethargy and possible coma)? TB exposure? Hell, what if she just stepped on a nail and needed a tetanus shot and some antibiotics? To a reasonable person, this sounds silly.....but these are areas that she was telling me chiros were venturing into and that there was LEGIT research substantiating her claims. I said to her, "Okay, so let's replace all the medical docs at my 550 bed tertiary care hospital with chiros.....what do you think would happen?" That was pretty much the end of the argument. I, too, have heard the idea of manipulating children and infants and became sick to my stomach...... Last but not least, one of the favorite sayings of chiros: "medicines are like poisons with one good side effect." To that I say F-you. I see the benefits of pharmacologic advances on my patients on a daily basis. Is the pharmacological field perfect? Of course not.....but I'll be damned if there aren't drugs that are truly miraculous. People need to educate themselves on what to expect from a given medication, but the chiro view of meds is completely ignorant and insulting. Long live the medical model!!
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