What do you know about chiropractor treatment?

Question

I saw a chiropractor for my neck pain. He took full spine Xrays and says he saw several areas of my spine that need adjustment. He proposed a long drawn out treatment plan, that includes adjusting the lower spine first, to correct a tilted spine. He will start out working the spine from the bottom up. My neck is what hurts, my lower back does not bother me. I am leary of this, what do you think?

Answer 1

I almost never recommend less than 8 treatments for a person never treated before, and adjusting the lower back makes total sense.  If they are talking 30 or more I would go somewhere else and take your xrays with you.

Since you call it a Full Spine series Im guessing you know more about what you are talking about then you are letting on so your question sounds a bit like a plant from altmed haters, but Ill leave that to your conscience.

Full spine xrays are quite outdated and very few chiropractors do them anymore. Like any profession there are some better and worse and some more interested in money than others.

Nothing wrong with getting a second opinion somewhere else if youre not satisfied.

Answer 2

I have had chiropractic care when needed for many years.

The only people who get long care plans by my chiropractor are those who have been injured and need it.

If your only problem is your neck...pick up the x-rays that are already paid for and get a second chiropractic opinion.

Answer 3

nothing

Answer 4

Pro's

They can relieve stress on spinal nerves caused by things like muscle tension or a slight misalignment of the discs and can be helpful in musculo-skeletal aches and pains, through manipulation and massage, and relief on back pain from the misalignment temporarily.

They can cover's many different problems all over the body.

Could be last resort when no one else can help..

Most charge much less then a real doctor.

Con's

Not FDA approved

Doesn't have a medical degree.

Can not prescribe prescriptions.

Temporarily fix to a permanent problem.

Can end up costing you a lot more then a real doctor over the long run.

A lot of them promise they can change the natural shape or curvature of a spine, when its simply not true. Only an orthopedist can evaluate the situation and determine if a scoliosis is actually present, and if a brace would be of help. To change a spine takes surgery and braces.

Chiropractors work on your back to eliminate your "subluxations", which they can't prove exist, and in some studies where they show a back x-ray to multiple chiropractors, they all diagnose subluxations, but of course no two ever seem to diagnose them in the same place on the x-ray. Fixing subluxations is supposed to "help the body keep itself healthy". It's also preventative, once a month, to rub a rabbits foot for good luck.

My take.

Always check with your primary care physician before getting any medical help.  Try stretching first. There are several back exercise you can easily find on the net, which have really helped me. A Physical therapist or an orthopedist are both better alternatives. Be very caustics when going to the chiropractor and never let them take X-ray. Also never ask for preventative care. They are only good for immediate relief of aches and pains temporarily. You do not need to see him regularly.

Answer 5

The rule with ANY DOCTOR is that you should not just take their word for it - you should get a second opinion when they are suggesting lengthy or invasive treatments.  Don't listen to all the nuts - and don't take one chiropractor's opinion.  Truth is, everybody could probably use a good adjustment based on chiropractic practice - from the way we sit, walk, hold things, carry things and general activity.  we all have aches and pains from one thing or another.  BUT, not everyone has bad pain and not everyone has problems.

It can help, and it can relieve pain, however, if there is a serious underlying medical problem, it can make that problem worse.  I'd be leery of a long drawn out treatment plan and would check with another chiro before doing anything.  Typically, a treatment plan could be for multiple treatments for a few weeks, not much longer than that, and maybe with monthly or quarterly follow-ups.

Chiropractic is based on alignment of the spine, misalignment can contribute to dis-ease and can cause pain.  Think of this - if you car's wheel alignment is off, the vehicle will pull hard in one direction and cause excessive wear and tear on the tires.  The body works in much the same way.

There are a lot of opposing opinions about the use of chiropractic with some physicians supporting it and others calling them quacks.  Gather information, and if you feel confident after getting the information then give a few treatments a try - but don't get talked into committing to a long-term treatment unless you are sure of what you're getting into - and stop the treatments if you feel uncomfortable or you experience any significant discomfort.

Answer 6

It depends on the technique being used as to where they start with their adjusting.  Starting from the bottom of the spine makes sense.  Think of it in terms of building a house.  If the foundation is not right, the rest of the house has to compensate.  Your neck problem COULD be caused by your lower back.  If you are unsure, get a second opinion or ask the current doctor to explain it further for you.

Answer 7

I can understand why he may want to work the pelvis and low back to affect the neck but I don't think you should sign up to a long intensive treatment program. not every chiropractor works like this. many Adjust and do soft tissue treatments + electrotherapy and give you exercise to take away with you so that the adjustments become more permanent. Others only adjust....

These tend to be the ones that get you coming back twice a week forever.

Try a different chiropractor if you are not happy. The best practitioners in manual therapy don't need to get patients to agree to sign up to lengthy treatments paid for in advance because they have plenty of people coming to see them based on word of mouth from good results.

Answer 8

It sounds reasonable from what you've briefly described. Look at it this way, you walk upright. If the base of your spine is out, then your body is going to try to counter that. This can happen a couple of times and finally end up with your neck being out of alignment too. You have to get to the root cause of the problem.

If this Chiropractor is worth his weight, he will take the time to answer your question/concerns. Talk with him. I never believed in chiropractic before about 5 years ago. I thought it was "quackery". Thankfully, the door cracked open and I was open to look into it more objectively. It's been very helpful for me personally and my family too. (My wife and son were in a car accident last Fall and suffered whip lash. My wife was having headaches for 2 weeks, but she is doing very well now, so is my son. So, be open, your body wants to be healed.

Answer 9

Go see a REAL doctor. A real physician would of done a cervical spine series. To do full spine is irresponsible and unethical. Your spine is made of bones, discs and the nerves that run through the middle. How do you adjust this?

     My car recently had a flat tire. Should I go get it patched? Or should I get all new tires and rims.

RIPOFF ALERT!!!!

Go see a real doctor and get some medicine, anti inflimation. Maybe do some home exercises. At extreme case do physical therapy.

DO NOT GET SURGERY ON YOUR NECK!    

Answer 10

They do that to collect more money from you.  You need to find a different guy that will fix all the problems the same day.  I had one like that and she was wonderful.  I wanted to die when she stopped practicing.