Why is chiropractic care a logical alternative to medicinal treatment?

Question

Why is chiropractic care a logical alternative to medicinal treatment?

Answer 1

I am a chiropractor and I practice from a science based approach.  My practice is mainly limited to injuries and musculoskeletal aspects and to be quite honest, I feel that my treatments are quite superior than what the MD can do for you if you came to my office with back pain, shoulder pain, headaches, or knee pain.  The thing is that if you went to the MD for those problems, he/she will only give you pain medicine and that's about it.  You go to a chiropractor's office and he will examine and treat you with a hands on approach locating the source of pain and eliminating it rather than covering up the symptoms with medications.  A majority of modern chiropractors not only use manipulation but use various physical therapies such as ice/heat, electrotherapy, ultrasound, and exercise in conjunction with others to help injured patients heal at a faster rate and get on with their lives.    There is always limits to what we as chiropractors can do, and I respect MD/DO's because of their knowledge in medicine, there are many conditions that walk into my office and I would rather the patient see my MD first and then come back to me for therapy.  It's a team approach and ALWAYS about patient care first.

Answer 2

Chiropractic care is not an alternative to medical treatment.  Personally I believe that chiropractic affects the body much more globally than many.  However.  There are clear times when medical intervention is absolutely required.  Now in those times chiropractic may help the body perform better.  But this is philosophical and cannot be proven.  Personally I believe all sick people should be getting gentle manipulative care along with medicine.  If for no  other reason than the human contact the hands provide to a scared sick patient.

Answer 3

True Chiropractic care is not and was never meant to be an alternative to medicine, medical procedures or any type of therapy.  Chiropractic is not a treatment or cure for any disease, syndrome or medical condition. What you focus on grows in your experience. There are already plenty of practitioners focusing on disease. True chiropractic focuses on empowering you to build health. The power to heal from any disease is already inside you. Chiropractors work with your inborn or innate healing ability so that you may better experience true health.

   The misperception that chiropractic is a treatment for back pain has been perpetrated by a growing segment of the profession that believes it is in its best interest to function as some sort of limited quasi-medical subspecialty for low back pain, headaches, and whiplash victims.  Kind of a direct head to head competition with Physical Therapists and Physiatrists.  Bascially an easy way to fit into an insurance plan.  

    This was never what the founders of Chiropractic wanted for the profession.  Chiropractic is not an alternate medical therapy to treat some diseases.  It is a scientific way to help Life express itself better throughout your body.  A better Life Expression is important whether some named medical disease is present or not.  

    

    People under this type of Chiropractic care notice better sleep, better digestion, greater sense of well being, stronger immune system, better athletic and work performance, less anxiety, etc.

Answer 4

It isn't, unless you are strictly speaking of low back strain.  I don't think they have any better results with joint injuries and pain than anybody does.

Chiropractic ( at least the more modern, non-mystical version) is reasonably effective for garden variety low back pain which is due to musculo-tendino-ligamentous strain and injury.  So is massage, physiotherapy, stretching, heat, and time.  So is having a small Asian woman walk on your back.  I don't have the time, training or interest to rub peoples backs, so as a conventional doctor all I can really offer is analgesia and reassurance that it is nothing serious, their pain is self limited, and instruct them in back exercises, wt loss etc ( assuming they don't have a serious back pain problem, such as a vertebral fracture , herniated disc or a spinal tumor which of course is what everybody with a sore back thinks they have)

All chiropractic does in that setting is a form of spinal manipulative therapy which has been practiced since at least the time of Aristotle.  There is no harm from it, people feel better, at least in part from the "laying on of hands" aspect.

Other than lumbago, chiro is not a logical alternative to medicinal treatement.   It can't diagnose, treat or prevent diseases of any kind at all.  There is no 'innate energy' to be unblocked.  There is no such thing as a subluxation, at least not in the way classical chiros use that medical term.  Be wary of chiros that want you in for periodic adjustments, or want to crack your kids backs.  Be very wary of chiros that want to treat your diabetes or tell you not to get your kids vaccinated.

Never let a chiro adjust your neck.

EDIT:   The kind of chiro Truthdoc claims to be and recommends is EXACTLY the wrong kind of chiro to go to.  Anybody practicing the original Palmer school of chiro is a complete quack and definitely belongs with the crystal healer, reiki, and other "energy healer" wingnuts.