# Chiropractic: What does it do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598 "2018-10-27T18:45:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/21 "2018-10-28T18:46:31Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Kaiser Permanente is very big on proactive care and won’t spend a penny on anything that doesn’t have a strong evidence case for efficacy–they will not reimburse a penny for chiropractors, but they do for acupuncture so there you go. Acupuncture works when used properly, just like chiropractors, some of whom use acupuncture. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/22 "2018-10-28T19:04:01Z")
I have no experience with chiropractors as I have never seen one (and never will). However, I will relate one experience that I think demonstrates why some folks swear by them. In my early 30s, an unrelenting, nearly disabling pain commenced in my lower back area. It affected my every move and I could not ignore it. Went to the doc, who instantly diagnosed sacroiliitis, caused by sacroiliac joint displacement. He popped that sucker back into place and my relief was instantaneous. He lectured me to strengthen my core to keep the joint where it belongs and sent me for followup PT to teach me how to put the joint back into place on my own if it popped out again. I followed all advice and have never been bothered by it again. I am sure every chiropractor knows how to do this move, and I can see how it would make someone a believer in chiropractic. The difference, I believe, is that a PT will tell you how to fix the underlying problem… and a chiropractor who relies on repeat business may not. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/23 "2018-10-28T19:17:15Z")
I’ve been to chiropractors & I think they do a good job of adjusting your skeleton. Nothing more. I’ve had them crack my back & neck in various places, which seems to alleviate pressure on my spine. The treatment usually needs to be repeated after a while. But it doesn’t cure asthma, anxiety, or bedwetting. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/24 "2018-10-28T19:17:46Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > From [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic): “Systematic reviews of this research have not found evidence that chiropractic manipulation is effective, with the possible exception of treatment for back pain. A critical evaluation found that collectively, spinal manipulation was ineffective at treating any condition.” > > I.e., over priced, poor quality masseuse who can easily cause permanent harm. > > Note there are sort of two types of Chiropractors: > > The old school completely woo and then some type. “Aligning your spine will fix your gallbladder.” Many of these have gotten into useless, overpriced supplements, etc. This sounds like the OP’s type. > > The “modern” type that focuses on direct manipulation for easing pain in that body part, etc. I.e., the back stretching/popping stuff is to fix your back. > > The first should be avoided since it’s flushing money down the drain completely. The second should be avoided since a physical therapist or a massage therapist will do a better, safer job. I’d agree that there are two types of chiropractors, and that you’ve defined the first type quit well. But I think a better definition of the second type is ‘a physical therapist with delusions of grandeur’. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/25 "2018-10-28T20:07:47Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > All I know is that when I go to the chiropractor, I am at a 7 or 8 on the pain scale, and when I get off his table, I’m down to a 3 or 4. Massage therapy didn’t have nearly that much of an effect. Now there’s a double-blind, peer-reviewed, objective, and repeatable experiment if ever I saw one. Boy, am I convinced. 🙂 Seriously, dude, no matter what you think, what you feel, or what you think you feel, is this anecdote going to take the place of real science? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/26 "2018-10-28T20:20:08Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Now there’s a double-blind, peer-reviewed, objective, and repeatable experiment if ever I saw one. Boy, am I convinced. Not sure why you would think that it was such a study, as I never claimed it was. > [@](#): > > 🙂 > > Seriously, dude, no matter what you think, what you feel, or what you think you feel, is this anecdote going to take the place of real science? No, “dude”, and I didn’t claim it would. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/27 "2018-10-28T20:25:08Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Not sure why you would think that it was such a study, as I never claimed it was. Which is why I used a smiley. Then why throw your anecdote into the ring? Are you aware of how useless this is for a serious discussion? I used Doc X, and my disease was cured! All hail, Doc X! ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/28 "2018-10-28T20:52:29Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Which is why I used a smiley. > > Then why throw your anecdote into the ring? Are you aware of how useless this is for a serious discussion? I used Doc X, and my disease was cured! All hail, Doc X! You realize we’re in IMHO, right? Why are you acting this way over someone sharing their personal experience? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/29 "2018-10-28T21:06:41Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Kaiser Permanente is very big on proactive care and won’t spend a penny on anything that doesn’t have a strong evidence case for efficacy–they will not reimburse a penny for chiropractors, but they do for acupuncture so there you go. Health insurers don’t always get to choose which treatments they cover. If chiropractors have a more powerful lobby than the insurers have, they can convince state legislature or state insurance regulators to pass a mandate requiring insurers to cover their services. Here in Maine, the law says > [@](#): > > §4236. Chiropractors in health maintenance organizations > > Every health maintenance organization shall include in every plan for health care services chiropractic services delivered by qualified chiropractic providers in accordance with this section. [1993, c. 669, §6 (NEW).] > [Title 24-A, §4236: Chiropractors in health maintenance organizations](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/24-A/title24-Asec4236.html) California apparently doesn’t have a law like that. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/30 "2018-10-28T21:08:53Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I have no experience with chiropractors as I have never seen one (and never will). However, I will relate one experience that I think demonstrates why some folks swear by them. > > In my early 30s, an unrelenting, nearly disabling pain commenced in my lower back area. It affected my every move and I could not ignore it. > > Went to the doc, who instantly diagnosed sacroiliitis, caused by sacroiliac joint displacement. He popped that sucker back into place and my relief was instantaneous. He lectured me to strengthen my core to keep the joint where it belongs and sent me for followup PT to teach me how to put the joint back into place on my own if it popped out again. I followed all advice and have never been bothered by it again. > > I am sure every chiropractor knows how to do this move, and I can see how it would make someone a believer in chiropractic. The difference, I believe, is that a PT will tell you how to fix the underlying problem… and a chiropractor who relies on repeat business may not. Was your physician an MD or a DO? I see a DO for my primary care, and he’s done “adjustments” on me a few times when I had persistent back pain. At one time, osteopaths were considered glorified chiropractors who couldn’t get into a “real” medical school, but that’s not the case any more. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/31 "2018-10-28T21:58:29Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Was your physician an MD or a DO? I see a DO for my primary care, and he’s done “adjustments” on me a few times when I had persistent back pain. At one time, osteopaths were considered glorified chiropractors who couldn’t get into a “real” medical school, but that’s not the case any more. He was an MD. The “adjustment” he did was actually to direct me with hand pressure and verbal direction to move in such a way as to slip the sacroiliac joint back where it belonged. I was not a passive participant. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/32 "2018-10-28T23:33:46Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You realize we’re in IMHO, right? Why are you acting this way over someone sharing their personal experience? If you will scroll up to the top of the IMHO page, I think you will see the basic reason for this message board. That’s why. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/33 "2018-10-29T00:13:28Z")
The idea promulgated by chiropractors (especially those known as “straights”) is that back pain (and a whole panoply of other problems) are caused by “subluxations”, which are supposedly vertebrae that are out of place and impinging on spinal nerves (I’ve seen a chiro clinic claiming this process can occur due to “physical, chemical and mental stressors”. :smack: The idea that this occurs and is treatable by spinal manipulation is overwhelmingly viewed by physicians, scientists and many chiropractors as, to use a scientific term, bunkum. \*"As far as most doctors and scientists are concerned, and even for many chiropractors, the argument is long over. They believe that either subluxations do not exist at all, or they only exist in some clinically insignificant form. They argue that chiropractors still can’t prove they can even find alleged subluxations reliably, let alone treat them. They doubt that a spinal joint can be literally “out” in a clinically significant way, and the belief that it can “keeps chiropractic marginalized and subject to ridicule by the scientific community”. Edzard Ernst writes, “The concepts of chiropractic are not based on solid science and its therapeutic value has not been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt.” ``` 'In all the years that they have been talking about them, chiropractors have never been able to furnish proof of these mysterious subluxations which they alone are able to see. They may convince their clients, but never have they provided proof of their pretensions to men of science.'" ``` > **[Does Spinal Manipulation Work?](https://www.painscience.com/articles/spinal-manipulation.php)** > > Spinal manipulation, adjustment, and popping of the spinal joints and the subluxation theory of disease, back pain and neck pain As noted, many chiros have abandoned Palmer’s classical “subluxation” theory, though they continue to claim value for spinal manipulation. And it does seem to provide some people with temporary pain relief, whether done by chiros or other practitioners. The ones to stay clear of are those who claim it works on headaches, allergies, diabetes, infantile diarrhea and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/34 "2018-10-29T05:12:57Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I am always impressed by the power and predictive value of patient testimonials. > > Here are [some especially convincing ones](http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/Testimonials/Urine-Testimonials) for urotherapy.\* > > \*drinking your own urine. Works for musculoskeletal pain, or so they say. Ya know, I’m not gonna read that. In fact, I don’t even want to\* think about that.\* Damn, now I gotta pee… ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/35 "2018-10-29T08:03:05Z")
I had severe back pain 25 years ago and employed the service of a chiropractor, He “manipulated” me into excruciating pain… I then sought solace upon a neurosurgeon who (after surgery) relieved all my issues. Never will go back to a chiropractor. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/36 "2018-10-29T15:48:00Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Health insurers don’t always get to choose which treatments they cover. If chiropractors have a more powerful lobby than the insurers have, they can convince state legislature or state insurance regulators to pass a mandate requiring insurers to cover their services. Here in Maine, the law says > > California apparently doesn’t have a law like that. Yet. Insurance companies generally get to decide which providers they cover - which goes a long way to gating treatment. Back in the 1990s I worked for a Really Big Insurance Company and was involved in a project to crunch data on chiropractors. Basically, the insurance company determined that if a chiropractor was going to help, they were going to help over the median course of six visits- otherwise, chiropractic was an extremely short term solution to pain. And preferably those six visits would happen contemporaneously with PT, so that you’d get permanent gains. PT could go on a lot longer - since changing muscle and posture via exercise takes time. (They determined this by first crunched a ton of patient and treatment data - they didn’t pull six visits out of a hat). So they dropped providers that had far longer than median treatment patterns - if a chiropractor generally saw his patients weekly over the course of months or years, they weren’t covered. And they dropped providers who would treat anything other than the muscular skeletal issues that chiropractic might do some good with. They also reviewed them individually for “woo” - if they were also selling homeopathic medicines, the insurance company didn’t want to deal with them - the logic being that the root problem might not be addressed until later (when its a lot more expensive) if the chiropractor influenced treatment decisions for problems outside his field. This was hundreds of thousands of chiropractors evaluated nation wide. You could still get chiropractic services covered - but the list when we finished that project was much smaller than the list when we started. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/37 "2018-10-29T18:03:25Z")
Again, anecdotal evidence. About once a year, I overextend my left shoulder. Causes range-of-motion issues, and pain. I visit a Chiropractor, he adjusts my shoulder, neck, and spine, and poof, pain goes away. He’s never tried to sell me on the allergies, subfluxations, etc. Just tells me not to do it again, and that I should probably lose weight – Just like my physician does. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/38 "2018-10-29T18:39:27Z")
IME, chiropractic care can provide temporary relief of back pain. I saw a chiropractor semi-regularly for a while, and was very glad to have someone who could (and did) evaluate my herniated disc quickly and get me into the care of a specialist within days of my symptoms flaring up. Sadly, he later, fearing what Obamacare would do to his business, tried to recruit me into a multilevel marketing scheme. Haven’t been back since. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/39 "2018-10-29T18:40:59Z")
I’ve had a chiropracter fix my neck after car accidents. I’m not much of a “feel pain” kind of guy, but the increase in range of motion (which the accidents had limited) was undeniable. But if your problem doesn’t have to do with bone alignment or nerves pinched by bone misalignment, then chiropractors can’t do jack for you. ---
**Author:** ![Emergency911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@Emergency911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emergency911)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598/40 "2018-10-29T19:02:05Z")
My own story… My wife has gone to chiropractors for years. I, on the other hand believed they were witch doctors practicing voodoo. One day I woke up with upper back and shoulder pain. I dealt with it for a while, before going to my own doctor who prescribed muscle relaxers and pain meds. While the pills helped me deal with the pain, it wasn’t going away, so back to the doctor I went. He gave me higher dose pills and sent me to a physical therapist. Both helped a little, but the pain was still present. All this time, the Mrs is telling me to go to her chiropractor; to which I finally relent as this pain has been going on for months and I am getting desperate. I have a sit down meeting with the chiropractor and am completely honest with her, telling her my above opinions, (I do so nicely). She says she appreciates my candor and promises me that she will work with me and will tell me before she pulls out the chicken bones and eye of newt. I see the chiropractor weekly for about a month. She calls me into the office and tells me that it is her opinion that I have bulging discs in my neck and that there is nothing she can do for that. She offers to call my primary doctor and explain her theory to him. A week later, my doctor has me in for testing and sure enough, bulging discs in the exact spot the chiropractor told him to look. A neurosurgeon operated and the pain went away. So in MY experience, this particular chiropractor is top notch and I will recommend her to anyone looking for that type of treatment. My primary doctor has also admitted to being impressed with her. I have no idea if chiropractic care actually works for people or not; but her insight managed to “cure” me a lot faster than if I wouldn’t have gone to her, and for that, I will forever be grateful to her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractic-what-does-it-do/823598.md?page=3)