# Chiropractors

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractors/146957>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 6, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractors/146957 "2003-01-06T16:24:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**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:** [January 14, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractors/146957/61 "2003-01-14T14:06:08Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by whuckfistle \*  
> \*\*In my case, I had (have) a herniated disk. The spacing between the disks was manipulated to increase and realign the spacing as to take the pressure off the sciatic nerve. This could not have been done by an MD (imho).
> 
> The chiro told me right away that if he can`t reduce the pain in three weeks (three visits per week) then I would need to do somethng else (physical therapy, surgery). Needless to say he helped me and I havn`t been uncomfortable since. The pain isnt totally gone but it is very tollerable. \*\*

This is a good example of how chiropractors get a reputation for being able to “fix” back pain.

Disc problems are notorious for featuring symptoms that come and go. So various treatments can be employed, the pain goes away (at least for awhile) and the patient is impressed (by the way, I’ve had lumbar disc problems on and off for years, so I know how it goes). Chiropractic treatment is not capable of realigning degenerated disks to reduce pain. Chiros or osteopathic physicians who practice manipulation with care and with an adequate exam by a physician first to rule out problems which could be worsened by vigorous manipulation _may_ be able to reduce pain symptoms as well as (or in some cases, better than) standard exercise and pain meds, but it’s a crapshoot best undertaken by people for whom the standard therapies fail.

I speak as an M.D. who does not practice in a field where there’s any competition with chiros, but who has negative feelings about chiropractic for the same reason that nearly all MDs do - viewing it as a largely quack operation that gets people on the hook for years of useless treatment at considerable expense.

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**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chiropractors/146957/62 "2003-01-14T15:56:15Z")

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To add;

I now “treat” myself. When I get the pain radiating down my leg from the disk problem, I hang from the rafters in the garage for a couple of minutes. I climb a ladder then grab the rafters with my hands and then let my feet swing off the ladder. Then I will slowly rock my hips back and forth and let all the muscles in the back relax. I can feel the lower back seperate a little when I do this. The pain is gone instantly and I`m good to go for a few days or a week. This is almost identical to what the chiro did as a treatment. Except in his office I`m laying on a table and not hanging.

I feel I have better control when I do it myself.

To me, he knew what he was doing because it works when I duplicate it at home.

I should add that when I first went to him I could not get out of bed without EXCRUTIATING pain. Now I manage the pain myself and won`t let it get out of control again.

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