# Let's talk about chiropractors **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783 "2005-04-17T19:00:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/81 "2005-04-20T13:12:39Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > This is fairly accurate representation of my experiences. It’s EVERYONE’S experience. Then, someone wants to go see an expert on the back, and people who think that doctors have it all figured out start yelling, “quack, quack, quack”. But, I don’t REALLY hold doctors responsible for it. Why? Because I don’t think most things can just be diagnosed and then cured. I’m not going to disparage the medical industry, but I think some _people_ think it’s a real SCIENCE. As if the process goes, problem -\> correct diagnosis of problem -\> apply correct method -\> problem solved. It’s absolutely nothing like that. And, I don’t think that _doctors_ think that it is. However, I think that PEOPLE think that’s the case, and some doctors do play into that vibe. And when someone practices “healing” in a method like a Chiro, people who have these god-like opinions of medicine yell “quack”. Don’t get me wrong. . .I have absolutely nothing but disdain for most “healers” (magnets, reflexology, crystals, etc.). However, along the spectrum of refloxologist to MD, I think the Chiro as HEALER is closer to the latter. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/82 "2005-04-20T18:14:59Z")
> [@chefIL11](#): > > I’m skeptical. I don’t exactly have time in my week to visit a doctor’s office four times per week. Any advice? One thing to remember that your doctor, your chiropractor, your whatever, is your employee, not your boss. If you don’t have time to come in four times a week, tell the chiropractor that, and ask him what the consequences are of coming in, say, once a week instead. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/83 "2005-04-20T18:43:11Z")
> [@chefIL11](#): > > Then to the receptionist where I find out that for the first 3-4 weeks I have to go back 3-4 times per week! yes, you read that correctly. then I can decrease to 2-3 times per week. IANAC and IANAMD, but I can tell you what I did at first. I got x-rays taken, he showed me where my scoliosis was and talked about how to correct it. My neck was also way far forward, but anyone looking at me could have told you that. So I lay down, he adjusts me. He showed me some streching exercises for my neck and told me to make sure I got up from my desk at least once an hour and walk around a bit. I went twice a week for two weeks, once a week for two months, and have been going every other week since then. I would probably only be going once a month, except I like to do heavy weight training, so I feel I require adjustments often. If he’s telling you four times a week, I’d get a second opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/84 "2005-04-20T20:06:44Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Leeches are, indeed, being used in some situations where bloodletting is therapeutic. This is a legitimate medical therapy, and I’ll let one of the medical doctors on board explain more. I believe they are actually being used in cases in which maintaining or encouraging vascular flow is desirable, such as in reattatchment surgeries. The actual ‘bloodletting’ is a result of using leeches to achieve that, but isn’t the desired result. Getting ‘bad blood’ out of you isn’t the point. The point I was making is that if procedure helps relieve symptoms of a problem by happenstance, it doesn’t provide any proof that the overarching theory behind the procedure is sound. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/85 "2005-04-20T20:46:42Z")
> [@Crandolph](#): > > I believe they are actually being used in cases in which maintaining or encouraging vascular flow is desirable, such as in reattatchment surgeries. The actual ‘bloodletting’ is a result of using leeches to achieve that, but isn’t the desired result. Getting ‘bad blood’ out of you isn’t the point. > > The point I was making is that if procedure helps relieve symptoms of a problem by happenstance, it doesn’t provide any proof that the overarching theory behind the procedure is sound. Leeches are used in people who suffer from a genetic disorder resulting in excess iron in their blood (hemochromatosis). In these individuals, periodical bleedings are necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/86 "2005-04-25T16:04:50Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > A good chiropractor will always get x-rays first. I beg to differ. Does that chiro have a radiology degree with the credentials to actually _read_ those x-rays properly? Not likely. Many chiros use in-house x-rays as a profit center, not as an actual diagnostic tool. Don’t get me wrong. I believe in the value of chiropractic adjustment for the relief of chronic back pain caused from lifestyle choices (overweight, poor posture, lack of exercise, etc.) I’m not advocating chiro without a referral from a “real” doctor if the pain is as the result of a trauma like a fall or an auto accident. In the latter, x-rays read by a radiologist are a must IMO. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/87 "2005-04-25T16:50:15Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > I beg to differ. Does that chiro have a radiology degree with the credentials to actually _read_ those x-rays properly? Not likely. Many chiros use in-house x-rays as a profit center, not as an actual diagnostic tool. > > Don’t get me wrong. I believe in the value of chiropractic adjustment for the relief of chronic back pain caused from lifestyle choices (overweight, poor posture, lack of exercise, etc.) I’m not advocating chiro without a referral from a “real” doctor if the pain is as the result of a trauma like a fall or an auto accident. In the latter, x-rays read by a radiologist are a must IMO. Who could argue that? Not me. ---
**Author:** ![xbuckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9e8a1a/32.png) [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/88 "2005-04-25T17:59:20Z")
I _so_ wanted to stay out of this one not having more than personal experience to contribute, but alas, here I am. Go to a Physical Therapist. I have recently had problems with my jaw, neck, shoulders, and back. The underlying problems were old car accident, new car accident, old sports injury, and work ergonomics, respectively. A physical therapist makes you do a bunch of weird things (hold your arms like this, move you head like that, etc.) and figures out if it is muscle, bone, nerve or any combination. Ideally, they then use diagrams and models to explain exactly what is wrong. In my case, I mostly have weak muscles that allow my joints to work in ways that are harmful to the joints. This causes inflammation which presses on nerves and blood vessels which in turn causes numbness and swelling. After explaining all of this he or she then gives you recommendations of things you shouldn’t do (chew gum, lift heavy things, sleep on you side, etc.) and things you should do (this is where the big rubber bands usually come in). I have benifitted from learning how joints are _supposed_ to work and concentrating on making them work that way even though it doesn’t feel ‘right.’ Ironically, working on my back and shoulders _has_ helped my breathing. Before, my spine was curved and my shoulders hunched over, this compresses the chest and minimized the expansion area for the lungs. I have used my respiratory meds about 1/3 as much as the previous year. Bedwetting has not been a problem before or since PT. Finally…the non-heart-related heart attack. That is _exactly_ what my shoulder problem felt like. The disclaimers: IANAD, IANAPT, IANAC. I have never been to a chiropractor. YMMV, seek professional medical attention, don’t run with scissors. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/89 "2005-04-25T20:35:04Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > I beg to differ. Does that chiro have a radiology degree with the credentials to actually _read_ those x-rays properly? Not likely. Many chiros use in-house x-rays as a profit center, not as an actual diagnostic tool. Not even many MDs (who are not radiologists0 interpret x-rays. That is left to the radiologist. That said, obtaining x-rays does not mean interpreting them correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/90 "2005-04-26T03:48:02Z")
Didn’t I just say that? Chiro’s do not equal Radiologists. Therefore, a Chiro reading an x-ray is like me reading Chinese. All those symbols are pretty on the page but they don’t mean sh\*t to me. A Chiro taking (and diagnosing from) x-rays is just another way to relieve you of that pain in your wallet. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/91 "2005-04-26T04:23:20Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > Therefore, a Chiro reading an x-ray is like me reading Chinese. All those symbols are pretty on the page but they don’t mean sh\*t to me. I’m fairly confident that there isn’t an insurance company in the world who’d pay you to read Chinese. Are you going to offer any facts on how much training chiros get in reading X-ray’s or are you going to continue to spout your opinon in GQ? [The average chiropractor](http://www.chirobase.org/05RB/AHCPR/03.html) has 305 hours of training in radiology. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/92 "2005-04-28T01:14:01Z")
> [@LordVor](#): > > [The average chiropractor](http://www.chirobase.org/05RB/AHCPR/03.html) has 305 hours of training in radiology. I stand corrected. I wasn’t able to locate a US study, but while sifting through the pro-chiro propaganda, I found this 2002 study from the Netherlands that found that there was no significant difference in the reliability of DC vs Radiologist in the interpretation of x-rays. [National Library of Medicine](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12221360) > [@](#): > > I’m fairly confident that there isn’t an insurance company in the world who’d pay you to read Chinese. Are you going to offer any facts on how much training chiros get in reading X-ray’s or are you going to continue to spout your opinon in GQ? I’m sorry that all of us can’t be as intelligent as you, but GQ is all about fighting ignorance. Unfortunately, that may include discussion with others in a _learning_ environment rather than being slammed for “spouting opinions.” Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go spout elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/93 "2005-04-28T03:09:12Z")
I look at Chiropractors in the same way that I look at the front wheel alignment of a car. No wait, really, hear me out. If the the front wheels of your car are not aimed in the right direction, you car will not drive right. It may pull to one side, it may drift, tires may wear out prematuraly, gas mileage might suffer. Well guess what if you spine is out of alignment, problems can also occur. IMHO having your spine in proper alignment is a good thing, just like having the wheels of your car in proper alignment. Also as far as X-rays go, in my case the problem with my neck was so obvious, even I (a layman) could spot it. And yes the insurance company paid for it. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/94 "2005-04-28T09:18:05Z")
I was watching a Travel Channel documentary and they featured a truck stop with an inhouse chiropractor. I never realized how rough it is on the road for days on end. I’m sure you’d get good business at a truck stop. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783/96 "2019-07-03T13:28:21Z")
Reported. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-chiropractors/299783.md?page=4)