I don’t really have an opinion on chiropractic (although considering the way my back and neck are feeling right now, maybe I should check it out), but I do have a question for Qadgop or anyone else who can answer:
If chiropractic (manipulation of the spine, etc.) is a valuable and worthwhile method of treating back pain or other muscle problems, then why isn’t it taught in medical schools – at least as a specialty? Why have an entirely separate profession, with a separate school system, just for this one particular form of treatment? Medical doctors provide a wide range of treatment, including such diverse options as radiation, psychotherapy, and surgery – so if “cracking the spine” works, why isn’t there a required medical school course in the subject, or at least the option for a medical doctor to take such a course? It seems like it would make sense to me – your orthopedist would have all treatment options available.
Years ago, when a friend was a boy in Texas, he had a sore back. His parents took him to a Chiropractor, who recommended a series of manipulations. Then they took him to an MD, who took an x-ray and said he had a cracked vertabra. He had surgery, and the problem was fixed.
Well, the Osteopaths do teach it in school. But frankly most DO’s I know don’t do that much of it. It’s not that useful to most practitioners. I personally find it a lot more helpful to know how to put a shoulder back into its socket than to crack a back. Besides, manipulation hasn’t been shown to be more helpful than ibuprofen and time in treating back pain. Helps some people more, others less.
It’s a pretty narrow discipline anyway. Why spend an extra 6 months to a year learning it, when there are physical therapists, and a few reliable chiros out there to do it? I already have to know how to deliver a baby, treat a heart attack, sew up a wound, put on a cast, screen for child abuse and battered spouse syndrome, convince people to stop smoking, tell someone they’ve got cancer, etc.etc.etc.
BTW, I do recognize that in one post I said I wished I’d been trained in how to do manipulation, and in another I said I’m too busy, it’s not that great. I’ve always thought that foolish consistencies were signs of small minds.
Really, I do wish i could do it. But there’s a lot of other things I wish I’d been trained in even more.
I have one of those! Yep, I went to a physio here awhile back because of pain underneath my shoulder blade when I boxed. Throwing punches would send one of my ribs out of whack, thus straining the muscles. Funniest adjustment I’ve ever had- I’d be sitting facing away from her, she would reach around me with her left hand and press on my sternum, grab my right elbow with her right hand and pull my arm down in front, over to the right side and then back…POP! Instant relief.
I have to jump in on the testimonials side: I had a bad ski accident when I was 11 or 12 and for years no doctor could do anything for me. I went and saw a Chiro and was able to get rid of the pain for 98% of the time, with the occasional flare-up that was debilitating- until I was popped. I then had neck and ANKLE problems in college and a Chiro fixed those too.
I still had occasional lower-back and neck problems up until 18 months ago, but those have been cured by something completely different: Thai kickboxing. I do 200+ sit-ups in class a few times a week now. Strong stomach, strong back is totally true!
So, yeah, I’ve heard of the quacks, but I went to recommended Chiros and they really helped me. So, no, it’s not resolved.
Cranky, I moved a rib out of place, it was poking me soemthing fierce inside, in a car accident where I hit the door on the driver’s side. Also included in the list of ‘owies’ from that one was a shoulder that moved from it’s socket. My goodness that hurt!
The GP recommend surgery, the very good chiro I went to see instead eased both back into place. I still thank him…
I haven’t really read a damn thing in this thread, and I’m sure my opinion of chiropractors would be knee jerk at best, considering I have no experience with them and all the knowledge I have of them is anecdotal …
But I wanted to pop in here to relate something I overheard yesterday. A couple of my co-workers (or cow-orkers, as is becoming popular 'round these parts) were jabbering away in the hallway and one of them said something or another about their brother-in-law being a “Chiropractic Neurologist”.
Doubtful, really really doubtful. As an MD, for me to accept that term as valid would require that the claimant had either an MD or DO degree, had done residency training in neurology, had passed the neurology board examination, and also acquired a chiropractic degree somewhere along the line. And if they’d gone that far along the medical hierarchy, I don’t think they’d be trumpeting their DC degree.
Of course, any chiropracter can claim to be a ‘chiropractic neurologist’ as their theory of disease states that it’s caused by slippage of discs causing nerve compression. I don’t think I’d want one to treat a stroke or a seizure disorder, however.
Let’s see: [ul][]I view chiropractic as essentially similar to massage therapy (except I call the practitioner “doctor”). []My employer’s health insurance pays 100% of the cost. []It does noticeably reduces the frequency of acute sciatica pain from a bulging L5-S1 disk, as well as other nagging back and shoulder pains I am prone to. []I get a wonderful (although brief) backrub from a cute assistant, and occasionally a little nap, during a 30 minute office visit.[/ul] Am I a sucker?
You go in and lay face down on the table, and they put heating pads on your back for 5 minutes. If you complain of muscle pain or cramps, they’ll put a myoelectric stimulator on the offending spot, but I usually decline that. Then the assistant comes in with the “genie rub” device, essentially a huge two handed orbital sander with a padded vinyl business end, and rubs that all over your back and shoulders for… hmm, I guess it’s only 3 minutes, but it’s never long enough.
By then you’re as loose as a bowl of jello and when the “doctor” comes in to manipulate your spine it goes much easier.
My husband’s family uses a “bad” chiropractor who claims to be able to cure everything from depression to birth defects to cancer. He also sells them scads of high-priced vitamins. They must continue to see him on a weekly basis and take the vitamins, or they will surely die of some terrible disease. He also persuaded one family member to get her kids’ immunization records forged, because everyone knows that getting immunized causes certain death, or at least severe mental retardation.
My parents went (and mom still goes to) a “good” chiropractor, who limits his practice to back and neck problems. My mom has a troublesome neck injury from childhood; when it flares up, his adjustments make her neck feel better. The chiropractor was unable to help my dad’s back pain, though; the pain became more severe despite the adjustments.
Later, we found Dad had cancer that had metastasized to his spine. My dad could have received appropriate treatment several months sooner and may have possibly survived if he’d gone to a “real” doctor for the back pain. Then again, maybe not.
I try to eat Vegan style, but I didn’t know it was (evidently) pronounced “Vay - gann”. I always say the first syllable to be like that in “Vegetable”. I had a Chevy Vega once… but I wouldn’t admit it again. And I’m not from the Vega star system either.