Chiropractors: quacks or for real?

My husband has been having a lot of pain in his back... and I'm telling you when he stands up I can SEE that his back is curved...

so for about a week I've been PUSHING him to see a chiropractor... I"ve never seen one in my life... but it seems like every friend I have who goes to the doctor for back pain ends up in surgery... and then that one doesn't work... and they have another... and another...and eventually they wish they had just lived with it in the first place.

Anyway... husband went to the chiropractor yesterday and they told him that he has an underdeveloped vertebra in his hip... and (this is what got me on the "quack" thought...  one leg shorter than the other... (You know, like the Friend's episode with Rachel?)

Well, he's sold now... says that he feels better... but he's got to go in three days a week for about a month.  The PLUS is the doctor wants him to start working out... which is great... about a year and a half ago he was working out every day... then he started to care about what he ate... you know how the pattern goes... but it would be great if he wanted to be part of my lifestyle, too.

But should I be concerned about this chiropractor thing?  or is it something that really works for people?

Chiropractors saved me from living in pain. I suffered form chronic pain in my shoulder for almost 10 years. After just 3 weeks of treatment I was virtually pain free.

There are risks involved, ubt as long as you go to a reputable Dr there shouldn't be too many issues.

(and one of my legs is shorter than the other due to the tilt of my pelvis)

Thanks pygirl... I worry that I'm sending him off to be hurt further... but this is a guy that a couple people in his office see.. and swear by... he's covered by insurance and stuff... so I"m assuming it's okay...

I was treated years ago by a chiropractor, for a whiplash injury.  I'd been to an orthopedist who did nothing but put me in a neck collar and wrote prescriptions.  Chiropractic treatment fixed the problem and the doc explained how I could strengthen my neck and upper back with exercises I still do today.

I've never been, but I think a lot of times their approach is better than more traditional medicine.  Typically doctors will want to cut you open to fix the problem, but surgery is traumatic and can create its own problems.  Recovery is difficult.  If I ever had serious back trouble, I'd definitely try a chiropractor before letting a surgeon do something invasive on me.

I, too, used to be skeptical about chiropractors, but I am a convert.  I was hit from behind in my car a few years ago and didn't want to only wear a neck brace and take pain meds, I wanted to feel better, so took advise from many of my co-workers and went to see a chiropractor.  It was amazing, he not only helped my neck pain, but because I had braced for the impact of the accident, my elbow and knee hurt also, and he helped that too.  I say, it can't hurt, and it most likely will help.  I hope your husband finds relief.

I think it depends on the chiropractor whether they are a quack or not. I worked for one for a while and believe me he thought chiropractic adjustment could cure every condition you had. I could not even take an aspirin in front of him without being lectured on the evils of medicines. I do have to give him credit though. My husband had a severe case of vertigo and went to a "regular" doctor for treatment. After being prescribed something for it, which did not help, he went to my employer for an adjustment. That evening the vertigo was gone! Since then we occasionally go to another chiropractor who is into exercise and sports and we trust him completely with our treatment. Exercise does help. 

There are really good chiropractors out there.  They go to med school, they take x-rays, and they can talk to you sensibly about what's going on with your joints.  To me, they are indeed "real" doctors.  Years ago, I leaned down to move a stool and couldn't straighten back up again.  Nothing hurt, I was just stuck bent over!  If I had gone to a traditional doc, they would have given me some pills and told me to stay in bed until it fixed itself.  Luckily for me, my boss took me to a chiropractor.  One adjustment and I could stand up again!  Two follow-up adjustments and I was back in business.  In my opinion, chiropractors are a godsend.

I appreciate all the great advice... This one took xrays and everything... recommended a massage therapist for him as well.

I just have far too many friend, as I said, who have gone the doctor route and it's only made things worse...  after two times... he's already getting better.. .and has to go three times a week for a month... so there was DEFINITELY something out of whack with hmi.

Chiropractors can often fix underlying problems that medical doctors don't know how to approach.

I go to a chiropractor regularly and I would heartily recommend it to anyone. My chiropractor has a background in sports physiology so I also get a lot of good advice from him about fitness, working out, how to avoid injury, etc.

Tamara,

I just wanted to respond regarding the underdeveloped bone issue.  I have exactly the same problem.  A chiro diagnosed it a couple years ago.  I could even see it on the xrays.  Now, why didn't the other MANY I've seen over the years notice, I don't know.  My chiro told me to wear a very small "lift" in one of my shoes.  It raises my hip up on one side.

This is quite possibly the BEST thing that ever happened to me!!  Instead of almost constant, sometimes nearly debilitating pain, I can go over a month between visits to a chiro.  Matter of fact, I basically go once a month for a tune up, that's it.  I will sing the praises of chiropractic from the highest mountains day in and day out.  That is not to say that every one of them is good, but I now know what I need to make myself feel better and I keep trying until I find the one who does.

Please feel free to send me a message if you have questions.  After all my experiences, I would love to help!

Hi Tamara,

Yes to chiropractors for the right things. And I come from a family of flakes when it comes to alternative stuff. So my radar is way up.  I don't believe they can cure as many things as some people think... just stuff related tothe back..

When I injured my lower back I asked my family doctor and he told me to see a chiropractor for that. I really liked the guy I went to. His office was real spartan... but  he did a little stuff with my hip etc, was able to tell me exactly what I was feeling without me telling him. He told me it was a ligament injury and no matter, it wasa six week healing. He told me what to do and what not to do when home, assigned me exercizes.  I saw him just a few times.

Christmas eve 2005  I woke from a nap with loud ringing in my ear... it was non-stop for weeks... then switched oto on and off.  I went to my family doctor, then an ear doctor. I also has a lot of neck issues and felt it likely causes the ringing. My insurance wouldn't pay for a chiropractor, but would pay for an osteopath. The O did nothing for me after about 6 visits, so I stopped going. My neck still all twisted up. So I paid out of pocket and went back to my chiropractor. By then a couple months had gone by... with this guy a couple visits and I was hugelyimproved, neck pain gone. The ringing lasted on and off for months. Took me about nine months to resolve that... but that is a different story. Sometimes you can fix the underlying thing that caused the ringing, but the ringing stays anyway.

A close friend who I go to the gym with, developed neck and shoulder pain, quite severe, such that it limited her in class.  She decided to try a chiropractor, but went to a different one.  She went a couple times a week for maybe six months... no kidding. I would have quit sooner. Very expensive. the guy was useless. .. though he had fancy xray and diagnostic stuff. So she went to my chiropractor and REALLY liked him. Though she brought her xrays from th first C, he didn't want to see them, but diagnosed her by feel, and he was on the money.  She is much improved after a few visits, but not 100%. The thing about my chiropractor is that he doesn't soak you. Like he knows what he can and can't do for you. Usually you go  five or six times and that's it.

So it really depends on the chiropractor. If he doesn't help you in a few visits, might be best to move on.

shiptona

hubby is actually MUCH better already... He's still supposed to go three times a week for a month... but thank goodness insurance does cover...

But I can actually SEE it...  WHen it was really bothering him, when his shirt was off and he was standing up 'straight" I could SEE the curve in his spine.

Now that's already gone... and he's only had two adjustments...  He said everything still feels TIGHT but doesn't hurt anymore...He's supposed to see a massage therapist once a week, too. 

I hope it helps him.. what a yucky way to live! 

I think it's not a bad idea for him to get a consult with an ortho as well. But that's just wannabe doctor in me talking.

i go to a chiro, but i think 3x/week for a month might be a bit extensive! it should be slow, conservative treatment

Hey,

Cant speak for everyone but my husband has had a real problem since he started seeing a chiro on a regular basis.  He originally started going because of some neck pain he was experiencing about 2 years ago.  He originally thought it was helping but now he has chronic back pain, accompanied by shooting and numbing  pains down his left leg and chronic migraine headaches.  He stopped going to the chiro to see if that could possibly be related and for now the pain has subsided for him 75%.  So we kinda thought that it was the "adjustments" that were doing him so wrong.  I have gone once in a while to see the chiro like when my back has really been bothering me and I am fine.  I dont see him weekly though so ?? 

Honestly, I can say from experience that going to a chiropractor really helped me. My headaches and pain went away within the first two months of chiropractic and I never looked back. I've been going for almost two years now and love it. When I don't go, I feel like crap. But once I get my adjustment I am like a new person. I think it is totally worth it.

I went to a chiropractor, too, for a hip problem caused by birthing babies!  :)  My treatment plan was 3x a week for 4 weeks, then 2x a week for 4 weeks, then 1x a week for 4 weeks, then broadening out to once every 2 weeks for 4 visits, and now I'm on "maintenance" at once a month.

Tamara, my chiropractor told me that the reason the plan is like that is so that your body can adjust to the changes in your spine.  Much like how with weight loss, it takes time for your body to make changes.  (I think I was told that it takes two to three days for your body to catch up with itself?)  Basically, the chiropractor is teaching your husband's spine its "proper" alignment.  Eventually, he'll also give him exercises to do to help strengthen the muscles in his back so that his spine will stay aligned for a longer period of time.  My chiropractor has a great website at www.ehnfamilychiropractic.com.  I hope this helps!  :)

I agree with the other posts - it depends on the chiro....I'm not a big fan of the 'crackers' - you know the ones, they put a lot of their body weight into 'cracking' some part of your back, or do a quick twist of your neck (I always feared he'd break my neck)....I recommend running screaming from them.

I went to a chrio for several years, then to a chinese accupucture/massage therapist for a couple of years, trying to relieve pain in my right hip.  It was so sore I couldn't lay on my right side....I always figured it was because of issues in my right knee and years of favouring it.....anyway, at a friend's insistance, I started going to pilates....a few months of one-on-one and the hip pain is gone (or I know what to do to get rid of it)....seems my hip pain was all related to mis-alignment in my pelvis and really tight upper glute muscles.

So, long winded answer - chiros help if they help you get alignment back and give you appropriate stretching and strengthing exercises.....the human body is really good at adapting to poor posture and muscle weakness - it will modify itself and let muscles atrophy if you don't use them.