Chiropractors: Good or Bad?

[Clownburner 0]

Every one I've ever met has been a total quack, launching diagnoses of 'subluxations' at everything, no matter what. A subluxation is a partial dislocation, and if you get one in your spine, you're proabably going to need immediate surgery. But chiropractors throw the term around to get you to buy into their bogus diagnosis. One of them offered to adjust my dog's spine to cure a kidney problem. If I'd have listened instead of taking him to the vet, he'd surely be dead - he was approaching rapid renal failure (poor little tyke recovered just fine).

The little good that chiropractors can do is usually in the form of massage or physical therapy and has nothing to do with 'adjusting' your spine.

Here's something else to consider, from James Randi's newsletter:

Quote

UK reader Dave Nesbitt tells his story, then asks a pertinent question:

I just wanted to add to the current debate about the British & alternative medicine. I'm British (English actually), like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent and (now at least) a skeptic. However, I have tried alternative medicine. Does this make me stupid? Listen and judge for yourself.

For many years I have suffered with back pain that my GP couldn't seem to help with. I would be woken in the early hours of the morning with pain and stiffness between my shoulder blades and down my back. Trips to back specialists didn't seem to help at all. The only remedy offered was anti-inflammatory drugs which run the risk of stomach ulcers if over-used. So, in desperation, I decided to take the advice of several friends and relatives, all of whom claimed miraculous results had come from the services of osteopaths and chiropractors. I actually didn't understand, nor was I especially interested in, the specific claims of how chiropractic works (or, rather, doesn't) — I just wanted my pain to go away. So I decided to try a local chiropractor recommended by a friend.

The alarm bells rang immediately upon entering his clinic. I was flicking through some of the leaflets that seemed to be implying that "crunching" a child's spine could cure bed-wetting, amongst numerous other illnesses. Now, as a father of 3, I don't consider bed-wetting to be an illness, just a normal part of growing up. My suspicions grew further when I noticed the chiropractor styled himself "Dr." but didn't seem to have the right credentials or a medical degree. Nonetheless, I endured his "treatment" which consisted of his telling me I had one leg longer than the other and several "subluxations" (whatever they were) in my spine. Luckily, he could cure me by making my back "crunch" (a strangely enjoyable sensation, I must confess).

Several days later, my chest (as well as my back) began to hurt. I went back to my GP who sent me to a rheumatologist, who eventually diagnosed Ankylosing Spondylitis — a form of rheumatism of which I had all the classic symptoms, and — this is the crux — this condition is made worse by manipulation....

So, not only did the "Dr." of Chiropractic miss my classic symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis, he made my condition worse by pressing down on my back and stressing my ribs, causing them to become inflamed. They still hurt now, more than four years later on.

So, was I stupid? I think, with hindsight, that I certainly could have spent more time researching the claims of Chiropractic, but we humans are trusting creatures and my friends and family were insistent that I would be helped. Also, the wheels of the UK National Health Service can sometimes grind very slowly and I felt rather let down by my GP. Finally, I was in pain and sometimes when we're in pain, we don't always take the time to check out all the facts.

So what now? I'm still in pain and most likely will be for the rest of my life. I take stronger anti-inflammatorys, try to eat a balanced diet, and exercise as much as possible. You see, science hasn't devised a cure for my condition yet — but at least it admits this fact and prepares you to come to terms with it — rather than making claims of a cure it cannot sustain.

-- Randi Responds --
Dave, your last sentence here, tells the whole story. Medical science isn't perfect, nor does it claim to be. But quackery such as that you underwent, not only claims to have a solution for every problem, but also claims that it is superior to real medicine. No, you're not "stupid." You were desperate, and though your GP can be faulted for not simply saying, "We have no solution for your problem," and for failing to warn you away from the quackery, real medical science is the only way to go.

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[McDuck 0]

My girlfriend is a physical therapist, and while she won't outright BASH chiropractors, she says that most physical therapists refer to that other profession as hack-job artists.

Where a chiropractor will try to "fix" your back problem with a procedure (or procedures), most physical therapists will give you stretches and exercises that will help you learn to eliminate your OWN pain...if you listen and learn. That's the trouble with most people in pain: they just want it "fixed" and usually don't want to have to do anything about it themselves.

Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28
"I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC
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