BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Alternative Medicine Chiropractic?

What do you think of chiropractic? Do you know of any criteria that a person should use in choosing a chiropractor? A friend suggested I see one but I've heard both good and bad reports.
What do you think? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Hi Amy,
Chiropractors are a very important part of our medical system and do a great job of treating back, neck, and limb problems. They also give good advice on vitamins and herbs and use kinesiology to determine whether what we ingest is good for us or not.

There have been bad reports of late with several people having strokes after having adjustments, but I think they should be put into perspective...nobody talks about the 100,000 people a year who die as a direct result of perscription errors, failures and doctor errors on prescriptions (I think the figure is much higher when you include physician error) as compared to three per year for chiropractic manipulation error.

I would recommend you ask friends or friends of friends who they use and go by their testimonials. Chiropractors vary as much as physicians do and many people go for a second, third or even fourth "opinion." I now have my favourite chiro who never presses me to come back next week or next month. He knows that when my back gets sore, I'll pop in to see him.

Let me know if you have any other concerns about finding a chiro who's just the one you need.

Regards,

Monika

p.s. I'll post a couple of messages from my Delphi forum on this subject. m.

Hi Monika!

I had to jump in here. My husband has just begun treatment by a chirpractor for chronic pain. He has only been to 2 visits so far, so he erally hsn't felt any difference as of yet. I think he is expecting a "miracle" of some sort, but my thoughts (and according to the chiropractor) was that it will take a few more visits before he begins to notice any relief.

I do know of others who have gone (for back problems, hip injuries and kneck strain) and they recommended it highly. I also have a good friend who sees a chiropractor on a weekly basis just for general health...she swears by it!

Hello Chris,

I guess your husband has to remember that if an injury has been there for some time, it will also take some time to undo it, so-to-speak. We're all so impatient for instant relief that we just can't wait...which is too bad because often the pain killers and anti-inflamatories prescribed by medical doctors only mask the symptoms and add terrible side effects which nobody tells you about.

I too believe that you might as well do it gradually, but get it done right.

I dislocated my pelvis and tailbone when my second child was born and couldn't walk for a month (picture me on crutches with a new baby and a 2year-old.) I didn't belive in chiropractors up to then but my husband talked me into going just to "try it out" as it couldn't get any worse than it was...and wonder of wonders...within 3 days of daily treatments I could walk again and after several months of adjustments and check-ups I was back to normal. I still have a bit of weakness in my hips and that's where I feel it first when I've overdone the exercise or walking, but I'm happy to not be in a wheelchair today.

Tell your hubby to be patient and keep the faith!
Have you used the services of a chiro yourself? You sound very positive about the whole field despite the bad press it's gotten lately.

Monika

I used to go to the Chiropractor at the slightest twinge or pain in my back or legs but found that I just kept having to go back. Now I exercise the area that's been put out of place, so to speak.

I think too many people think that cracking the spine back into place will solve everything but we still have to do our part by strengthening the muscles that are attached to the bones.

Now I only have to go to the chiropractor a couple of times a year and he's so good that he doesn't ever say I should come back for another appointment unless I feel I can't deal with it myself with hot/cold packs, walking, exercise, etc.

Onamay

This is a test posting. Please do not reply.
Thank you.

I'm personally not a big fan of chiropractics. I have been to a few of them, and received little or no benefits. I do however, wholeheartedly recommend acupuncture. The GI problems that I have had in my life were all treated successfully with acupuncture, which deals with the entire body anatomy. Acupuncturists are also the only practitioners that do the AtlasProFilax procedure, which I had done last December. It is positively amazing. Sadly, chiropractors across the country are trying to shut down the practice of the procedure out of greed.

For info on the AtlasProFilax go to: http://amazingatlas.com/

Shay

Welcome newbies to the forum, hope you all enjoy your stay
"Rosie"

My chiropractor is excellent. I herniated a disk and was bedridden for 2 months and now I am pain free.

Chiropractors, I find, are either good or bad. It's really important to get referrals from people who you trust.

Some of the best chiropractors that I have had have been women. I find that since they don't have the upper body strength to force your body in ways that it shouldn't go, they have to rely on technique rather than on strength.

We had a little 90 lb. lady chiropractor that could manipulate my great, big husband like no one could.

Good luck in your quest,

I had one try to feel me up. He was the only one that had me take my clothes off and put on a gown. I thought that was peculiar. I never went back to him.

I am needing to see one now actually. I love a good adjustment. It lasts for months. I have sciatica, and shouldn't wear high heels or cross my legs but I do.

Physical Therapy worked but not as well as the Chiropractor's accupressure therapy.

I highly recommend chiropractic but with the caveat that if you aren't doing something to relieve the muscle tension, or fix the postural issues that caused the problems in the first place, you won't see long-lasting results OBVIOUSLY.

I say obviously, yet it is interesting to me how many people complain about "having to go back" after a single adjustment. These are the same clients I see as a massage therapist who slouch, never stretch, use poor posture, etc and then wonder why their muscles get tight.

Chiropractic is unparalleled for helping to align severe spinal misalignment - but I highly recommend pairing your adjustments with a massage and/or stretches that will relieve the muscles tension. After all - the bones go where the muscles tell them to.

If the soft tissues of the body (muscles, ligaments and tendons) are damaged or under strain, then the bones and joints of the body will not stay in alignment.

I've seen first hand amazing results with chiropractic immediately after the birth of my son. His latch was horrible but after the chiro came to our house and gave him a gentle adjustment, fixing the misalignment in the first vertebra of the neck, his latch was immediately and remarkably improved.

I can also tell you that chiropractic was one of the things that kept me from surgery after my car accident. Chiropractic, bodywork (massage) and strengthening exercises.

Angela <><

P.S. Speaking now as the pregnancy editor - there are actually studies showing that chiropractic care during pregnancy can help shorten the labor process and help with fetal alignment in the pelvis (ie help prevent breech births).

Hello guys. My wife is getting her first baby in the next 4 months. Is it good to get chiropractic during pregnancy? I'm just worried.