Want to see just how desperate woo advocates can get?

[Archae]

There was an ad on our local radio station, (it's been pulled due to protests,) blaming vaccinations, and "Big Pharma" (this all sound familiar?) for thousands of babies dying in the US every month.
Not every year, or every several years, every month.

The cure?
Chiropractic for babies.

The chiroQUACK who put forward the ad turns out lost his license in another state after several babies died while under his "care."

Chiropractic. is total quackery.

EVERY time it's put under scientific scrutiny it fails, totally.

[TxDemChem]

1. That's sad.

[Wilms]

2. And on the subject of desperate...

[Thor_MN]

3. I wouldn't say ALL Chiropractic Doctors are quacks.

Disclaimer: I dated the daughter of a Chiropratic Doctor in high school and was Pre-Med in college.

Personally, the concept of Chiropractic medicine for babies is ridiculous. So I would definitely label the guy you are describing as a fraud.

I've never subscribed the the megadoses of vitamins aspect. What your body doesn't use, is just going to leave in your urine. Physical adjustments, however, seem to work, but few, if any, babies would ever benefit. Their joints and muscles are too loosey goosey for adjustments to make any sense. So for me, the physical aspects of Chiropractic Medicine are valid, while others not so much.

[HuckleB]

4. What would make a chiropractor's practice not woo?

[Thor_MN]

5. I already said it, maybe try reading it again?

[HuckleB]

6. Sorry, I don't see anything in your post that answers that question legitimately.

[sir pball]

7. If they don't claim any health benefit besides realignment of the spine?

I had a touch of scoliosis when I was a kid; my dad had been referred to a chiro, by our family MD, as a non-surgical first attempt to repair an old slipped disk, so in I went too. Sure, it took about a year, but I'm straight as an arrow now. More to the point, this guy made absolutely zero claims for any greater health benefits, especially being able to treat or cure any diseases or disorders beyond spinal misalignment. Ended up fixing my dad, too, actually.

I realize that a lot, likely the majority, of chiros are preaching woo, but under all the BS there's a kernel of legitimacy. Hell, my insurance pays for 30 visits a year, I should probably take them up on it. My back does ache a bit these days.

[edhopper]

8. there are a few chiros who use spinal manipulation

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2014, 11:24 PM - Edit history (1)

similar to physical therapist which can help with lower back pain. This sounds like yours.
The majority still work under the theory of "subluxation" which has never been shown to be valid and runs counter to present day medicine. Pure woo.

[HuckleB]

9. Exactly.

Chiropractic is pointless with the practice of PT's around. If you want to be a good "chiropractor," become a PT.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

10. I've been reading up on these chiropractic claims...

I had never heard them before. I had some back issues awhile back, and decided to try out a chiropractor. All he did was ask about my pain, showed me how the nerves and what not run through the spine, cracked my back and neck, and gave me a massage. One follow up a week later, and that was it.

No woo at all. I had no idea they were making the claims they are now (or did I just happen to find someone who's a bit smarter?).

[edhopper]

11. You are lucky

there is no proven efficacy to that neck cracking thing they do (more of that subluxation bs) and it has injured quite a few people.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

12. Yay for luck, I suppose.

He felt around on my back for a sec, noted all the problem areas (every point he touched was a pain area), cracked, massage, done.

More than likely, it was due to the massage (so nice)...