Your feelings about Chiropracty?

[BlueIris]

No, not thinking about getting any; this is just a curiosity poll.

[datasuspect]

1. pseudoscience

[BlueIris]

3. I'm inclined to agree and...

nice icon.

[datasuspect]

4. i call it "giftig"

yes, it's very nice.

[Orsino]

27. Pseudoscience plus...

...some good history of physical manipulation. I know a few people who have been helped magnificently by chiroproactors, but the attendant homeopathy and the notion that the spine is the source of all ills are just wacky.

Almost anyone would be better served by seeing a real doctor.

[NMDemDist2]

2. so much depends on the practitioner

like so many other 'healing arts'

I'd have phenomenal results with some, others are just a rip off :shrug:

[LostinVA]

5. It's fine as long as the practitioner sticks to what s/he is supposed to do

It's when they venture off the path of chiropractty that quackery starts.

[RogueSpirit]

6. I voted other because

I have never known anyone that didn't get "Addicted" (for lack of a better term) to their chiropractor. I prefer massage therapy. Too bad insurance covers Chiropractors, but not massage therapist. I personally believe a massage is more effective than an adjustment.

[BlueIris]

7. Holy crap, there are health plans that cover Chiropractors?

Good Lord.

[Connonym]

8. I believe it's state law in WI that chiro be covered

I've had help from a chiropractor with acute attacks of sciatica and strained neck. I don't think in the long haul it cures anything but my experience is that acute symptoms can be relieved a bit. For me, physical therapy was needed in the long haul in order to get lasting improvement. I do still go occasionally for strains. I kind of suspect that the joint popping releases endorphines too and that's part of the thrill of it.

I found acupuncture to be mildly helpful but I only had two sessions of that.

Caveat though, RUN do not walk away from any chiro or acupuncturist who claims they can cure diseases with their treatments. In my opinion they can help pain but don't cure anything. I've a diabetic uncle who lost almost all his toes before he realized that chiropractic care didn't do squat for diabetes. Those who claim to cure disease are snake-oil selling quacks.

[BlueIris]

10. Oh, fear not. I steer clear of any non-MD who honestly claims they can

cure or treat any disease. Especially when they're charging money for their "services."

[RogueSpirit]

9. yeah, mine does

but dammit they won't cover massage therapy, and that sucks. A Shiatzu/Accupressure massage does so much more for pinched nerves than any adjustment.

[BlueIris]

11. I've always wanted to try Shiatzu.

[RogueSpirit]

14. Shiatzu is awesome...

I leaned a bit about it while studying Kung Fu/Tai Chi. The same pressure points that you use to disable someone can be used to help someone. I have never tried acupuncture, but I have had massages that put pressure on the same points.

If you want to try it for yourself, look up some basic pressure points on the legs, feet, arms and upper back and then have your S.O. press a golf ball into those points. Hold the pressure there as hard as you can take it for 30-45 seconds and you will be amazed at the results.

[momophile]

13. it's covered here in Colorado

at least on my plan.

[tigereye]

18. yes, it's common here in PA

[goodhue]

22. pretty routine

If for example you have a herniated disc and are not interested in back surgery, then chiropractors are the way to go and are certainly covered at least initially in most health plans

[momophile]

12. that it looks like a misspelled word

other than that, I like it. Except that I usually only feel better for a day or two. But for that day or two, it's really nice to not hurt.

[Richardo]

16. I believe they call it 'chiropractic'

Even as a noun.

[I Have A Dream]

21. Yes, it is 'chiropractic'. n/t

[BlueIris]

25. I just yanked the spelling from Reference.com.

So sue me. :-)

[I Have A Dream]

35. The word 'chiropractic' as a noun is so weird.

I like yours better. :)

[grace0418]

15. Something happened to an acquaintance that is changing my mind.

I'm pretty into alternative medicine but something about chiropracty always bothered me. I've never had a treatment but it just seemed too harsh to me, the way they move your head around so quickly.

But an acquantance of mine had a baby who was having severe seizures, up to 20-30 times a day. Nothing was helping the child, and he was lagging behind developmentally because he got so little rest. They did some brain scans to see if they could pinpoint the area of activity because apparently in some cases they can do surgery on the affected area of the brain and lessen the seizures. In this baby's case, though, the activity seemed to be all over. They went to so many specialists and nothing was helping. Then another friend told them to go to their chiropractor. After one treatment the baby's seizures stopped completely. It's been I think a month now and he hasn't had any.

I find that amazing because I am really a skeptic.

[musiclawyer]

17. No doctor or therapist coud heal my back problem except....

my chiropractor. The dude knows his shit. He listened. x-rayed, touched, told me what happened, and then started working on me. I now only see him a few times a year for a tune up. Like in any profession, there are good practicioners and there are quacks. I got a good one.

[philosophie_en_rose]

19. It's limited.

I personally think that chiropractics is sketchy and could potentially exacerbate serious injuries. However, it is probably fine in conjunction with medical attention from a physician - like therapeutic massage.

[davsand]

20. It can help some stuff but not everything.

I had a pinched nerve in my neck a few years ago and about all the docs could do short of surgery was to give me pills. I was nicely stoned, but still in a lot of pain and unable to turn my head. After about a month of this (and multiple trips to see the doc) I finally went to a chiropractor for the first time.

I walked out of her office $20 poorer and able to turn my head for the first time in over a month and a half. She taught me some self care things to do make it less likely to flare up again (I still use those ideas) and that was it. She never tried to get me "hooked" she never tried to encourage me to come back unless I had pain.

I do know people who think the chiropractor can cure everything from asthma to hemorrhoids and I think that probably is out of their ability to help. (I jsut can't get my head around what kind of therapy they could even DO for hemorrhoids anyhow...)

I will also say that I have used acupuncture and other traditionally Asian healing methods with pretty good results. Literally, I had a Neurologist tell me that they don't know exactly WHY acupuncture works, but that it does seem to help when done by somebody who knows what they are doing. I'm inclined to trust her on that because it echos my own experiences perfectly.

I think that alternative medicines are like everything else in life--you have got to use your own best judgment.

Just my two cents.



Laura

[Deja Q]

23. Ban it. Too many people are hurt if the "doctor" screws up in a fit of anger...

My ex-chiro was overzealous one day and I should have picked up on his ambient anger over a political event from 2003...

I'm not sure why I never sued. But I finally understood why people do sue, and why "tort reform" as some people want it is unethical.

But part of it is forgiveness too. He didn't intend to have that disc rammed into my spine so I could suffer evermore since then. Intentionally eliminating one's customers is usually not a bright idea.

[BlueIris]

26. I was wondering if you'd chime in. And I TOTALLY feel you on the "tort reform"

bullshit. All that would do is limit my options and yours in the event I am ever the victim of malpractice. Again.

[Deja Q]

34. Accidents can still happen,

but there are sleazebags who purport to be doctors and deserve to be sent out of business...

I think you need this: :hug:

[BikeWriter]

24. Great if you have a good one!

[1gobluedem]

28. I am skeptical myself...

But I have friends who swear by it. Each to their own.

[barb162]

29. Can you add another category; it feels good but that's about it

[BlueIris]

30. I knew I was missing something.

[barb162]

31. Hahahahah

Really, seriously, I suspect it feels good to get stretched and rubbed and all but you still have the scoliosis or whatever just like you did before the rubdown.

[Jimbo S]

32. I swear by it!

Love my chiropractor. Keeping me fine tuned for 15 years!

[bleedingheart]

33. I have known too many people who have been injured or delayed treatment due to them

I know others who swear by it but I have seen the following occur:

1. coworker starts administering some "arsenic" based substance to fight his sinus infection, he ends up with pneumonia....the reasoning his chiropractor gave him for sucking down arsenic was that as his body fought the arsenic...it would also fight his sinus infection...

2. Another coworker ends up in the hospital being treated for herniated discs that ruptured as a result of manipulation

3. My BIL's mother's chiropractor was also a mutual fund advisor and he bilked her out of thousands of dollars if not more..they will never know...because she was too embarrassed to tell anyone. She also went without treatment for a shoulder problem until her kids dragged her to an internist who discovered a problem that was corrected after surgery and she was fine...meanwhile that guy kept charging her $40 a week to make it better....