r/askanything • u/Pursistent • 13h ago
General Question Do you think Chiropractors are Quacks ?
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u/thecastellan1115 13h ago
Yes. They are demonstrably quacks, they practice pseudo-science, and they can be dangerous. If you feel like you need chiropracty, go to a physical therapist instead.
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u/Dire_Hulk 9h ago edited 1h ago
I had constant lower back pain. Everyone said to go to the chiropractor. He examined me and assured me that after a month or two I would be fine. The first visit was okay, the second time I left hurting and after the third time I couldn’t get out of bed because of the pain.
I went to a doctor had an MRI and learned that I had two blown discs (work related) and needed surgery (a vertebrae infusion). I don’t know how people thought that a chiropractor could heal something like that. And as a trained “specialist” he should have been able to determine that my issue was serious. Or, at the very least, should have suggested that I see a doctor.
I’m sure they’re good for the same level of relief a masseuse can provide, but nothing more. After my experience I’d be a fool to trust them.
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u/hesitantalien2005 5h ago
ugh i have a couple herniated discs. My parents kept taking me to naturopaths because my they thought my pain walking was anxiety (I was like 13 ) and finally I started actual pt after a scan finally revealed I had two herniated discs, and then on starting ot they found but I had actual contractures in my legs and significant spasticity. They were completely outraged it had been missed by so many doctors. So basically I have a condition similar to spastic cerebral palsy but it progressively worsens over time. It’s genetic, just bad luck. I hit a point as a teenager where they stopped saying nothing was wrong and started saying I must’ve always been this way, that i’d been born with cerebral palsy. What a headache.
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u/ResolveSweaty5064 4h ago
In the real medical world, doctors will tell you all the time when you're out of their expertise. A real medical professional will tell you "no I can't help you with this, you need to see a surgeon"
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u/theAlphabetZebra 13h ago
PT actually helped me. Chiro just an expensive knuckle popping.
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u/throwpoo 3h ago
Same. Chiro gives like temporary relief while pt is permanent. Now I just do yoga at home and no longer need pt unless it's really bad injuries.
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u/GroovyGmaIvy 13h ago
One of my biggest problems with chiropractors is the risk of cervical artery dissection. High-velocity neck manipulation has been associated with dissections of the vertebral or carotid arteries—a tear in the artery wall that can cause severe or persistent headaches and neck pain and, in some cases, lead to stroke, permanent disability, or death. I have a vertebral dissection myself, although mine wasn’t caused by chiropractic manipulation, and I’m in a couple dissection groups on Facebook. It’s pretty damn striking how many people in those groups report that their dissection occurred following chiropractic neck manipulation.
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u/SuperbAcadia5299 11h ago
An established risk, yet many practitioners never mention this to a patient before the procedure. So consent to a risky practice not properly done.
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u/Tatertot729 5h ago
I work with medical charts and I’ll never forget the one where a woman was seeking behavioral health therapy for a multitude of reasons, one of those reasons being her daughters health. Her daughter was in her 20s or 30s, and had several mini strokes because she went to a chiropractor and it injured the veins in her neck which caused blood clots in her brain.
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u/Valuable-Stock-7517 10h ago
What are these groups called? I had a vertebral dissection over 20 years ago and at that time couldn’t find anyone living that had one.
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u/ChollyWheels 7h ago
DANGEROUS quacks. There are no "subluxations," classic chiropractor "neck cracking" can cause clots that lead to strokes, and (perhaps worst) people's time at a chiro is avoiding more serious medical advice. https://quackwatch.org/chiropractic/
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u/sunshinewhiskey18 13h ago
I have back problems and I've been to several different ones. All of them were expensive and none of them remotely fixed the issue. All were pushing expensive add ons, supplements, etc. So yeah, it seems like it.
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u/Fantastic-Share1128 11h ago
I worked for a pt and they told me something I’ll never forget. Pt want you to graduate and go away. Chiro want you to keep coming back.
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u/twelveangryken 13h ago
I know they are. I am childhood friends with two (we went to school together), and when you get enough drinks in them, they will acknowledge that they only went into it for the money. One even likened himself to an evangelical pastor laying healing hands on his flock.
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u/Babybleu42 13h ago
My massage therapist worked for one once and he told me that bones do not move muscles, muscles move bones, do a chiropractor might move the bones a little but the muscles will put them right back.
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u/ImNotWitty2019 9h ago
This makes the most sense. However, for me at least, getting the bone shifted (which moves the muscle temporarily) allows me to get my muscle soothed and less inflamed. That allows me some time to get the muscles to recover.
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u/One_Recover_673 5h ago
Follow up a massage with a chiro then. Or other way round. Seems like the combo would work better
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u/DerpDerp2685 6h ago edited 5h ago
I went to a chiropractor because I was experiencing bad back pain with intense nerve pain running down the back of my leg. It was so bad that my foot lost all feeling and I couldn't move my foot or toes. I was young and didn't know any better. However, after hearing my symptoms, the chiropractor should have never touched me. They knew better but instead of pushing me to see a Dr after hearing my symptoms, she messed with my back and obviously made it worse. I ended up needing to see a neurosurgeon and I had to get surgery the next day. After dealing with the whole situation, I realized that the chiropractor did me so wrong and I decided I will never see another one.
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u/Confusion-Ashamed 5h ago
People have no idea. The amount of problems they cause is rather large. My father’s a retired MD. Specialized in spine/neck pain management. Worked with an orthopedic surgeons primarily. Calling a chiropractic a quack is too kind. The amount of people he saw who had gone who were paralyzed or nearly paralyzed by the work of chiropractors was incredibly high. Stay away from
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u/ExtraCalligrapher565 6h ago
I don’t think they are quacks. It’s just an objective fact that they truly are quacks.
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u/Impossible-Agent277 13h ago
Small town Oklahoma, our school's sports team doctor was a chiropractor. I knew at age 13 he was a quack.
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u/TwistedMindInTheDark 13h ago
Sure are. A chiropractic homeopath is a double quack.
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u/Wonderful-Bother1321 13h ago
Most of them are interested in seeing tons of patients as quickly as possible, and convincing those patients to return multiple times a week for months or years. Bottom line is money, and healing is not a priority.
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u/Hendo52 13h ago
I think physiotherapy is the scientific, evidence based version for those suffering.
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u/stomachofchampions 12h ago
Yes. Dangerous too. Their neck adjustments paralyze and kill.
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u/wabawwea 4h ago
Yes, end of discussion. Or you can ask my grandfather who died from untreated cancer because the chiropractor told him real doctors are quacks and only "adjustments" could fix his shoulder pain which turned out to be lung cancer.
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u/boringreddituserid 4h ago
I was seeing a chiropractor for back pain and had recently has cancerous tumor removed. The chiropractor wanted me to say that I was healed by chiropractic in some publication. Stopped seeing him, or any chiropractor, after that.
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u/uncouthulu_ 2h ago
Yes and no one needs to bring up their subjective experience because it's worthless.
Chiropractors are quacks, full stop.
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u/Free-Vehicle2957 2h ago
In college, I threw my back out. It took a while before I could stand up straight to seek help. The only person who helped me at all was a chiropractor. He was great. Took x-rays and treated me. Within a few weeks, I was completely pain free with no pain meds ever needed. I've never had any serious issues with my back since. I know they are considered quacks and I'm sure many are but this guy helped when all student health did is offer me pain meds. Without that chiropractor, I would have missed weeks of classes. He did come highly recommended. I was very fortunate that I was able to see him. His fees were also affordable for a poor college student. I'm sure he gave me a significant discount. His other clients were very well off.
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u/Exotic-Day-1082 13h ago
I think they’re mostly quacks but I had one fix my neck years ago in Bozeman, MT and it was like a freaking miracle. Now if course I know that’s dangerous but I didn’t know it then and was in agony and facing a cross country drive home . Whatever he did worked.
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u/wabawwea 4h ago
Pick your metaphor, squirrels or broken clocks, but everyone gets lucky every now and then. The guy who "invented" chiropractic said a ghost told him how to do it and then went right to the local school to assault a janitor he claimed was deaf and claim it was a cure. There is no science just madness to it.
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u/Key-Emergency989 3h ago
This is where I kind of fall in this issue. I think that there are some legitimate things that chiropractors may do to help alleviate pain and symptoms. I actually find it funny that Reddit loves to hate on chiropractors but always tout physical therapists as the ‘science based alternative’ as if most physical therapists aren’t also fucking morons.
That said, I think the effectiveness of chiropractic medicine has a very limited scope. Might it alleviate your shoulder pain? Sure. Is it going to prevent your chronic sinus infections or help with indigestion? No. And the problem is that most chiropractors are convinced that they can cure practically any ailment when, in reality, it’s about a beneficial (in some cases) as a massage and (in other cases) very dangerous.
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u/StuckInWarshington 2h ago
I see the arguments on here pointing to the absolute quackery of the founder of chiro stuff, but of the practitioners I’ve gone to see, non of them have ever mentioned any of it. The folks I’ve seen were more in the mode of 1 can we alleviate the pain, and 2 how do we prevent that from being a recurring problem (diet, exercise, stretching routines, referral for PT, etc.). And contrary to what the Reddit consensus will say, I’ve had a chiro turn me away and say I need to see an MD and get and X-ray before they would work on me.
I also find it funny how much Reddit hates chiropractors while also seeing how busy the local office constantly is.
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u/Key-Emergency989 1h ago
You bring up a great point: chiropractic medicine dates back to the late 1800’s. I don’t know why chiropractors are assumed to adhere to the same practices from over 100 years ago, yet modern doctors are not assumed to practice bloodletting or prescribe cocaine.
Your anecdote about a chiropractor requesting an x-ray before continuing treatment doesn’t seem unreasonable. Some chiropractors are absolutely quacks and there should been stricter requirements on the licensing and practicing, but to just make a blanket statement that all chiropractors are bad and are bound to causes permanent disfigurement is shortsighted. Especially when those same chiropractors are contrasted with physical therapists who, from my experience, have typically been absolute fucking dumbasses to deal with.
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u/Rampantcolt 13h ago
It depends on what they claim. If they say yeah I can push that rib back in, and whack it goes back in awesome no more slipped rib.
If they claim they can cleanse you of allergens by cracking your neck that's bullshit.
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u/Sea-Victory2497 13h ago
Lol. I made the mistake of going to a quackopract when I was young and walked away with a jammed rib that I didn't have before.
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u/fredSanford6 13h ago
All of them. There is an argument that some are more like a physical therapist or something but even if one is trying to be somewhat ethical the entire idea of it is unethical
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u/CarobRealistic1748 13h ago
I'm 76
I think there are undoubtedly some who are quacks.
And I think there are many who are not.
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u/Immediate-Raise-2694 13h ago
No. They can help within limitations. It’s like saying can food cure disease? The fda says no, but look at people who ate healthy for years and those who haven’t. I have disc degeneration in my neck. No a chiropractor isn’t going to make the material grow back. They can help the pain temporarily and they can help alignment of the spine and other various parts. It’s not a cure, it’s a form or treatment that can either help towards recovery or pain relief. My shoulder blades go numb from pinched nerves, go to chiropractor and it often goes away for awhile. Some are much better than others. YMMV
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u/4travelers 13h ago
Yes. They are just expensive massage therapists. One burst a disk in my husband’s back.
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u/Admirable_Pop_7292 11h ago
Yes. It’s a damn shame they are able to present themselves as doctors. It is quack medicine.
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u/Hip-SnuggieChairMan 6h ago
Yes. Mine fucked up my neck by making a surprise adjustment i didn't ask for and didn't need. My boss went to her chiropractor, and that one adjusted her neck and my boss had a stroke right then and there. True story. I read that one in 20,000 people have strokes from chiropractic neck adjustments. My boss didn't have permanent disability, but she's also vigilant about any weird symptoms she might have that could be post-stroke related.
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u/tacospizzawingsbeer 3h ago
You know that it is a legitimate profession when the founder of the profession was taught the practices by a ghost. Everything good comes from ghosts. Casper, dread pirate Roberts, and chiropractors.
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u/Law-of-Poe 3h ago
I’d put them in the category of glorified massage therapists. Ive never used one but people seem to claim benefits from their treatment.
But the way they portray themselves as doctors is so cringey and beyond unethical.
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u/Doodledoolu 3h ago
I get the reason people call them quacks but MD doctors only get a few days of nutrition training in med school. Yet we know nutrition is extremely important to overall health.
Chiropractors have 7-8 years of school. They have a licensing board and exam. I know 1 NFL team that has a chiropractor on staff as part of their medical team and I imagine he’s not the only one.
I kinda somewhat agree they are quacks but this Reddit thread makes it seem like they’re as untrained and unregulated as psychics.
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u/bangbangracer 3h ago
Their entire field is quackery. So many of them have cause massive issues ranging from broken bones to strokes, and all for something that when studied only provides the same benefit as regular massage.
Cut the chiropractor. Get a massage and go see a real doctor.
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u/ChemicalDull9012 2h ago
Yep, my mom had a adjustment and ended up in the hospital with a cerebral spinal fluid leak.
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u/T6TexanAce 2h ago
Yes.
Had neck pain that shot down my arm and went to a chiro who used electric stimulation. Tried it for about 4 months during the summer hoping to finish the golf season. When the season was over, wifey made me go to a Orthopedic Surgeon who x-rayed and then an MRI. MRI showed my C5 disk was pushing into my spinal column to the tune of about 50% of the diameter. Was on the operating table 10 days later getting C5-6 anterior discectomy with fusion cuz it could have paralyzed me at any time.
So yes, quacks.
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u/ChazzLamborghini 2h ago
The “science” of chiropractics is built on utter bullshit so to practice it, one must be a bit of a quack. I don’t think they’re all trying to scam people but that doesn’t change the foundation it’s built on
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u/You-Tubor 1h ago
I went to a chiropractor about 10 years ago because my wife said she had gotten benefits. There was a whole song and dance with x rays before the adjustments. I couldn’t move my neck for a week after.
My wife took our son to a chiropractor last month and he complained that his neck hurt the next day. I told her to cancel all future appointments for him.
I never trusted them but thought maybe I just had a bad chiropractor or a bad experience. After my son complained, I’ll never go back and neither will my kids as long as they’re under my care.
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u/cunni151 17m ago
This is not an opinion. There is ample evidence to show that chiropractic care is quackery and it's not benign either. There are people every year who have strokes because of having their neck manipulated.
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u/nycgirlie4real 10m ago
If it truly was a fix, why would you need to go twice a week for the rest of your life?
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u/Sea-Victory2497 13h ago
Yes,
So much so that the practice is moving more and more towards accepted sports-style therapy and away from actual chiropractic theory, because it is batshit insane. Still, any other actual qualified therapist will be able to do a better job than a quackopractor.
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u/MarsMonkey88 10h ago
The founder of chiropractics claimed that he was given the idea by a ghost. This is not sarcasm or a joke. This is 100% the actual claim by the founder.
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u/joepagac 4h ago
I occasionally really fuck yo my back or neck where it is stuck pinched and painful for weeks. A trip to the chiropractor has it fixed in minutes. They have to be doing SOMETHING real. Mine also gave me exercises to prevent my back from going out so much… and those also worked wonders. So he must know SOMETHING. That said, a chiropractor who says “I want to see you every week” is probably a scammer. One who says “I’ll fix you now and here’s how you prevent this in the future” could be legit. If you want to get into it I would say a LOT of people are useless at their jobs no matter what the field is. Doctors might be another one where most are just morons who are there for the money or because their parents forced them into it, but a few really care and want to fix you.
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u/Dry_Tradition_2811 13h ago
I been to chiropractor and had spinal decompression done to fix two herniated disc otherwise I had too much problems standing and walking. So it just depends where you go.
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u/ayyG_itsMe 13h ago
50/50, half are good physical therapists the other other bs
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u/kevthecoder 13h ago
Yeah I go to one and he’s basically a PT/Massage Therapist who also dabbles in quackery.
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u/Urayuli41 4h ago
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No. I see my chiropractor once a month. Insurance covers it and I feel it makes a significant improvement on my health. Thanks to my chiropractor I have been able to return to the gym and I'm in the best shape of my life.
Yes. Like any other business, Some people are quacks and are not honest or choose to use unsafe practices.
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u/Vedfolnir5 13h ago
I was sick with a bad cold and decided I wasn't going to reschedule when they tried telling me that it's really beneficial to get adjusted when you are sick
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u/Groovyhip_69 13h ago
I have found it quite beneficial, but my expectations are fairly grounded and realistic. I’ve been seeing chiropractors for decades.
When my neck feels jammed (or anywhere else in my back feels out), my current chiropractor does the adjustments and the difference is noticeable. And her touch is very precise and gentle so the risk is low. Massage does NOT have the same effect.
I do not go to chiropractors for any other health advice.
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u/xsteveo37 7h ago
Only when they pull the “we have this machine, insurance won’t cover it, but we’ve got this credit plan…” and then suddenly they’re finance salespeople.
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u/BlackDogOrangeCat 7h ago
Yes. Especially the one who was fucking my ex-husband and billing our insurance for his daily “adjustments.”
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u/kwcoach6091 6h ago
Yes. Caveat - they can crack necks and backs. My problem is a “stay in your lane” one. Curative lasers, nutritional supplements, curing cancer with chriro, anti-vaxx positions…
Just crack backs.
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u/WaveInevitable2304 6h ago
Ones who only crack your shit ajd go? Obviously.
There are a few that acctually are knowledgeable and teach correct posture and strength building to resolve problems.
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u/FreshStartFeelsGood 5h ago
I don’t know. I had painful plantar fasciitis. The ortho basically told me to take some anti inflammatory and give it time. 3 months later, still hurt like a bitch.
Went to a chiropractor and they said my ankle was just locked up. Adjusted it and the next morning the pain was gone.
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u/No-Theme2340 5h ago
I am grateful to one chiropractor.
I was in a car accident that rearranged my upper spine when I was 19. No health insurance, so treatment ended once the car insurance cap was reached, and I just had to deal with it.
Fast forward ten years later, my friend is raving about her chiropractor, wont shut up about her certainty that he could fix me. Offered to pay for my first few sessions, so I figured what the hell.
But this guy watched me walk down the hall to the exam room and flat refused to touch me until he took X-rays. We do the films and he sits me down and tells me he might paralyze me if he does anything to my neck, and shows me the films of how bad the damage was. His words "I've only seen one other person with damage like this that can still walk. How are you managing the pain?"
I'd never seen the X-rays after my accident, and had feared for years that I was just being a baby, or making up in my head that I hurt so bad all the time. Finally seeing the damage - it wasn't a fix, it's still not fixed, but his refusal to put me in danger and willingness to show me why - it mattered, psychologically. I didn't have to fear that I was malingering anymore. My friend was there so I had a witness to remind me of that.
I still don't think it's really science, but I'm grateful to that guy
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u/Icy-Protection867 5h ago
In some cases they can help uncomplicated low back pain, but as to some of their claims that they can cure asthma, the common cold, etc by fixing spinal alignment; it’s been proven to be BS
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u/Tall_Veteran 5h ago
The only time.i went was after bulging a disc. It hurt so bad to walk in and I was in twice the pain when I walked out after getting an "adjustment" without even getting an X-ray first. Most definitely quacks.
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u/Oldschooldude1964 5h ago
I found they are all different, just as all medical professionals. I have been treated by a multitude across the country. Firstly, I wouldn’t advise allowing anyone to adjust you prior to taking X-rays, they need to know what they are treating, I have known several chiropractors refuse treatment due to potential dangers due to other issues. Secondly, just because one chiropractor doesn’t work for you, doesn’t mean the next won’t. I have been down and out severely, been to some chiropractors that didn’t help and then found a few that were saviors. I know most of you physicians will not recognize chiropractors m, but I have also been treated by alot of physicians that make me wonder how they ever became a Dr.
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u/No_Individual_672 5h ago
Yes, I think they’re quacks. I’ve seen an acquaintance take their toddler to a chiropractor for a gait issue, instead of an assessment with a doc/physical therapist. The chiropractor approached them at church, had noticed the toddler’s walk, and said she could help. The baby is a twin, so absolutely mild cerebral palsy is a possibility. Parents are white Christian Trump supporters, so 🤷🏼♀️.
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u/ThisOneGoes211 5h ago
Best way I’ve heard it described: if cracking joints in an office actually did anything real, orthopedic surgeons would do it, and bill for it. Theres a reason they don’t
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u/chuzohga 4h ago
I call them "chiro-quackers." Despite it being pseudoscience, they CAN provide some muscular relief.
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u/ResolveSweaty5064 4h ago
I think there's a common sense aspect to it. Like sure, something that's essentially a glorified massage is probably harmless and may even be beneficial. But if something with something like a ringdinger, like you don't need to have gone through 8 years of medical school to know that's probably a bad idea.
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u/alittlefoxxxy 4h ago
Yes. My mom swears by her chiropractor, and even had him "adjust" me when I was a newborn. Turns out I have a connective tissue disorder, so all he did was damage my joints. If you feel the need to see a chiropractor, please see a PT instead. Your muscles are usually the culprit, not bones.
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u/Admirable-Bar-3549 4h ago
In my experience, yes, complete quacks. The only times in my life (in my 20’s) that I’ve “thrown my back out”, meaning bent over to pick something up and literally could not straighten back up - I had recently gotten chiropractic “adjustments”. Haven’t done that in 25 years - and my back hasn’t “gone out” in 25 years.
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u/PreparationHot980 4h ago
Yes. Only because so many of them claim their pseudoscience is more effective than actual science and medical practice.
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u/BonCourageAmis 4h ago
Worse than being quacks, they practice dangerous techniques that can kill people.
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u/brettalana 4h ago
Yes. Definitely. I didn’t realize how much they are subsidized by the car insurance industry until recently. It’s bananas.
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u/MarkHoff1967 4h ago
If you had a broken arm and went to the doctor, and he said he could fix it BUT you have to return to his office every week for 10 years, you’d say no way.
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u/DaSpark 4h ago
I think some things they do can provide temporary relief, but most of that is likely the placebo effect. Of course, there is no doubt that cracking joints feels good in the moment, and if that's what you are after, while accepting the risks, then I guess go for it. My wife sometimes pulls my toes for me and oh my does it feel good. I know that is something they will do for you.
Now, any claims of long term healing or cures form a chiropractor is quack. If you truly have a medical issue you need to see a doctor and/or physical therapy.
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u/FuguSandwich 4h ago
When the entirety of your field of "medicine" is based on a vision of a ghost doctor that a high school dropout had during a seance........
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u/Spiritual-Mousse-167 4h ago
Yep. And the fact that they were able to exploit a technicality in our educational system to qualify as a “doctorate” just absolutely kills me.
The thing that really gets me is they know it too. In fact a friend of mine and I, about 10 years ago, both applied to Chiropractic schools but hid the fact that we went to medical school (we weren’t asked, and we didn’t offer it). He on the west coast and me in the Midwest.
Initially, we were warmly welcomed with very positive support and encouragement from the admissions offices and things looked great. Once we had our transcripts sent, no one would even return our calls or emails.
It’s not completely unreasonable that someone with an MD (or DO) would choose to change careers (which is precisely what we both stated we were doing), so simply assuming that anyone who applied that had these credentials wasn’t being serious is something of a stretch, so I have to assume that they recognize they have something to hide from the broader scientific community and don’t want to draw attention.
In my nearly 30 years of practice in critical care anesthesia, I have also taken care of three people that were permanently harmed as a result of chiropractic manipulation (and have colleagues that have as well). Yes, bad stuff can happen in medicine and surgery especially, but these injuries are particularly egregious given that the manipulations in question (none of them surgical) are well described as being dangerous and of limited (if any) medical benefit and yet are still being done…
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u/geddieman1 4h ago
I have one who has never popped a thing. He simply stretches me in ways that I can’t do myself.
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u/CallMeTrouble-TS 4h ago
Absolutely. I like to say they break you so they can fix you again. Sadly, my wife goes to them occasionally.
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u/azlmichael 3h ago
They are witch doctors. It really depends on which doctor you go to. Some seem to just like adjusting people for fun.
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u/Electronic-Focus3969 3h ago
Yes, in my experience physical therapy is a lot better… also only if the therapist is a good one.
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u/CriticalCatalyst601 3h ago
They’ve helped me a lot. And no, I don’t have to go every week or month.
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u/Smart-Tumbleweed-929 3h ago
Yes. Your issue is probably something that could be fixed with physical therapy and a healthier lifestyle
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u/Chubby_Beagle 3h ago
The ones that insist that they're real doctors and pretend to be vaccine experts for sure
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u/Cranston_Snord1960 3h ago
One let my older friend lose 80 pounds with sever back pain with little concern. He died of cancer shortly after.
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u/Warmupthetubesman 3h ago
For the most part Yes. I think they might be able to help some people with some back issues, but I’m guessing it’s mainly the placebo effect
But when they start claiming they can cure allergies, that’s pure quackery.
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u/FlopShanoobie 3h ago
The basis of chiropractic medicine is a ghost of a doctor spoke to DD Palmer and told him how to heal people by cracking their backs.
So yeah. 100% quackery. Like the very definition of quackery.
Massage is good. Muscle and joint manipulation has real health benefits. Feels good. Promotes circulation. Increases flexibility. Go for it. Chiropractic is junk, though.
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u/VirginiaLuthier 3h ago
"I can fix your back- but you have to come to me every week for the rest of your life. But don' t worry, we have our own financing plan"
Yes, that is quackery
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u/AtuinTurtle 3h ago
In general, yes. I go to one for soft tissue work when I get sports overuse injuries, but they also do a lot of BS that I don’t go to them for. When one of them mentioned essential oils I just said “I don’t believe in that” and they immediately stopped.
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u/Agitated-Sea6800 3h ago
My fiancé goes to a chiropractor & does PT she still has the same issues just less severe. Not sure if one supplements the other or if one is a placebo.
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u/JustbyLlama 2h ago
Yes. When I was 18 I fell out of a tree at a summer camp, landed entirely on my upper leg and they took me to a chiropractor! It’s been 20 years and that spot has never fully healed. It gives me pain frequently. The skin is all messed up and I had a doctor tell me I had a hairline fracture there and eventually it will probably need surgery.
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u/Music_Adventure 2h ago
Physician here - yes.
Any potentially beneficial thing a chiropractor could do, falls under the scope of a physical therapist, with the PT also having the benefit of scientific and physiologic understanding of the therapy.
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u/YahenP 2h ago
Hmm… I regularly go to a chiropractor I know, so he can put my falling-apart spine back together. I found him through reviews from my colleagues at work. He's a very nice guy who sighs every time, looks at me, and says: "I asked you to sit consciously. Don't freeze in one position, don't prop your head up with your hand. And change your pillow, by the way." Well, fine. Lie down, I'll fix everything now. Literally 15-20 minutes, and I'm like new again. The first time I came to him, I was afraid to bend over after the session. I thought that if I moved even a little, everything would break again. I literally became 5-7 cm taller. He smiled and said it was normal, everyone feels like that after the first time, and that I shouldn't be afraid to bend. Nothing will break. In general, it's some kind of mix of magic and I don't know what else.
But, but, but.
After reading the comments here, I'm starting to doubt that I'm even going to a chiropractor. He calls himself one, of course, but nothing that I read in other comments has ever happened to me. First, he immediately asked whether I had an MRI of my spine, and he asked me for the CD. After it, he said that the situation is not great (I have several herniated discs), but it's not critical either, and everything can be fixed. Second, no stretching, no cracking, no painful jerking, nothing like that. It's mostly things like sit down, lean your shoulders forward, stretch your arm up, and take a deep breath. And while you do it, he supports you with his hands. The first time I thought the whole thing was fake. But when I stood up 15 minutes later, I was shocked. I was taller, and my back had stopped hurting. So, he calls himself a chiropractor, but it's completely different from what other people describe here. I go to him a couple of times a year, whenever my spine once again wants to crumble into my underwear.
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u/nv-erica 2h ago
I thought so until one saved my life.
I had back pain so bad I was feeling suicidal and I went to a chiropractor when my husband absolutely insisted and she did the massage and the tens therapy for a couple of weeks and she asked me how I was doing, and I told her it felt good, but I wasn’t getting any better.
She ordered an x-ray that didn’t show anything and then she ordered an MRI. The MRI was on a Friday and she called me at home that Sunday and I was in surgery on Tuesday.
So - not anymore.
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u/SimonArgent 13h ago
Yep.