Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Chiropractics- Is it legit?

lurkette · 09-10-2004, 10:52 AM

Chiropractic is definitely legit for treating back/shoulder/neck pain and headaches. A number of years ago, after ignoring the consequences of a stupid and fairly serious back injury, I woke up unable to sit up, let alone walk. Someone literally carried me to a chiropractor and I walked out of the office. I still had pain, but after a few visits it was markedly better, and a few months later my back was totally normal. I still occasionally go for adjustments when I've strained something or when I can tell something's obviously out of whack (my rib heads sometimes rotate out of place and boy does THAT hurt!).

Where you want to pay close attention is when chiropractors claim to be able to cure any number of other ailments through chiropractic alone. I don't necessarily think it's all quackery, just that the scientific jury is definitely out on chiropractic treating, say, gall bladder disease or cancer or diabetes. There's some evidence that they actually can treat sinus ailments, and maybe ear infections, but for the most part stick to a chiropractor for skeletomuscular stuff, and go to a GP for anything internal.

You might also want to combine chiropractic treatments with massage therapy and yoga, which will help speed healing and make relapses less likely. If your spine's out of whack, the muscles distort and get out of whack to compensate, and moving the spine back where it belongs can actually cause muscle pain as the muscles struggle to readjust or to pull your bones back where the muscles are used to. Massage can calm the muscles down, and yoga will develop strength and flexibility to prevent injury in the first place.

Good luck!

Oh, one more thing - chiropractors are a lot less likely to jump to surgery as a primary treatment for back and neck pain, which I think is definitely a positive. I can't tell you how many friends I have who were told by traditional doctors that they NEEDED back/neck surgery, and that even the surgery wouldn't get them back to 100%, and who went instead to chiropractors and regained full functionality. Without getting cut open.

09-10-2004, 10:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
lurkette My future is coming on Moderator Emeritus Location: east of the sun and west of the moon	Chiropractic is definitely legit for treating back/shoulder/neck pain and headaches. A number of years ago, after ignoring the consequences of a stupid and fairly serious back injury, I woke up unable to sit up, let alone walk. Someone literally carried me to a chiropractor and I walked out of the office. I still had pain, but after a few visits it was markedly better, and a few months later my back was totally normal. I still occasionally go for adjustments when I've strained something or when I can tell something's obviously out of whack (my rib heads sometimes rotate out of place and boy does THAT hurt!). Where you want to pay close attention is when chiropractors claim to be able to cure any number of other ailments through chiropractic alone. I don't necessarily think it's all quackery, just that the scientific jury is definitely out on chiropractic treating, say, gall bladder disease or cancer or diabetes. There's some evidence that they actually can treat sinus ailments, and maybe ear infections, but for the most part stick to a chiropractor for skeletomuscular stuff, and go to a GP for anything internal. You might also want to combine chiropractic treatments with massage therapy and yoga, which will help speed healing and make relapses less likely. If your spine's out of whack, the muscles distort and get out of whack to compensate, and moving the spine back where it belongs can actually cause muscle pain as the muscles struggle to readjust or to pull your bones back where the muscles are used to. Massage can calm the muscles down, and yoga will develop strength and flexibility to prevent injury in the first place. Good luck! Oh, one more thing - chiropractors are a lot less likely to jump to surgery as a primary treatment for back and neck pain, which I think is definitely a positive. I can't tell you how many friends I have who were told by traditional doctors that they NEEDED back/neck surgery, and that even the surgery wouldn't get them back to 100%, and who went instead to chiropractors and regained full functionality. Without getting cut open. __________________ "If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France Last edited by lurkette; 09-10-2004 at 10:54 AM..