Thoughts on/science behind chiropractic care?

[J-hop]

now that I've become a lot more active I'm thinking about visiting a chiro for preventative maintenance specifically around lower back pain. I don't currently have any lower back pain but I have several times in the past and want to try adding something different to my routine other than my current core strengthening work and stretching.

I'm a little skeptical on chiro though, a lot of stigma that they "set you up to be a repeat customer" and don't really do much other than temporary relief. I Haven't had much time to really dig into the science and thought I'd start here.

Anyone care to share their thoughts or reasearch behind the validity of the practice? Personal experiences? Did you find you improved in the long run or was it just a temporary fix?

Also a hot topic always seems to be neck adjustments. I've watched about 20 videos and neck adjustments just creep me out so I doubt I'll ever allow them to do that. Anyone research much into the safety of neck adjustments?

Probably been a million threads about this in the past but I didn't find any recent ones.

[RickDaTuner]

From what I understand general body pain from joints tend to be a result of of poorly exercised muscles which leads to muscle strain of the lesser used muscle in the area.
Chiropractors use stretches and other movements to release the strain on the affected muscles, but it does nothing to eliminate the problem, as its just temporary relief.

i've been reading that people have been having better and longer lasting success with massage rollers, as they stretch, re-align and work the affected muscles.

my $0.02

[Skyline_Addict]

I've had lower back problems for a while and it has gotten better now. Giving my body the chance to properly rest, improving my core strength by working out, and not having to sit in front of a computer all day for the past 10 months made the difference for me.

I tried chiropractic a few years ago and after about 10 sessions I decided to stop. I also felt that it was about getting you to be a repeat customer for life and not necessarily targeting your actual problem. The chiro I went to did neck adjustments every time, regardless of the fact that i was in for lower back pain. That's sort of what lead me on to feel that way.

I think a proper massage will have more tangible results, at least when it comes to feeling better.

[J-hop]

Yea I've noticed I've gotten way better pain wise since I moved away from a bodybuilding isolation exercise focus in the gym. Now my main training is Muay Thai, cycling, and a basic starting strength type routine. I think my previous focus was getting me too imbalanced.

I definitely do a lot of foam rolling and have a tiger tail at work I use for my quads after cycling into work.

Looking for something else and though chiropractic care might be an option.

Kinda sounds like the stigma might have some truth to it

[Buster]

It's pretty much just quackery.

And what isn't quackery is just massage.

[Hallowed_point]

Originally posted by Buster
It's pretty much just quackery.

And what isn't quackery is just massage.

Agree. I went to a chiro a few years ago (have gone to two different chiros) and I was really unimpressed with the "service" rendered. I think it's a scam. They spend most of the appointment talking to you , throw in a couple adjustments and send you on your way with a black and white photo copy telling you to ice/heat your muscles.

[R-Audi]

From someone who deals with back pain fairly often stemming from two compression fractures, Im not sure how I woud get by without chiropractic treatments.
Worth noting a good chiropractor doesnt just adjust your spine, these days they also do Active Release Therapy, accupunture, laser therapy and a few other methods. While it sounds odd it works, and the same treatments are used by almost every major sports team and therapist.

[botox]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
I tried chiropractic a few years ago and after about 10 sessions I decided to stop. I also felt that it was about getting you to be a repeat customer for life and not necessarily targeting your actual problem. The chiro I went to did neck adjustments every time, regardless of the fact that i was in for lower back pain. That's sort of what lead me on to feel that way.

I think a proper massage will have more tangible results, at least when it comes to feeling better.

Same experience here. Went in for Lower back pains and the guy never touched that area and just did neck and upper back adjustments/cracks. We talked and I said I also had arm/elbow pains and BOOM! he goes and cracks that as well. If they are a pro at anything, it's cracking things! He claimed that he can fix any pains anywhere but of course I would need to keep coming in for the rest of my life. After 10 sessions I ditched chiro and went to physio and they fixed all my arm/elbow and lower back issues in about 2 months (1 visit per week). Every time these pains creep up again I do the same exercises I learned at Physio and they go away cause I'm lazy and don't do them regularly if I feel fine.

[Mitsu3000gt]

It's BS. Any "doctor" that tries to sell you a package of treatments to get you in as many times as possible before your body naturally heals itself is a scam. Kind of like ColdFX.

I've been having back trouble recently (inflamed/strained disc I think?) and saw an Osteopath a couple times, mostly just to learn some exercises to do and have the area worked on a bit. It's one of those 1-2 visit type things then you're done. It did help me but it didn't "cure" me, I'm still waiting for my body to heal itself.

[speedog]

Similar to R-Audi, I've had a single compression fracture plus a herniated disc but I've been very fortunate in that I've had no recurring after effects. On the other hand, my wife is a regular chiropractic patient - a figure skating accident when she was 16 left her with one leg slightly shorter than than the other and while she is most likely more physically fit than any of us on this forum, the slight difference between her two legs is a constant irritant to her hips and back. While she uses acupuncture and active release therapies for longer term relief, her chiropractor provides the short term relief along with rollers, balls and such in our own home.

While I am somewhat sceptical of the whole chiropractic practice, at the same time I can not discount the positive benefits it has provided my wife as well as one of my sons and my daughter. In the end, I will continue to count my blessings that I do not have to endure continuing chronic pain/discomfort issues such as my wife does and the bad auto accident from almost two years ago that she was in has only complicated things with ongoing soft tissue injury issues.

[riander5]

I love all the people here who think its a scam. Once you get adjusted from chiro do you stop living your life and moving and have zero risk of ever going out of alignment or hurting yourself again? How many people here think they become less prone to injury with age?? Retards

Backstory, I've had chiro, osteo, massage, dry needling, accupuncture many times... due to sports, weightlifting, people crashing cars into me etc. Nothing is a miracle one stop fix...

For what its worth, if you have musculature issues.. dry needling is the best for that from my experience

Chiropractors are just like every other health practitioner, there are good ones and bad ones. Those of you who go in and get a 2 minute talk and a 2 minute adjustment, you are at the bad ones.

[94CoRd]

This may sound like I either am, or in some way work for a chiropractor, but I do not. I just used to be one of those people who hated chiropractors, and thought they were a complete waste - until I found the right one/clinic.

For those that go in with a specific injury, a good chiropractor will include him or herself in the entire healing process. They will refer you to a physiotherapist, or suggest other treatments like acupuncture, or massage. For those that don't have a specific injury, a chiropractor is just helpful in maintaining health - much like a dentist, or more similarly a massage.

To me, it sounds like most of you just haven't found the right clinic / chiropractor.

[A790]

But they took a weekend course!

[tonytiger55]

Ive had back pain for a long time. Ive seen different chiropractors and physios.

The only benefit I have gained is using a physio that works with actual athletes and also uses acupuncture. This is a short term fix though. Muscle memory always returns.
The majority of the remedy I found is doing yoga.

A lot of the back pain I have had is due to muscle imbalance, so one muscle(s) get lazy. The other compensates. This affects the whole bio mechanics of your body. Your body does not tell you... hell nooo. it just compensates till something seizes up or the over worked muscle cant handle it.

Yoga regularly, (by that I mean doing stuff properly and not over doing yourself) is pretty much the best preventive thing you can do.

[LUDELVR]

It seems like chiros are all in for the return treatment and when you're paying 50 plus for 5 minutes to get a crack where you're not necessarily feeling pain, it seems like a waste.

I went in and like some have said, I had issues with my lower back right above my tailbone and he was busy doing one crack on my neck and upper back. Did not help at all with what I was complaining about and even after telling him, his reply was that I need to keep coming back because each session builds on the next. I came back a second time and after the same speech, I was not sold on this and stopped and did some physio instead and it felt heaps better. I would also had my brother or my wife walk around on my lower back and I would get some major cracks and some AWESOME relief. Don't know if it's healthy or sound but boy does it feel good!

If I ever decide to do any chiro sessions again, I totally want to try this because I think it would be AMAZING!!

Asian chiro

[Buster]

There are two types of people:

Those who think anecdotal evidence is valid.

Those who know better and rely on the data.



The data do not support: acupuncture, chiro, magic, voodoo dolls, or prayer.

"But it worked for my Aunt!" is not evidence.

And then we wonder why people don't vaccinate their kids.

[phreezee]

My coworker's wife has a fractured vertebrae from a chiropractor. How's that for anecdotal? haha

[Kloubek]

I don't think the whole industry is a scam or a farce, but I think it is being marketed as a sure-fire science and it really isn't. The body is a complex mechanism that relies on everything to play well together. Injure or weaken a muscle here, and something is affected as a result. That in turn puts ______ out of sync. Before you know it, you're a ball of pain and you have one chiro claiming they can solve your issues.

Not quite.

I have had back discomfort for a long time - probably started about 20 years ago. I ended up pulling out my back doing virtually nothing one day a couple of years ago, and it was so bad I felt like I really needed assistance, so I went to give chiropractic work a shot. The first visit was largely the whole assessment thing, and of course I was told my back needed a lot of help. (Probably true, I imagine). He spent 10 minutes working on the issue in question - and as others have said - he barely even touched the area I had issues with. Yet, it DID make a difference. I wasn't totally better, but it helped a little.

I then decided to exhaust my insurance coverage and went for 9 more visits over the next 2 months. While my initial reason for going in faded (as it always does over time) my back never got better overall from where it was prior to the treatments. I still had constant discomfort without any noticeable reduction.

So now I just live with it, and have little faith in chiropractic in general. But the same could be said of many different treatments. People respond differently, so while I don't have a personal faith in it I don't think any of us should rule it out as a possible treatment for others. Give it a shot, and do what works for you.

[A790]

Many office workers with back/neck pain would benefit immensely from using a standing desk. Costs less than a chiro, solves a lot of the problem.

[klumsy_tumbler]

Add me to the list of "non-believers". I went to one to try to address migraines, and ended up getting worse headaches afterwards. Decided to try another fairly recently, and abandoned the notion after the hardcore sales pitch approach he took.

I've had compression fractures in by my back and neck (along with a multitude of other injuries), and physiotherapy has always been my go-to.

That being said, it is very likely that there ARE good chiros out there, and I think that it would be ignorant to say that one type of practitioner (physio included) can fix ALL issues. Just have to find a balanced approach