Chiropractice - genuine health benefits or hocus pocus nonsense?

[birdieman]

What's the forums views on chiropractors?

I visited a chiro for the first time today, nothing chronic but have been living with a slightly ropey lower back for a couple of years and thought what the heck, why not give it a try?

I found the session generally very relaxing and felt less stressed afterwards. Don't know if it's psychosomatic but I swear on walking out everything felt better -looser and less painful.

They don't half go to town on the back though - first manipulation caught me off guard! Ooohyahh!
Also finished with some hefty hamstring stretches which I knew helped lower back issues which reassured me that these people are talking at least some sense!

Anyway overall a positive experience for me and and I don't have to go back soon - guy suggested 6 months if I feel like it, maybe a year, up to me. That reassured me they weren't just out to get my money.

As I have ruptured a disc in the past he did say it'll never be 100% again but I can manage it with the odd visit to a chiro plus stretching, watching how I lift etc.

To be honest I think I will go back, make it a twice a year thing, keep the back in good shape. That's got to be good for golf hasn't it?

 

[Tiger]

Hey there. HID is a physio and it all depends on what's wrong. If there is an underlying musculo-skeletal problem visiting a chiropractor is a short term solution Aland for longer term resolution you need to see a physio. if Its not then it's something a chiropractor can help remedy. A lot depends on what the actual problem is.

 

[JustOne]

Out of interest how much was it, and for how long?

regards....

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I have had disc problems in the past and found an osteopath to be most helpfull

cost 40 per half hour

next day crippled, but soon got better

 

[CliveW]

I sufferd back problems off and on for over 10 years following a heavy landing in a glider. When it bothered me the doc would give me painkillers and send me to bed for a week. This never cured the problem and as I was going off to the Algarve for a week's golf I decided to try a Chiropracter who was an old school pal.
Two sessions later, my back was more flexible than it had been for years. That was over 10 years ago, and I do sometimes go back if I feel my back beginning to tighten up. I have heard of people who have to keep going back (No pun intended!) time after time and it seems like a money spinner.
As said previously it would depend what is wrong with your back as to how it is treated, but in my experience, it worked for me.

 

[THJahar]

In answer to you Title question.
Yes they are hocus-pocus and yes they do work.
In truth the entire practice of Chiropracty is based on the same mumbo jumbo that most 'alternative' medicine is.
But in reality, what chiropracty is is actually a deep tissue massage, that can relieve a lot of back pain and muscle tension.
One word of advice NEVER let them do the 'neck snapping' thing.
Tell them upfront before you start the treatment.

 

[birdieman]

JustoneUK - It took about 50 mins as an introduction (a fair bit of blether) session costing £65. Any subsequent visits will be £45.

THJahar - too late on the neck snapping! Am I lucky to still be here??

Tiger it seems to me that all physios put down chiropractors and vice versa.
I did the physio at the time of the ruptured disc, may have helped I don't know. This is 18 months on and low back is still a bit weak (easily twinged) and achy if I sit at desk or in car seat or on sofa too long, it's ok if I keep on the move, that's why IO went to see the chiro.

Just glad the back doesn't seem bothered by golf at all really.

 

[Ethan]

Chiropractic is OK if used as physio for back pain, but ardent believers, particularly in the US, assert that a range of other non musculo-skeletal medical conditions can be treated by spinal manipulation, possibly up to 95% of all disease. This is totally unsupported by any scientific evidence, and defies common sense and all that we know about medicine. No credible doctor (of medicine) supports their claims.

The British Chiropractic Association is currently suing a science writer and doctor who criticised their claims. I have signed a petition supporting the science writer.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Had a back injury in my late teens, which was never addressed at the time by the docs, so suffer bouts of bad back ache quite regularly. I've used both chiropractors and osteo's over the years and found them both very helpful. They are essentially trying to achieve the same aim - i.e. stop the back pain, both involve bone manipulation, but one of them focuses more on deep tissue massage. The muscles will tense and work harder if the bone alignment is out of kilter. I last went about 3 months ago, and have actually been the best I've been for many years, haven't had so much as a twinge in that period. My current chiro is also a golfer and no, they are not hocus pocus. Mine charges £45 for the first consultation, then £30 per 30 minutes session thereafter. Never pushed into returning, but if you don't go for more than 12 months, the next visit becomes a first consultation again.

 

[Ethan]

Had a back injury in my late teens, which was never addressed at the time by the docs, so suffer bouts of bad back ache quite regularly. I've used both chiropractors and osteo's over the years and found them both very helpful. They are essentially trying to achieve the same aim - i.e. stop the back pain, both involve bone manipulation, but one of them focuses more on deep tissue massage. The muscles will tense and work harder if the bone alignment is out of kilter. I last went about 3 months ago, and have actually been the best I've been for many years, haven't had so much as a twinge in that period. My current chiro is also a golfer and no, they are not hocus pocus. Mine charges £45 for the first consultation, then £30 per 30 minutes session thereafter. Never pushed into returning, but if you don't go for more than 12 months, the next visit becomes a first consultation again.

"The muscles will tense and work harder if the bone alignment is out of kilter."

Really? Which bones were mis-aligned?

Osteos do not have the same set of beliefs as chiros.

 

[Faldo_Fan]

I was the biggest non-believer going, and after a poor experience with a local guy, i went to a young lady that came highly recommended, the first interesting thing was that she diagnosed a completely different issue to the first guy (i had around 6-7 visits with the guy and felt worse each time). I started to feel the benefit after just one visit with her and now happily i'm sorted.
She did recommend a sort of MOT every 6 months to a year as a precaution......thanks Louise

 

[birdieman]

Chiropractic is OK if used as physio for back pain, but ardent believers, particularly in the US, assert that a range of other non musculo-skeletal medical conditions can be treated by spinal manipulation, possibly up to 95% of all disease. This is totally unsupported by any scientific evidence, and defies common sense and all that we know about medicine. No credible doctor (of medicine) supports their claims.

The British Chiropractic Association is currently suing a science writer and doctor who criticised their claims. I have signed a petition supporting the science writer.

I would concur with you on this one, I wasn't expecting miracles, just a bit of loosening up. If he'd started claiming he could cure everything I'd have been out of there. He was pretty realistic and has a large clientele of professional people, some of whom I know, and none of whom I would call 'new age' or 'dreamers' etc.

Some folk believe chiro helps, some don't but with my experience of doctors and hospitals I would not have that much faith in the medical profession either.

 

[need_my_wedge]

"The muscles will tense and work harder if the bone alignment is out of kilter."

Really? Which bones were mis-aligned?

Osteos do not have the same set of beliefs as chiros.

Not my area of expertise Ethan. I do know that they have different philosophies and ways to practice, but what I said was they are trying to achieve the same aim. Maybe I was trying to be too simplistic.

I don't know about the claims to fix most diseases etc. but I do know that when I've visited either, I've come out better than when I went in. I do find it interesting that scientisits are closing their minds to the possibility when science really should rely on an open mind that anything is possible.

 

[Ethan]

"The muscles will tense and work harder if the bone alignment is out of kilter."

Really? Which bones were mis-aligned?

Osteos do not have the same set of beliefs as chiros.

Not my area of expertise Ethan. I do know that they have different philosophies and ways to practice, but what I said was they are trying to achieve the same aim. Maybe I was trying to be too simplistic.

I don't know about the claims to fix most diseases etc. but I do know that when I've visited either, I've come out better than when I went in. I do find it interesting that scientisits are closing their minds to the possibility when science really should rely on an open mind that anything is possible.

"I do find it interesting that scientisits are closing their minds to the possibility when science really should rely on an open mind that anything is possible. "

I am a scientist and doctor, who works on clinical trials, and always find this sort of argument very odd.

This argument is, on the face of it, reasonable, but in fact is sometimes used as an excuse by charlatans who do not understand science and want to bypass proper standards of evidence and proof.

Science is not about open and closed minds, it is about plausible mechanisms of action, physiological processes, well conducted experiments (trials) and reproducible evidence of outcome. There is no evidence that the interfacetal joints in the vertebral column have any effect on any distant organs, or that manipulating them has any benefit. In fact, there is ample evidence to the contrary.

Also, even if there is no plausible mechanism for this treatment, there is no empirical evidence that manipulation works.

The claims made by Chiropractic are extensive. Check the web.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

"I am a scientist and doctor......"

Oh good - maybe you can help me......I keep getting pains in my knees - like they're about to give in. Can you give me a thorough exam and diagnosis via this forum please?

 

[Tiger]

Tiger it seems to me that all physios put down chiropractors and vice versa.
I did the physio at the time of the ruptured disc, may have helped I don't know. This is 18 months on and low back is still a bit weak (easily twinged) and achy if I sit at desk or in car seat or on sofa too long, it's ok if I keep on the move, that's why IO went to see the chiro.

Just glad the back doesn't seem bothered by golf at all really.

the way I see it is I know athletes who have seen physios, chiros, osteos or surgeons. Sometimes they guess right and sometimes they don't. And the guessing is being done by the person with the ailment. The issue isn't which of the options is superior but that they all serve different ailments and the problem is with diagnosis.

The most important thing is that your back is feeling better and you can enjoy your golf again.

I wish the medical profession would sort it out so patients can make informed decisions.

There's so much going on in backs that it's difficult to pinpoint the cause and then take the right course of action. The fact that all four parties think they are superior makes matters worse.

 

[Jahmoo]

I had an Lower Back injury when I was 19yrs old, 18 years ago, Doc told me to lie down and hope it gets better, well after time it did, but time after time the pain came back, once I suffered for about 18months, seeing different people, acupuncture being one, then some one mentioned a guy, Chiropractor, well 6days later I was pain free and then started to see the guy when needed to.

Up and till 5yrs ago, I was in so much pain and the Chiropractor did not help, at all, I had problems for about 21/2yrs this time. I took a year out from Golf, as was not helping.

I injured my back again in June, I decided to try a Physio, well he helped me, explained for the first time what I had got, Prolapsed Disc, he named area, as I knew L4 & L5, so disc in between. After 6 sessions things were back to normal, but I had Health insurance this time, so cost £100 all in for 10 sessions. The good thing with the Physio, after 18yrs or lower back problems, he was the first to tell me what was wrong. Now, I am strengthening my Core and he showed me how to use my Core in Golf, which will help me hit the ball further......it does.......and protect my back when swinging the club and every day things.

Chiropractor did work, but I have to say, its not a long term thing, Physio, a long term solution, without the promise though, as injury could easily come back.