YSK that chiropractors are not medical doctors and "Systematic reviews... have found no evidence that chiropractic manipulation is effective"

Anything a chiropractor can do that will actually help, a PT can do better. They'll also teach you what exercises to do to prevent needing to see them again.

A chiropractor will just tell you to come to them more often, and take more of your money over time.

its not just not helpful, it can be deadly/dangerous.

strokes are triggered by these idiots.

But boy, oh boy. Say this to a believer and get ready to loose an afternoon.

People should also be aware of the growing number of alternative mental therapists popping up everywhere due to the shortage in actual psychologists.

They are nothing more than life coaches with a six-month certificate in whatever-the-fuck, most of which are disguised as Masters qualifications from wherever-the-fuck.

Chiropractors and osteopaths only exist in such large numbers because they bill less to insurers than actual doctors & hospitals. So of course insurers are going to promote these quacks because it's cheaper than somebody going to an actual physiotherapist for treatment.

There should really be legislation that requires insurers to cover science & evidence based treatments. If someone wants woo it should be at additional expense to them, not part of a standard policy.

I am actually really torn about this one, on one hand I had one episode of back pain that lasted nearly a year, swearing up and down the whole time that chiropractors were basically witch doctors and that I would never go to one. However, when I finally caved and went to one he fixed my issue after two sessions. On the other hand, my more recent back pain was not helped after I saw my chiropractor four times. In addition, I work as a nurse and have now seen at least three patients come in with vertebral dissections, essentially a stroke, that occurred literally right after they had seen a chiropractor for neck pain. Anecdotally, I would say it isn't worth the risk. Had I done physical therapy and used bought a tens unit the first time I'm sure it would have also fixed it without the chiro, but I was lazy

If you have spinal or neck pain, see a licensed physiotherapist. If you have a toothache, do you go to a toothiologist to have your teeth punched? Or do you go to a doctor of dental medicine?

If you see a youtuber calling themselves Dr. and giving out medical advice, 99% they are a chiropractor.

It does take an entire weekend of school to get certified though.

I know people that swear by it which I can kind of understand if you have pain and they "pop" something and you feel better. But is it really helping if you have to keep going back?

One of my best friend’s fathers was an MD before retiring.

The cadaver he used in med school: broken neck during an “alignment” at a chiropractor’s office.

Anecdotal evidence for sure, but definitely a story that I think of whenever someone talks about going to a chiropractor.

That image feels designed to look like porn at a passing glance.

Don't "patients" like die from this all the time/randomly?

Quick reminder that Physios and Chiros outside America face different rules for accreditation, and may not warrant similar judgement.

If chiropractic was legit people wouldn’t have to keep going back for more “treatment”.

If you’ve got a bad back, watching your posture and doing some core strength training is more effective.

I think this depends on the kind of chiropractic work. If they are just there to pop bubbles for that crack, then nothing is happening. I got into a car accident and my insurance sent me to a chiropractor that never cracked my back. Instead he gave me physical therapy, got me MRI images to check for an cracks on my spine or hernias in my discs, and gave me some equipment to help relax my back muscles and provide support to my bacl. I feel like this kind of work actually does provide benefit. I don't go anymore since all of that stuff is cleared up now, but I would trust that guy with my back again if I needed it.

it's an interesting decision to exclude

with the possible exception of treatment for back pain.

and

Spinal manipulation may be cost-effective for sub-acute or chronic low back pain

from the title here

Physical therapy will always be the better route.

See also: How Chiropractic Started as a Ghost Religion

Almost like alternative medicine is an alternative to medicine. Sue these scammers out of existence.

Well that's just great. Where am I supposed to go to get my vertebral artery dissection now?

Ya it doesn’t. It’s pseudo science that gives you temporary relieve. It doesn’t cure you of back pains permanently

This is one of those things, like acupuncture, that I will not fault anyone else for engaging in. There's no hard evidence that they are effective, but if it helps you with your problem (even if it's all in your head), then it was worth it, was it not?

I know people who have had their lives improved and their mobility restored thanks to chiropractors. I also know one or two who swear they got scammed for years because the pain always comes back really quickly.

I may not personally recommend a chiro to someone as a solution to their back or neck pain, but I won't discourage them from going if they are considering it.

My insurance has chiropractors as a separate category with its own maximum $. Meanwhile physio & every other athletic therapy excluding RMT gets lumped into a single category. It's fucking bullshit and I can only assume someone was payed off to make it happen. $500 a year of insurance $ I can't use without endangering myself.

You know it's a legit therapy if a dead doctor told you in a seance about it.

Saw a chiropractor because I was starting to wake up with back pain every morning. Bought into something like a 3 month, twice per week program because the loss of sleep was really bad and he said he was pretty sure it would help.

After 3 months, I was still having a lot of difficulty. After an adjustment I'd be fine the next night but it would come right back.

So I decided to just go buy a high end new mattress. Boom. Every night after was a no-pain night. Never went back to the chiro.

Even if they made me feel better it is so temporary that I'd have to come again, and again. I'd rather go to a massage therapist who could also get the rest of my body too without the risk of vertebral artery dissection.

The best thing I've found for my back is slow, varied motions and stretches. I do tai chi and qigong and they really loosen me up.

The amount of people in this thread not reading more than the headline is mind numbing.

I went to a chiro for a while and it did help but I think it was mainly because they'd have me do a fairly comprehensive set of stretches at the beginning of each visit. I stopped going to the chiro but I keep doing the stretches.

More like chiroquacktors! Haha, you get it? Because....

So in other news the sky is blue.

Pseudo-scientific jibber-jabber doesn't actually work? Color me shocked

Permanently Deleted

Generally agree with this, but one time when I was little landed on my back on the edge of a trampoline and really hurt my back. After some back and forth my parents took me to a chiropractor who fixed my pain, saying I probably moved a disk onto a nerve or something like that.

So I think pain caused by physical movement of the spine like my injury is totally legit as a reason to go to one

I read about one of these guys breaking sick arm bone lol. On the other hand, where I live, these guys have to literally go through similiar shit like physiologists so theyre as safe as any other quack with paper is. I have mixed feelings.

TL;DR for those in a rush: it's quackery.

See, you are not a real doctor, Allen!

That’s not true.

I know this but I still don't understand it. I started visiting a chiropractor for my first time last year and I'm old. I couldn't sit for a week. I couldn't get my socks on. I couldn't lay in any position in bed except on my back. I went, and I was immediately 80-90% better. Had to do followups for about 6 weeks and I haven't been back 😂.

I don't understand why they aren't.

Of course core strengthening is always better but that's preventative.

Chiropractic has its benefits. The problem is that you can't make a living if all you are doing is the few things that chiropractic works for. That's why they have to make all kinds of spectacular claims about the benefits and rope you into 6 months of twice a week visits.

The Dr I went to as a kid was an MD and had a chiropractic license. He was able to reset my rib when it got knocked out from being shoved between the seats on the school bus.

"with the possible exception of treatment for back pain"

Incomplete quotes to further an agenda? I thought we left that behind with reddit? @OP, take this to shitposts if you're shit at posting :(

I recently learned that chiropractors in Switzerland are very different. They are all medical doctors and need to fulfill strict requirements so they can work as chiropractor. It is also a common thing here to go to chiropractors and I have never heard of any accidents.

Damn, Lemmy really is just condensed Reddit circle jerks at this point.

False, I go and feel better afterwards, check mate

It seems to me that atlas orthogonal adjustment is more of a real thing offered than just getting your neck twisted, then again as someone who probably needs that (I had whiplash many years ago) I have no idea if the places near me have the equipment for it (or x-ray stuff needed) so that along with paperwork/scheduling has stopped me.

Everyone will have different experiences. Going to a chiropractor helped me with my posture in the long term. After my first visit it was no longer uncomfortable to stand up straight. I used to have this lump in the back of my neck and whatever they did made that go away. I did initially go for back pain and I can't say if the visits helped with back pain in the long term but the adjustment did help me with my posture.

An osteopath is usually the best choice.

Correct, they are Doctors of Chiropractic.

Unfortunately a lot of misinformation exists which has hurt the field.

Oddly, people have no problem shitting all over this profession but yet religiously trust Western medicine and pharmaceuticals... And people still die.

Maybe lead with facts instead of spreading FUD?

Uh, yeah, having had several accidents resulting in vertebral subluxation or a rotated SI joint that was only corrected and relieved by chiropractors, whoever came up with that conclusion can fuck all the way off.

This is a very north american opinion, which also happens to be very condescending in tone, while op explicitly dismiss commenters who disagree with them. The practices designated by the various terms, such as chiropractors, osteopath, physical therapists, etc. vary depending on the countries and contexts, especially in some european countries where chiropractors must answer to the same standards and regulations as the other medical professions. This should be taken into account.

According to “studies”, everything causes cancer and everything doesn’t cause cancer. Don’t pay too much attention to a wiki that could have easily been “doctored”.

YSK that Medical Doctors are also not Chiropractors. This is why the letters after their names are different. M.D. means Medical Doctor, and D.C. means Doctor of Chiropractic. The major differences in their educations being Surgery, and Drugs for the MDs, and Nutrition, Physical Therapy, Manual Therapy are studied more by DCs. Depending on licensure laws both can order imaging, laboratory testing, and prescribe massage or physical therapy. Also the MD will only have 3-7 minutes to spend with you, and the DC will have much more time to do intake, history, therapy, and to explain what is going on with you and what can be done to improve your situation. Here's a fun fact for ya, some of the injuries attributed to joint manipulation, and this is well documented, were from barbers, kung fu teachers, and yes, MDs and PTs who went to a weekend course in manipulation, instead of the numerous semesters of learning that a DC will have as part of their normal coursework.

@NataliePortland, what's your issue? Why do you care so much about this particular topic?