many chiropractors out there ruin the progress of the profession (and, believe me, it’s progressing greatly). it’s unfortunate that there are still those chiropractors out in practice. they shun all things medical and don’t care enough about professionalism, the way real doctors should.

just as it’s been mentioned before, there are bad people in every field. obviously, you know this. however, something i tell everyone is to do their research when looking for a chiropractor in their area. not only should they ask around (friends, family, medical doctors, etc), but they should also be made aware of things to look for or look out for when finding a good chiropractor.

first off, credentials are important. also, see what school they graduated from. the best schools, in my opinion, are logan university, new york chiropractic college, and national college of chiropractic. also, you want to look for a place that doesn’t only offer chiropractic adjustments, but therapy exercises, therapy modalities, perhaps a physical therapist on staff, etc. typically, those chiropractors think more progressively and care more about getting their patients well than swindling their patients. lastly, you want to find someone relatively young and someone you feel you can trust… someone who genuinely cares.

there’s a dichotomy in chiropractic where on one side, you have chiropractors who are more medically minded and on the other side, you have chiropractors who believe everything’s curable with supplements and chiropractic adjustments. most chiropractors that are graduating today lean more towards the medical side. the “dinosaurs” of chiropractic thinking tend to stay over to the anti-medical side.

keep in mind that chiropractic is still a relatively new healthcare field and is still evolving. also, it’s got a history of being dragged through the mud by the american medical association for years and years in attempts to eliminate competition whenever the field refuses to join their umbrella (like the osteopathic field did). since the supreme court decision of wilk v ama, things have been going better between the medical-chiropractic relationship and they continue to get better as the years go on.

oh, one last thing… your brain’s great at making you think that something isn’t there. so, even though you might have something wrong with your neck that originally caused you pain, your thalamus kinda tells the part of the body that’s sending the pain signals to shut up… it’s kinda like tuning out a car alarm in the parking lot after hearing it for a few hours straight. just because you can’t feel it anymore, though, doesn’t mean the problem still can’t be there… for example, i’m sure your older male relatives don’t get their prostates checked because it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon. they do it because there might be something going on that they haven’t had symptoms of yet (whether it’s pain, bleeding, etc). understand what i mean?

anyways, i know what i just typed out may not change your point of view based on the ridiculous experience you had, but i hope it did, if not just by a little.

I just went to see one because I hurt my back at work. The first thing I had to do was watch a video that reminded me of the Darhma videos from LOST, there was a guy behind a big ol’ desk telling me how “special” I am because my doctor chose to have this machine and that I’m one of the lucky ones, they even had kids on there saying how good they feel. Do kids really need a chiropractor?

I swear I was joining a cult of some sort. On day 2 I noticed they have a bookshelf of books with a spirituality section, don’t get me wrong I’m a believer of eastern philosophies/religions as well as some new age views but still I found it just weird. I’m starting to think that the colour chart and the spine x-ray was just a ploy to get info on where they should insert the alien probe and make me one of them.

Another thing I noticed is that no one leaves after there treatment, by the time I was done there were a few families sitting around sharing jelly beans. wtf?

Anyways they sent me off with a “self help” CD that sounds like an infomercial and a 3 third booking. All while my company is waiting for a response from the “doctor” on how my back is. I guess I’ll tell them I won’t know until I earn my tin foil hat!!

Life University itself has one of the largest “drive through” Christmas light displays you will ever see for two months or so during the holidays. They have a huge campus in Marrietta Georgia, who do you suppose pays for all of this??? Their “leader” (think Manson or Koolaid) has that scary hard-purple-hair-preacher-on-TV look and is big on “continuing education”. Translation: paying the light bill at Christmas.

Ask any chiropractor is any state where they studied, if they say “Life” you will absolutely hear things like “Keep coming back”, “Turn on the power!”, I guarantee it. I know four “Life” chiropractors, two just casually that don’t know I’m aware of their cult and they all speak “Life” – test it.

I went to a Life chiropractor off and on for months in Marietta, GA and I think it was about 25-$30/visit – after all the show and dance, and x-rays from a machine out of a dumpster as noted above. The treatment was fine except the use of the “Spine-o-Lator” (no shit) that he always made my lay on after I was adjusted and rolled up & down my spine for 5 minute and was $15 extra.

I was then in a car accident, hit from behind and rolled over by a FedEx truck. I didn’t know what to do as I was not visibly hurt in any way, but was a bit dizzy, I did not go (refused) in an ambulance for care. I called my chiropractor and he said to get to the hospital for x-rays. I did so the next day and they basically kicked me out and said nothing was broken, but that’s about it.

Then I went to my chiropractor. I had been paying cash per-visit. He knew I had Blue Cross insurance, but if they file insurance they get paid less so I was a cash customer …. until this accident. Let me insert here this was my former, dyed in the wool “Life University – turn on the Power” Chiro. In fact, his office was so close I’m sure he picked up some sort of UFO signal from the hard-haired leader.

Does anyone see where this is going?

As soon as I went to see him after being x-rayed (which I did not carry to him), I went into the “exam” room with him and saw him remove my current chart that contained all my prior visits and grab a FRESH one. I’m not one to be meek and don’t give anyone any slack and asked what he was doing. He said we had to start over as it was going to be an insurance claim. I never saw my old chart again.

So let me speed this up as I’m tired of it as well. I did the initial treatment, he started a new chart and said it would take about 30 visits. He THEN told me, “I know a personal injury lawyer around the corner” … I know, sounds like a story but it’s true. So I hook up with the lawyer as FedEx would not own up to the vehicle damage and FedEx turned a third-party-Nazi business against me to not pay for my auto claim (Crawford).

My $30 rate, went to $90 to the insurance company (PLUS the Spine-o-Lator rate). I was FORCED to do ALL of the treatments, otherwise the “Lawyer” could not substantiate the personal injury claim. The lawyer settled with FedEx flat (I got maybe $300 for “pain and suffering/Diminished Value on the vehicle”) and after 12 miserable months it was done.

Yes Peter Pan, these stories do come true.

Listen, I have had chiropractic treatment off and on for 25+ years since I was very young. I’m very active, then have to sit behind a computer. I remodel homes as an investor myself, do HARD labor and get hurt. There have been many times when I have been in blinding pain and tried everything in the world to help to NOT have to go to the chiropractor, but once I did, a good chiropractor can give you relief. Is it “permanent”? No. Does it seem they fix it one time and break it the next sometimes? Yes. Will I visit one again? Yes.

Here’s the deal. NEVER let anyone professing to be ANY kind of advisor/medical/healer press you into anything you don’t want to do. USE YOUR INTUITION. If you feel uncomfortable LEAVE. If they treat you improperly, DON’T RETURN.

It’s easy to bash a person, practice or any segregation when you’ve been slighted. If you are in sever pain are at the end of options, chiropractic is always an option

If they are from “Life”, run. Otherwise should you seek treatment, get x-rays from a MEDICAL doctor (and keep them, they are yours) and if a chiropractor insists on “taking their own”, LEAVE.

If you believe in and start any form of treatment, just do what I do and with every visit, consider these people PERMANENTLY ON PROBATION!

Be well – Namaste’

To support my “LIFE” theory, look at this article, especially “Patient Education and Practice Building” http://www.chirobase.org/01General/risk.html

It’s no wonder that the fractures did not show up on his x-ray – the machine was so old that I’m sure it was inadequate. The fractures did show up on my primary care’s lab x-rays though. And he also tried to tell me that my neck and spine were too curved too, that I was on the verge of the “s” spine.

I never returned after I realized I’d been scammed. And I know others who have had the exact same office visits and treatments.

He got my insurance payment, but I never paid him $500 he billed me, and I told the attorney (geez, go figure) who recommended him to me that I was not going to pay it and I would sue him for malpractice if he tried to collect it from me. I never heard from them again.

Short answer…yes.
“One of the most fascinating recipients of tax money from the Institute is the United Religions Initiative (URI), dedicated to creating a global religion. It got $30,000.

One of the religious traditions considered legitimate by the URI is Wicca or witchcraft.”
Source: http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/government-funded-investigative-reporting/

Dr. Dalton RN, DC also wrote:
You do not have to be a medical doctor to be considered a “real doctor”.

Quite true. Last I checked they were offering doctoral degrees in all sorts of stuff. Those people get to be called doctor too.

Chiropractors just prove that you can get people to call you “doctor” while only having a 4 year degree.

“If you believe that you will never get well then you will not. If you believe that something bad will happen to you in life, then it probably will.”

Again, you have to believe chiropractic methodology works, for it to work.. If you believe it doesn’t work, it wont work.. At best, that’s called the placebo effect.. You’re convincing them that you’re doing something to make them better.. You have to “believe” in chiropractic for it to work.. Sort of like a religion that uses “faith healing”.. its basically the same thing..

You sell good feelings.. You try to convince people that they are getting better by performing (in your words, not mine) witchcraft.. You use big words like “subluxation” and funking little devices over them, then charge them outrageous fees..

Were we a couple hundred years in the past you’d be shaking a chicken foot over their head..

And as I said above, THAT’S NOT MEDICINE.. If I don’t believe in penicillin or even Advil, it still works.. Yet I have to “believe” for your cure to work.. Hrmmm..

At best, you’re selling those people a placebo and the placebo effect is doing the work that you’re taking credit for..

At worst, you’re frightening and even possibly hurting good people unnecessarily and charging them exorbitant fees couched in good will and trust.. That my friend makes you a sham artist and a snake oil salesman, whether you admit it to yourself or not.. You can get mad at me all you want but you have yet to prove me wrong or to say anything that would make me think otherwise..

All you’re doing is making my point for me..

Thanks.

Do you really think that the government or insurance companies would pay for witchcraft. No, they pay because chiropractic has helped many people and there is a need for this type of care. Everyone is not a good candidate for traditional surgery or medications. There is a time and place for every form of health care, you just have to find what works for you. Every single medication has side effects. Every surgery has risks. Studies have shown that the chances of strokes after cervical manipulation is very rare and about 1 per 1 million patients. There are many delicate chiropractic treatments and screening tests to rule out patients that may not be able to tolerate certain types of cervical manipulation. You do not have to be a medical doctor to be considered a “real doctor”.

I have worked in the Veterans hospital with people in tremendous pain and immobility and watched them decrease the use of their pain medications and become more mobile. These patients greatly appreciate or services so much that the military and veterans hospitals are expanding our services.