I'm a student very seriously considering a career in chiropractic. I would like to hear some opinions on the profession, results of care, anything, good or bad. But please, explain your reasoning.

If it had'nt been for chiro care I could not have continued working for many years.
I had to go to several before I found one who knew what he was doing, but it was worth it. Do some research on the web, its a great source of info.

I have been going to chiropractors since I was 13ish. There are a lot of philosophies in the profession. There is the 6 crack wonders (which my husband will do for me when I am feeling tight), there are the guys who think chiropractic is only short-term treatment, and those who believe it is necessary for overall health. I have been to all of the above, and I have stuck with the latter.

The 6 crack wonders seem to know very little about chiropractic. Basically I go into the office, lay on my stomach. They push on my back and if it cracks, great!! If I have a specific problem, I had to tell them. Not my favorite type of chiropractor.

The short-term chiropractors are my second choice. Basically you go into the office with a specific problem and they fix it. Once you are "fixed" you don't go back for treatment, until you need them again. Also not my favorite.

The long-term chiropractor is what I am using now. He is an overall wellness therapist. When I first went there, I got something called a subluxation scan. It is a 2 part scan. The first part is a temperature reading. It took the temperature on either side of my vertabrae and the differences were plotted. The second part is an actual reading of nerve impulses. It compares the level of the nerve readings on either side of the spine are. The two plots are then put together, and we then have a baseline. My Dr then every 6-8 months will do another scan to know how I am doing. With this scan he also knows where to concentrate his efforts. Of course, daily changes in stress, and other factors may effect my spine, so he has other methods to check where I am in need of adjustment. Also, my chiropractor has a wellness clinic, which is free and manditory for all new patients. It is to explain the importance of overall health and wellness, for example to eat properly, to drink enough water, the explain what chiropractic care is, and how his buisness operates. I believe wholeheartedly in this as it has helped me greatly.

I have suffered from migraines since I was about 13. My chiropractor is one of the best "drugs" I have to combat my migraines.

If you decide to become a chiropractor, please make sure you know what you are doing, and please explain what you are doing to your patients, you will have more loyal clients that way.

http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tongue.gif

If I may add my 2 cents. I too began going to a Chiro. as a child. Up until I wised up I just thought I would need to go for periodic adjustments the rest of my life. Three years ago I found that as long as I was not healthy I did not need to go back. If I would have some kind of accident and need to go in I certainly would. The Nutrition program I use keeps me healthy so that my back is now strong enough to keep the bones where they belong. Now instead of 2 or 3 visits per month it's 2 or 3 visits per year. If you will incorporate this program into your practice your patients will be very happy to tell all their friends about you. I won't say what the program is here in case it's against the rules. I can be reached at ********@mmcable.

[This message has been edited by moderator1 (edited 02-03-2001).]

[This message has been edited by moderator1 (edited 02-03-2001).]

Originally posted by Student:
I'm a student very seriously considering a career in chiropractic. I would like to hear some opinions on the profession, results of care, anything, good or bad. But please, explain your reasoning.

Good for you! I think it is a GREAT field and will become more prominent in preventive health care as time goes by.

I have been to a number of different dr.'s, each with their own technique and belief system. The most beneficial to my own needs have been those chiro's that focus on the whole person's wellness, an holistic or integrative approach. I like that my chiro works hand-in-hand with my GP and other Dr.s

One "specialty" I highly recommend is extremities work. Alot of dr's don't seem to incorporate this, even if they believe they are using a whole person approach. Getting feet, knees, pelvis and clavicle/shoulder area aligned does SO much to help support and maintain spinal integrity, I'm amazed more don't use it!
MHO



------------------
Copper
Let Miracles Replace all Grievances

OK. Everyone so far have given thumbs up for the chiropracter and here's a thumbs down. I'm sure that I had a bad experience and it shouldn't be construed as an overall opinion of the profession.

In Jan 2000, I had severe cramping and pain throughout my upper right quadrant of my body (neck, arm, torso). My neck was cocked down and to the left and I could hardly move it at all. I went to my doc who gave me some cortisone shots, x-rays etc. He decided to refer me to a specialist. While the HMO paperwork was in the process, I went to a chiro. He pushed my arms around and pressed and poked and diagnosed me a gall bladder problem which was ultimately affecting my neck with cramps. He cracked my neck (which was excruciatingly painful) and back and gave me some chinese herbal pills for the gall bladder. By the way, the adjustment did not help. Well, I went to the specialist who sent me to get an MRI. It turned out that I had a ruptured cervical disk at C6-C7 which was pressing on the right neural foramen. This was causing all the cramps, numbness and weakness in my arm and neck. 1 Neurosurgeon wanted to do a cervical fusion and 2 said no. I didn't go under the knife and I'm doing pretty well today.

Bottom line: That chiro was a quack and he could have screwed up my neck with the twisting that he did. I sure Chiro's help a lot of people but this guy was a complete Bozo.

sdp: Chiropractic isn't designed to fix your problem in one adjustment. It does sound like you either weren't explained to properly by the chiropractor, or you just went to one of the many who don't know enough about what it is really about. If you read my earlier post, you will notice that I had been to many chiropractors that were full of it. I have now found someone who suits me. I really enjoy it, because he explains the technicality of chiropractic to me and that allows me to make the right choices when it comes to my health.

So how are you doing now? Are you still all stiff? Did you end up having surgery? If you are better, what helped you?

i go to the chiropractor too. he has helped me out a lot where my medical doctor didn't.

Well, I am new to this board but could not help but type a reply when I read this post. :) I have been seeing a chiro off and on for 20 years. I went a LONG time between visits (15 years!) and did not really need adjusting for all those years. The times that I REALLY need chiropractic is when I am under a lot of stress. This is my life right now. I am working full time, a mother of 4 ADHD kids, VERY stressed out and overwhelmed, hence my return to chiro care. I have 2 chiros that I've been seeing and I had a TERRIBLE experience a few weeks ago at the one chiro who seemed to be able to crack me the best. I had overdone it in the garden one day and developed HORRIFIC muslce spasms in my right shoulder/neck. I could hardly move! I went in to see my regular family doc and he prescribed relaxants of course. After 2 types of different drugs I still was getting no relief. I decided to give my chiro a try. MISTAKE! I believe that my chiropractor did permanent damage to my neck. The first visit, he hooked me up to electro stim to help relax the muslces. It did NOTHING. When he adjusted my neck, I almost went through the roof in excrutiating agony! NO ONE AND I MEAN N O O N E SHOULD EVER BE ADJUSTED WHILE THEY ARE HAVING SPASMS!! :confused: I saw stars and was in so much pain I could not move and he kept attempting to get me to roll over on my side for a different crack when I had to almost yell at him to give me a minute, I couldn't move. Anyway.............after weeks of ice and then heat, I am able to move again but still have spasms and pain in my upper right neck/shoulder. He wanted me to come back for further adjustments and I refuse. Chiropractic is wonderful as long as those muscles are fairly relaxed. Don't EVER go when in spasm!! Chiropractic isn't all it's "cracked" up to be. It should be in combination with medical doctors.

Lorrie