Your Opinion on Chiropracters - Page 2 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Jeff Lebowski · 05-18-2007, 05:02 AM

Chiropractors are OK only when handled with extreme caution. Many are quacks as has been stated above. Nevertheless, they can be useful. For the past six months I have suffered from a very tight and stiff back. It just seemed to get worse and worse. On a friend's recommendation, I went to a chiro in Orem. His specialty is deep muscle massage. He has a little device that looks like brass knuckles and he works me over big time. After the first visit, I was literally black and blue up and down my back. But it really gets the blood flowing in the muscles and works out the lactic acid and scar tissue. I have gone 4-5 times now and it has made a huge difference. I humor him and let him do his little "adjustment" thing at the end, but it is the intense muscle massage makes the difference. He also has taught me some good stretches and has coached me a bit on how to adjust my weight-lifting workouts.

creekster · 05-18-2007, 05:32 AM

There seem to be two types of Chiros: Those who peddle homeopathinc type remedies and those who specialize in orthopedic adjustments. The former are quacks, IMO, the latter can be very helpful, if used prudently.

SteelBlue · 05-18-2007, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

think of chiros as a specialized form of physical therapists.

I have to stick up for PT's here. I'd wager that most chiros couldn't get into PT school.

RockyBalboa · 05-18-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Chiropractors are OK only when handled with extreme caution. Many are quacks as has been stated above. Nevertheless, they can be useful. For the past six months I have suffered from a very tight and stiff back. It just seemed to get worse and worse. On a friend's recommendation, I went to a chiro in Orem. His specialty is deep muscle massage. He has a little device that looks like brass knuckles and he works me over big time. After the first visit, I was literally black and blue up and down my back. But it really gets the blood flowing in the muscles and works out the lactic acid and scar tissue. I have gone 4-5 times now and it has made a huge difference. I humor him and let him do his little "adjustment" thing at the end, but it is the intense muscle massage makes the difference. He also has taught me some good stretches and has coached me a bit on how to adjust my weight-lifting workouts.

Jeff...would you mind sending me a boardmail with this guy's number? I've been experiencing the same things for a long time with my back and would think about giving him a chance.

Thanks.

Jeff Lebowski · 05-18-2007, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

Jeff...would you mind sending me a boardmail with this guy's number? I've been experiencing the same things for a long time with my back and would think about giving him a chance.

Thanks.

Done. Good luck.

Archaea · 05-18-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

I have to stick up for PT's here. I'd wager that most chiros couldn't get into PT school.

I trust PTs to get me healthy after an accident or sports injury especially if it's non back related.

I trust first the surgeon for backs and next whichever group the surgeon recommends. I know people who cannot receive relief from traditional aleopaths and have found it through chiropractic. That is all.

In my mind, they can't cure anything, but do help alleviate discomfort in the muscular-skeletar region of the back.

RockyBalboa · 05-18-2007, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Done. Good luck.

Muchas Gracias

RockyBalboa · 05-18-2007, 05:33 PM

One place where I think Physical Therapists really help out a lot is with Senior Citizens.

Both of my parents have had need of them often over the past few years, and most recently with my 71 year old mom breaking her humerus. Without the help of PT she'd taken a lot longer to get her motion and strength back.

San Juan Sun · 06-16-2007, 09:11 PM

Whoever you go to, ask about the mechanisms of your complaint. And ask how the treatment being prescribed alters those mechanisms.

I have no idea how a "spinal misalignment" and adjustment really work. Most back pain can be broken down into a few categories:

1. Muscular pain - Just like how your biceps get sore when you do more curls. This kind of pain usually resolves by itself in 72 hours or so, and is sometimes helped by NSAIDS, etc.

2. Connective tissue pain - The tissues that cover and connect muscle to bones. This is commonly the etiology of the pain that sends people to the chiro or doctor's office. When people get a back strain, they get inflammation in these tissues due to microtrauma. The pain reduces mobility, and you end up with muscle spasms that are acting to splint the injury (and people mistake the spasm as the actual injury). These take longer to heal, but studies show that most heal within 4 weeks, and that chiropractic has not shown any benefit in reducing the length of healing time. What does help are things that decrease inflammation and improve mobility: NSAIDS, stretching and tolerable exercise, and steroid injections.

3. Structural Instability - True structural problems will present with degrees of neurological dysfunction. These can be catastrophic, and of course are much more rare.

So when it comes to chiros, be wary. Ask your chiro if he's a "straight" or a "mixer". Ask how true he is to Palmer's belief that "chiropractic is the wellspring of human health". Ask about mechanisms. If you like the chiro because you fell a little better after you go, and you don't mind departing with a little less of your disposable income, that's your perogative. But RUN from the guys who tell you that they can do anything more than make your back feel better.

As for myself, I don't like throwing money away, and I've seen far too many fractured spines that have been cracked by chiros. So I won't be joining you if you want to go.

05-18-2007, 05:02 AM	#11
Jeff Lebowski Charon Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the heart of darkness (Provo) Posts: 9,564	Chiropractors are OK only when handled with extreme caution. Many are quacks as has been stated above. Nevertheless, they can be useful. For the past six months I have suffered from a very tight and stiff back. It just seemed to get worse and worse. On a friend's recommendation, I went to a chiro in Orem. His specialty is deep muscle massage. He has a little device that looks like brass knuckles and he works me over big time. After the first visit, I was literally black and blue up and down my back. But it really gets the blood flowing in the muscles and works out the lactic acid and scar tissue. I have gone 4-5 times now and it has made a huge difference. I humor him and let him do his little "adjustment" thing at the end, but it is the intense muscle massage makes the difference. He also has taught me some good stretches and has coached me a bit on how to adjust my weight-lifting workouts. __________________ "... the arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice." Martin Luther King, Jr.

05-18-2007, 05:32 AM	#12
creekster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: the far corner of my mind Posts: 8,711	There seem to be two types of Chiros: Those who peddle homeopathinc type remedies and those who specialize in orthopedic adjustments. The former are quacks, IMO, the latter can be very helpful, if used prudently. __________________ Sorry for th e tpyos.

05-18-2007, 05:33 PM	#18
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	One place where I think Physical Therapists really help out a lot is with Senior Citizens. Both of my parents have had need of them often over the past few years, and most recently with my 71 year old mom breaking her humerus. Without the help of PT she'd taken a lot longer to get her motion and strength back. __________________ Masquerading as Cougarguards very own genius dumbass since 05'.

06-16-2007, 09:11 PM	#19
San Juan Sun Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Running the bowel Posts: 21	Whoever you go to, ask about the mechanisms of your complaint. And ask how the treatment being prescribed alters those mechanisms. I have no idea how a "spinal misalignment" and adjustment really work. Most back pain can be broken down into a few categories: 1. Muscular pain - Just like how your biceps get sore when you do more curls. This kind of pain usually resolves by itself in 72 hours or so, and is sometimes helped by NSAIDS, etc. 2. Connective tissue pain - The tissues that cover and connect muscle to bones. This is commonly the etiology of the pain that sends people to the chiro or doctor's office. When people get a back strain, they get inflammation in these tissues due to microtrauma. The pain reduces mobility, and you end up with muscle spasms that are acting to splint the injury (and people mistake the spasm as the actual injury). These take longer to heal, but studies show that most heal within 4 weeks, and that chiropractic has not shown any benefit in reducing the length of healing time. What does help are things that decrease inflammation and improve mobility: NSAIDS, stretching and tolerable exercise, and steroid injections. 3. Structural Instability - True structural problems will present with degrees of neurological dysfunction. These can be catastrophic, and of course are much more rare. So when it comes to chiros, be wary. Ask your chiro if he's a "straight" or a "mixer". Ask how true he is to Palmer's belief that "chiropractic is the wellspring of human health". Ask about mechanisms. If you like the chiro because you fell a little better after you go, and you don't mind departing with a little less of your disposable income, that's your perogative. But RUN from the guys who tell you that they can do anything more than make your back feel better. As for myself, I don't like throwing money away, and I've seen far too many fractured spines that have been cracked by chiros. So I won't be joining you if you want to go.