Many of you will be shocked to find out that my Target obsession continues even though I was seriously injured at a Target store four years ago. While examining some folding chairs with Mrs. R, a loose rack filled with chairs broke off and came down on top of me. I actually wasn't going to say anything, but a Targeteer came by and made me fill out a claim. Good thing because when I awoke the next day my back was in serious pain.
Mr. Dub's family frequents chiropractors so he recommended I go and see their ... doctor, practor, dude? Anyway, I needed some quick relief so I made an appointment to get an adjustment. First mistake - I told them I'd never seen a chiropractor. Second mistake - going there. Because rather than give me a quick adjustment like everyone else appeared to receive, they took me back in a room and asked me to put on a black leotard. Yes, a black leotard. They had a whole closet of leotards in varying sizes. Reluctantly, I put on one to accommodate my adequate shapeliness.
Then, they placed little orange stickers all over my body and took pictures, I kid you not. This is the point where you think I was a victim of some doctor/practor/dude with a freaky leotard fetish. It's still a possibility, but since there were several female assistants in the room with him, I'm not sure. Turns out, he had some sort of computer program that would draw lines from my different body parts to see if anything was out of alignment ... or so he said.
He then went on to assure me that all my health problems - thyroid issues, endometriosis, bad hair - could be cured by chiropractics/wizardry. (I add the latter because this guy actually rubs a rock to locate people's pain. Also, there were anatomical pictures all around the room, but with words like "life force" where it should say spine. And I'm pretty sure life force isn't a scientific term.)
Anyway, after two hours and no adjustment, I fled his office, never to return. I ended up using another chiropractor, who fixed my problem in a few weeks by hooking my back muscles up to an electronic massager ... and Target paid for the whole thing.
But even though I had some success with the second chiropractor, I'm not totally convinced. I think they do help in some cases because they combine physical therapy and massage to decent results, but I don't believe they can usurp modern medicine. And I do not believe in a life force.
In fact, I think a lot of it is a placebo effect - or just that people like massages.
But what do you think?
Are chiropractors fo' real or super freaky?
Discuss.
4.29.2008
HTT - Adjustment Edition
Posted by Mrs. Dub at 6:57 AM
33 comments Leave a witty comment hereLabels: chiropractors, Hot Topic Tuesday, leotards, misadventure
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33 comments:
I just like the song "Super Freak."
Anyway, I'm with you with the rock rubbing. I don't think that works too well. I have my own rocks now and they don't seem to work. j/k The best part about chiropractors (I never know how to spell that) is they have a good understanding of the muscles/bones of the body. That is where the value is, stretches, massages, electrodes, and even some of the physical adjusting I buy. When we get to the rocks and the gun thing for adjusting I'm a little skeptical. Dr. Dub Sr. sure has invested/wasted a lot with them, yet swears buy it.
I put them with the holistic healers: they have some good stuff, but a lot of it is whack! (Conversely, I think there is a lot of over medication in the medical profession too.)
my sista will totally disagree with me... but you know what i think about chiropractors? quacks!
now, really, 'practors shouldn't be hurt b/c i think this about many physicians -- allergists, especially.
oh, and if anyone has a medical practice surrounding 'the secret,' i'm out.
and, you with bad hair?! yeah, right! your hair is always super cute!
I would be against any part of anything that required me in a leotard. However, I am a firm believer that there are times when my body needs to be stretched and pushed in a manner that I can't quite do on my own. I am actually in love with my massage therapist (it's a healthy kind of love, not super freaky), who has now introduced me to Myopractics, which is a gentler form of manipulation. It has worked really well for me and my poor ole' back.
I would never bank on skeletal manipulation to cure my Hypothyroidism or lack of estrogen though. My back would be great, but my home life would be hell! We've been given loads of information and technology to choose from and create our own happy balance. There is no need for one or the other of anything.
Um, my husband would love you... if he ever read a blog! He thinks they're bogus-schmogus!
I had never seen a chiropractor until The 3rd trimester of Pregnancy with my 3rd child and was having severe pain in my Pubic Symphysis, (that little cartilaginous joint that connects the front of your pelvis... where the sun don't shine) like so bad it hurt to turn over in bed and sometimes just to stand or walk. When it turned to "most of the time to stand or walk" I figured I'd better look into some feasible options, as amputating my hips and legs wasn't an option at this point.
So I googled it, and found some discussions about the very topic and that "chiropractic medicine" had helped some women. I was willing to give it a shot. And, I'll tell you what, it did help!
Now am I convinced of the practice in it's entirety? No. I can hardly even justify calling it "medicine", but I think they're good in their own element. The guy I see is a member of our Stake Presidency (not that that validates him what-so -ever! Just to make the point that he's not into Rock Voodoo) and has his practice is called B* Chiropractic and Massage therapy. And I'm ALL about the Massage therapy part! I think a good massage is completely worth while and more than just placebo-effect-good.
As for this rock rubbing, orange flag picture shooting guy, he needs his credentials re-examined
My sister swore when she started getting into "alternative medicine" that she wouldn't let it go too far. Well, she let it go too far. She can now heal all that ails you without even touching your body. Sometimes crystals are involved. I think the trick is to take the best of all disciplines, and leave the rest behind in the dust. Especially the leotards. That just ain't right.
Yes I think they are crazy and yes, I think they are miracle workers. Can they be both?
Mine was a lifesaver during my pregnancy. I saw him almost 3 times a week at the end. It was the only way I could walk, and it even helped me sleep. But boy was it hard to look past all the crazy. I ran in and out as fast as I could.
http://cootiecountdown.blogspot.com/2006/10/stop-kicking-my-tires.html
We lived on the campus of a Chiropractic College for 6 months. I actually worked there...and heard their theories, experiments and saw their work in action...and from all of this I can tell you one thing for for sure---"Super Freak" are the exact words that you are looking for.
Okay, I think your first guy was definitely a little whacked. I think it's also important to know that there are SO many different trainings and styles for chiropractors that even two people who've gone to the same school will practice differently.
I have seen chiropractors off and on my entire life. My favorite is the one that we currently see. He started treated my husband for a pinched nerve almost a year ago and started treating our entire family shortly after. Both of my older boys had early signs of scoliosis, which has been reversed by treatment. I saw a huge difference in the digestive system of my youngest after starting treatment. I didn't realize how much pain I was in until constantly until I wasn't in such pain anymore. I also have had pelvic issues with my last two pregnancies and no one ever mentioned chiropractic to me. One of the first things he had to do for me was adjust my pelvis. I was not surprised.
This is a young guy ready to listen and learn. I think that makes a big difference. There were also no leotards involved...lol. Just a pair of elastic waist shorts which were more than modest for my x-rays.
My final verdict, some chiropractors are complete quacks, and some are really awesome! Unfortunately the only way to find out which category one falls into is to go in for a visit. I love our guy, but if he started rubbing rocks, I'd be concerned.
Wow I could have written this post well except for the Target part. After my 1st visit of picture-taking and x-rays. I was to return for my adjustments and heat therapy. All my adjustments were done on a table in front of a whole room of people. Ummm no thanks.
I knew there was a reason my Mom told me they are witch doctors.
i don't believe in chiropractors, but your leotard story reminded me of a class i took at the b y. i don't remember what the class was called, but the main thing we did that semester was get pictures taken of ourselves in black leotards and figure out what clothing styles looked best on us. seriously, everyone should major in home and family.
My paternal grandparents both died of cancer (might have anyway) by exclusively opting for chiropractic from a Mormon DC of the wizard bent over traditional medicine. I have a strong bias against chiropractors. And let me say, if your lawyer or your chiropractor is on the back page of the phone book, you deserve what you get. Incidentally, most of them, phone book or TV ad DCs and attorneys, are actually in mutual referral networks to pump up the damages and their recovery in minor car accidents.
However, I think for some people, some chiropractors and other holistic practitioners, have some benefit, if the goal palliative and not curative. Lots of professional athletes use them at very high levels of specialized manipulation and physiotherapy. And traditional medicine opens the door by its tendency toward high arrogance, walled specialization, and low humanity. Still I note that all holistic practices seem to require repeated, routine treatment, whereas curative traditional medicine is periodic and interventional. Now regularity has its place--diet and exercise, fasting and prayer, etc. But the need for continual treatment suggests either an excess profit motive or a weakness in the modality.
At its best, chiropractic may make you feel better temporarily (even only by introducing the sharp contrast of the pain of the treatment), and if you're in chronic pain, that may be enough. However, while it appears they have cleaned up the practice a lot in recent times, I still believe there are more wizards than wizs and I would never use a chiropractor. But I wouldn't use an optometrist or a podiatrist either, and some of them are probably fine, too, but most impress me as either quacks or just under-skilled. However, my legal assistant is a good friend and someone I admire and trust greatly, and she swears by her chiropractor . . . along with her holistic practitioner, yoga instructor, massage therapist, aromatherapist, and crystal consultant. Different strokes . . . literally.
What a great topic. I have always been leary of non-doctors who pretend they are doctors. Chiro's, you name it. Never been to one and I think it's a bunch of hooey. Although, my grandma had an experience recently that involved a body full of parasites and a treatment that had something to do with a stick and her forehead and she was cured. I'm fuzzy on the details but the miraculous forehead cure makes me wonder if the diagnosis of being full of parasites was accurate in the first place?
I get tired of people saying they need adjustments all the time. What on earth are they doing that gets them so out of whack? The worst is BABIES getting adjusted; I saw that on TV once. COME ON.
oh my gosh! the leoptard with orange stickers. stop it. my sides are aching.
I don't believe in chiropractors. Why must one ALWAYS return if they are fixing you. The doctors usually fix you right away (sometimes) and you never have to return. Chiropractors on the other hands, you keep going and going and going and going and going and going and going. My mom finally gave up and tried physical therapy=). It worked!!!
That first guy was definitely a freak. My hubby is a chiropractor...a nice normal mountain biking, sweet dad kind of guy. No weirdness at his office...quick 1/2 hour exams and 2-minute adjustments.
The whole philosophy of chiropractic is this: "The power that made the body heals the body." In other words, a baby in utero forms without any help....the body knows just what to do to make a heart and eyes and legs. And the grown-up body can heal itself..it knows what to do. Only trouble is sometimes our nervous system gets whacked b/c there are blockages in the CNS...subluxations that prevent messages from your brain getting to different organs and so the problems begin. I guess the bottom line is that we should have more faith in our bodies ability to fix itself...Heavenly Father made our bodies to be fabulous machines.When we get a cut it heals back up without any help from us. Medication definitely has an important place but I think there is plenty of overuse and abuse these days.
Phew! I'll stop off of my soapbox now...but let me just say that I love your blog!
hhmmmmm... i'm not sure what i think... i don't know enough about chiropractors and their practices to say one way or the other. the only thing that i will say, is i think most people can fix their back problems by taking care of their own body themselves. you know... eating right, exercising. i used to have lower back problems when i was in college, but after i started exercising regularly (like doing yoga and pilates to strengthen my core muscles and doing cardio to have all-around strength), my back problems went away. now obviously, if you have a serious injury, you probably are going to need a little intervention, but i truly think that most back pain can be taken care of by taking care of ourselves.
i have only heard anti-chiropractor propaganda my entire life from my dad. and he has two brothers who practice it. they always scare me when they do freelance adjustments at anyone's house.
my dad is still sure that my uncle who adjusted my neck without my permission while i was just sitting in my own kitchen is the cause of all my frequent headaches. we'd sue him if we were those type of people and if he weren't my dad's brother.
i once had physical therapy/chiropractics done on my neck for several weeks and it was ok because the chiropractor knew how scared i was of neck popping and i cried everytime he did it. he would check and my eyes would start to water and some days he didn't have to.
all in all, i still have headaches and no chiro is going to touch me ever, not an uncle especially. robby, however, could use some adjusting.
what a random topic and SUCH a coincidence because just sunday i said to my husband for the second time: my dad thinks all chiropracters are quacks - aka, he thinks they are completely unnecessary. and my dad has a LOT of pain. he deals with it old school - by just dealing with it.
anyway, i don't know what i think about them because i've never experienced them firsthand. but my dad is a wise man, so i'm with him so far.
There are wackos out there. However my chiropractor in high school fixed my wry neck in seconds, and didn't have to go back. He was my friends dad. My sister worked in his office for a while. Decent guy. But the rocks? and crystals? come on.
I have to be careful what I say. My husband is a doctor (still weird to say), but my BIL will be a chiropractor (in one month). They have both had anatomy etc., but when my BIL insists that he has had as much training as a doctor, I just smile, and know he is sooooo wrong. My BIL also doesn't want his daughter immunized (my DH will be a pediatrician) but that is another topic. I've heard him talk about some of the philosophies of his teachers, and they are a little wacko. I could go on, but I won't.
stephanie - i took that same class! but at ricks. what a flashback. it was about finding clothes that look good on you (a recommendation from my mother who majored in clothing and textiles back in the day) and we donned black leotards in front of everyone, the teacher took our measurements, and announced our body shape. i'm a pear. then she took pictures of us and we became our own paper dolls. we designed and made our own paper clothes. i hated that class! but mrs. dub, i'm sure you looked ravishing in your leo.
I used to totally laugh when someone told me they believed in chiropractors. Then almost 10 years ago, my neck was kinked to the side and I literally couldn't move it for 2 weeks!! At that time I was doing martial arts and my instructor told me I need to go see his chiropractor. I laughed and told him I'd just go get something from the doctor. He laughed at me and pretty much forced me to go. After an hour there I was totally able to move my neck with no problems and it didn't hurt. It was the greatest thing ever! So, quacks or not... I'm a believer!
Your first "doc" definitely had something wrong with him. I have seen both sides of the spectrum as well, but have found a reputable chiro that takes great care of me and my spine.
I am not a "chiro" girl. I went to one once and my back hurt like crap for weeks.
The best part was the hour long massage.
I will never go back to the chiro...
Ok, so the first guy you went to sounds wacked out. However, I SWEAR by chiropractors. They have skills and can do things that regular MD's cannot. I have had several personal experiences. I have a chiropractor that I see who is also a member of my ward and she is WONDERFUL. I have had my back "go out" seriously. It is called, subluxation. One of my lower vertebrae actually gets out of alignment and I am totally crooked... and in terrible pain and cannot move, etc. My chiropractor uses a table to manipulate me and also adjusts me, then I get the electro- treatment for 15 min. I KNOW that no MD could re-align me. They might be able to give me meds to make the pain go away, but I need my chiro to get me back to the right shape. She is great. Besides, when I first got hurt a few years ago, she even opened up her office on Saturday and Sunday to treat me (don't let the other chiropractor know though!!) So, chiropractors all the way. Of course, not the kind of practor you saw the first time...crazy.
My family are in favor of the right chiropractor. (emphasis on "the right" as there are definitely quacks to avoid.)
Timely subject for me, as I'm currently debating about taking my newborn to one. His back just seems a little twisty. I had a nephew who had a mean twitch as a newborn, and the chiropractor alleviated it in one visit. I think you just have to get the right guy.
Super freaky. I had severe pain in HS due to volleyball and/or soccer and went to a chiro for a while and it just got worse, then I went to see a real doc with like xrays and stuff and he blamed the fractured vertebrae on the chiro. I know some people swear that chiro's cure everything from bad breath to itchy scalp and everything in between, but I have a hard time with that. I believe in yoga or meditation more than someone cracking your bones.
I only *heart* a chiropractor during pregnancy. Other than that, I do not visit. My sis-in-law actually has a horror story to top all horror stories: during her adjustment she had a STROKE!! She's like 30.
Super scary.
If a chiro is training for "Grand Master Shaman" or some such; if incense lingers in the air; if there is a compact disk entitled "Nature Sounds: Orcas and Humpbacks" anywhere on the premises--I am SOOO out of there.
Thank goodness there are chiropracters out there that call a spine a spine and a rock a rock. I think these folks do good things for the human body.
Our first married ward was in the boundaries of a Chiropractic school. You could be 'healed' whilst walking to Sunday School. It was great. My first counselor in the Primary Pres. was convinced her husband could eradicate my endometriosis and cure my infertility...(You had to learn to avoid eye contact or look physically distressed in any way...)
Although I have bad knees and I was given some great exercises to strengthen the muscles around my knees to ease the pain. It was physiologically sound and it worked.
I think a healthy working body can heal itself in many ways and I'm sure chiropractors do a lot to keep the body in healthy, working order. Like someone said, it's about not taking it too far...and using them in conjunction with other medical help. If (heaven forbid) I get cancer, my first call won't be to the chiro.
I'm married to a Physical Therapist and I think DC's are whack (hope my D.C. BIL is not reading this). I don't feel they educate their patients on how to correct and cure a problem, resulting in numerous and unnecessary appointments.
In a world where we are overmedicated and put so many toxins in our bodies, holisitic medicine is a nice alternative, but I don't know how effective it really is.
Leotards and orange dots? Ha! What a wacko!
Chiros definitely cross a whole spectrum. And I think there is a time and a place for them for sure. I had a fabulous Chiro who helped "fix" my headches with a few adjustments and several massages. I still swear by the guy.
Then there are the wizard, rock rubbin, fruit cakes who seem to brainwash everyone in their path with their crazy philosophies of healing.
I say, buyer beware.
And that, Mrs. Dub, is why you'll never find me in a chiropractic office. (Besides the fact that I look lumpy in leotards.)
It always seems like once one goes to a chiropractor that you always need to keep returning to get fixed. Like a junkie.
I know some swear by them, but I'll stay away from chriopractors and liver cleansing.
I'm on the fence about this one. I went to one once who totally fixed the horrible back pain I'd been experiencing. Totally AWESOME.
But my MIL? She sees a guy REGULARLY who, more often than not, ends up selling her on some $200 pills she NEEDS to take. He's a WACKO, but she believes in him heart & soul. BUT, she NEVER continues taking the pills because they do nothing for her. He's a quack.
You need to be careful who you choose, is what I think I'm trying to say. Plus, a friend of my hub's from high school is a Chiro & he's married to the Head Mammal keeper at the zoo, so you KNOW I'm keeping that relationship going strong.
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