Okay, I'm probably really late to this topic, but I just want to take a second to defend chiropractics.
In my opinion, there are two types of chiropractors: the gentle and the ones I loving refer to as the "cracky-poppy" kind. Yes, legit terms being used here (joking around.)
I first went to the more violent kind. I have migraines (almost every woman in my family does) and I do not have a natural curve to my neck. (Which I didn't know at this point in time.) He was an acquaintance who was willing to give me a free adjustment. He twisted my head around in weird ways and I hated it. It scared me and it hurt. My 7th vertebra actually had a stinging/burning sensation afterwards. He told me that I probably had existing nerve damage. Needless to say, I never went again.
Years later, I ran into an old friend from school who was a chiropractor and he convinced me to give it another go. He started off with taking my medical history (the other didn't), took xrays (where I found out about my lack of curvature), and did a few tests to see what I needed (bend this way, turn that way, walk over there, etc to see how I held my body and what seemed to be out of place.) I felt like an idiot, but I already felt like he was actually examining me rather than just grabbing and twisting.
When we finally got down to business, he had me lie on a table and gently (but firmly and quickly) pushed on one small area of my neck and was done. I rested for a few minutes, he checked everything one more time to see if it took or anything else needed adjusting and I left.
After that, I went back regularly. He was cheap, did house visits if needed, met outside office hoirs if needed, took payment plans...I was thrilled. After a few visits, my migraines went away. I can tell when I need an adjustment because I get headaches again. My stress levels were much more managable, my emotions more in check,and my shoulder pain went away.
He never said a word about the neck curve other than that I had it. He did address an out of place rib and a knee injury (the injury happened a week ago). He's always been upfront about everything; for example, my adjustments probably wouldn't hold too much longer than they do now until I exercised and built up my muscle strength.
I do plan on asking him about my neck because I trust his answers. I've asked him questions before where he has answered "I don't know." Or "an adjustment wouldn't really help that, why don't you try/talk to..." I even had a girl (who goes to the other type) tell me I should ask to get certain areas popped and had my doctor look at me like I was nuts and go "you can't adjust that!"
I've been going to him for over 2 years now and he's really helped me a lot. I've only gotten healthier since seeing him.
The doctors that twist and pop your neck...yea I don't trust them. I've been told they can make situations worse. However, that doesn't mean all chiropractic medicine is bad. They have helped a lot of people, but they aren't miracle workers and every field of medicine has bad doctors.