Thoughts on Chiropractors-- traditional vs.... new?

[DesertBlossom]

My chiropractor just retired and I am so sad.  I only went to him occasionally when I having neck, shoulder or back pain. His attendants would do some massage or electro therapy something or other before he came in and did adjustments. The kind of adjustments where you hear all the pops up your back and neck. It was amazing and always improved the pain I was having. And he charged a whopping $25 per visit. I only went in when needed and never felt any pressure to come back in regularly until the end of forever. My chiropractor before him was in another state, but he healed some serious head and neck pain that I was having after a car accident. He was also more "traditional" with his adjustments. 

In the last couple months I have had (limited) experience with 3 different chiropractors, but they all are doing much more gentle procedures. Literally like tapping their one hand as they hold it against your neck and shoulders. I can't really describe it. But the visits I had were not noticeably helpful.   The first 2 chiropractors I saw did adjustments on me and I did not feel a difference. Today I took DS in to a 3rd chiro who is the husband of a friend. I was hoping to make him our "regular" chiropractor. Not only is the initial visit quite expensive (and that was with the friends and family discount) he is another one who is doing these gentle adjustments with a "regular maintenance for the rest of your life" philosophies. 

I am trying not to feel jaded by this. Has anyone had this work? I would really like to find a good chiropractor for me. I can tell my head, neck and shoulders are all out of whack. But what I really want is a good crack! 😂 

 

[gardenmom5]

I found yoga is very helpful for that too.   it can be hard to find a helpful chiro.  I did have one who used an infared light to help break up scar tissue - that was helpful as well.

I'm taking my son to a network chiropractor.  I'd never heard of it before.  she started as a SLP, and noticed how many issues her patients had that were hindering their progress with her.  so she went back to school.  this one is unbelievably gentle, if you watched - you'd think she didn't do anything, but the relaxation is noticeable after one visit.   it is helping regulate his nervous system - but he's going in 2x per week (and is being fairly slow, even for this normally slower process.  she would normally be doing other things at this point in treatment.  he's not ready.).

[PeterPan]

I don't know. I started chiro 20 years ago when pregnant with dd because it was the "thing" in my dh's family. Continued chiro care through 2nd pregnancy, where back went tight, continued care (that made no difference on that tight back) and when I FINALLY tried to get care, went through another chiro and just about concluded the whole profession are under-qualified idiots. I'm not sure what they actually know anymore. I'm just venting. But MAN they're idiots and arrogant. They're either like oh yeah do x-rays, I'll fix you up, or they're like oh no we don't need imaging and we can still fix you up.

So I'm jaded. And like you, I get the occasional just crack my neck and the headaches stop kind of thing. So I don't know what I'm going to do. They're more like one trick ponies, not really doing anything but the cracking well, and sounds like you're running into people not even doing that.

What school did those chiros go to? Is that a commonality? I definitely found with massage therapists it varied. They were being taught to sit, not to work hard, how to last giving tons of massages a day, blah blah. So it could be the school they went to. 

Is there something about you that seems injured or like they needed to be careful? That $25 was crazy low anyway. Who is the chiro who retired sending people to? I'm surprised he didn't take in someone and sell his practice? Of course with prices that low, he couldn't, lol. 

And the dorkball who told me my back was about to break (yes, for real) also would adjust my lower back each time and never my neck. Jerk. So yeah, I don't know what they're teaching them in these schools. I was thinking next time I'm at the PT (where I finally landed to solve my back problems, it's going VERY WELL) I'd ask him if he has a name.

[Terabith]

I have only had luck with chiropractors from Palmer Chiropractic.  And it's always taken me awhile to find good ones in each city I've lived.  The one in Denver was amazing.  I swear he had a supernatural gift.  And the one in San Antonio was mildly effective for my issues but I am convinced fixed my oldest as a baby and possibly prevented SIDS.  She was six weeks old and not using the left side of her body at all before the adjustment.  Military pediatrician wanted to watch and wait and then refer to pt.  She had had a vacuum extraction.  He had five kids and was like, "Oh my goodness, this vertebra is bad.  It's associated with SIDS.  No wonder she's not using that side of her body.  Let me fix it."  And he did.  He was great with the kids.  Incredibly gentle but very effective.  My guy here in Roanoke is like pushing 80 years old.  I'm dreading him retiring, because he is like come when you need to and fixes you.  

[Carrie12345]

My experience with chiropractors is very limited to one old school (literally when he was finishing up school and needed practice, lol) and one new-school. Well, two, but in the same practice.  And I didn’t go for any serious reason beyond normal aches and pains.

I prefer the non-dramatic cracking, though I definitely still heard some big pops on my lower back work, and still got the occasional neck twist, followed by that hammer thingy if they didn’t get the shift they wanted with the limited yank.  I always felt better.

Unfortunately, with my insurance change, weekly visits flew out of my budget. I was somewhere in the $25-30 range and they did kids for A DOLLAR! Yes, $1. But I had to meet my deductible first. And my family deductible went from $1,000 to $13,500, so no.

[Pippen]

Palmer College here as well. But I think mine must incorporate some more modern methods. For instance, on some patients they incorporate a computerized sensor/activator that is gentler, but effective.

Edited August 3, 2019 by Pippen

[DesertBlossom]

11 hours ago, PeterPan said:

I don't know. I started chiro 20 years ago when pregnant with dd because it was the "thing" in my dh's family. Continued chiro care through 2nd pregnancy, where back went tight, continued care (that made no difference on that tight back) and when I FINALLY tried to get care, went through another chiro and just about concluded the whole profession are under-qualified idiots. I'm not sure what they actually know anymore. I'm just venting. But MAN they're idiots and arrogant. They're either like oh yeah do x-rays, I'll fix you up, or they're like oh no we don't need imaging and we can still fix you up.

So I'm jaded. And like you, I get the occasional just crack my neck and the headaches stop kind of thing. So I don't know what I'm going to do. They're more like one trick ponies, not really doing anything but the cracking well, and sounds like you're running into people not even doing that.

What school did those chiros go to? Is that a commonality? I definitely found with massage therapists it varied. They were being taught to sit, not to work hard, how to last giving tons of massages a day, blah blah. So it could be the school they went to. 

Is there something about you that seems injured or like they needed to be careful? That $25 was crazy low anyway. Who is the chiro who retired sending people to? I'm surprised he didn't take in someone and sell his practice? Of course with prices that low, he couldn't, lol. 

And the dorkball who told me my back was about to break (yes, for real) also would adjust my lower back each time and never my neck. Jerk. So yeah, I don't know what they're teaching them in these schools. I was thinking next time I'm at the PT (where I finally landed to solve my back problems, it's going VERY WELL) I'd ask him if he has a name.

If these had been recent experiences had been my first encounters with chiropractors I'd not likely ever try another chiro. However, about 16 years ago I was in a car accidents that started causing pain in the back of my head/neck. After seeing several doctors and  taking muscle relaxers (including an injection straight into the back of my head) and doing physical therapy, a friend referred me to her chiro. He did the workup and adjusted me the first day and I SOBBED the whole way home because for the first time in months it started to feel better. I saw him regularly for several months until I was healed. I saw him again a few years later when I put my back out while pregnant with #3. He was amazing. We moved to another state though. 

I have had had back problems off and on over the years. My biggest complaints right now are my neck and shoulders and I know it's because of the way I cosleep next to my baby. I wake up still with a kink in my neck.  

[Faith-manor]

I gave up on the new school of thought in chiropractic. It has not been remotely helpful, not worth my money. What has worked is yoga combined with 5-6 therapeutic (so not those comfy, relax you make you fall asleep kind) massages which work out the inflammation and restore good circulation. 

Those two things have been worth way more to me than chiropractic. But possibly one reason this is so is that I have specific kinds of soft tissue injury, not necessarily vetebra alignment issues.

When I was in college, I had an old school DO who gave what I like to call "brutal adjustments" but man did those things work and last a long, long time! I alignment problems back then which is a no issue these days.