About a decade ago I was referred by my then-PCP to a fellow who didn't call himself a chiropractor-- the sign on his door said "manual medicine"-- but I guess he'd qualify as one.
I was having back and hip problems at the time. In four visits the "manual medicine" doctor did some nifty manipulations (details in a moment) and gave me some specific stretches and manipulations to do on my own, some of which I still use whenever my back flares up. Overall, it was a positive experience which definitely reduced the pain significantly and gave me tools to help in the future, though it was not some miraculous cure.
Visits were definitely a novel experience. One time in particular, a session started in which I indicated a tightness and pain in one spot of my back. He sorta frowned and set up his hands in specific spots on my shoulder and leg. Then suddenly he applied pressure and turned me into a human gumby. KKKRRRAAAAKKKK! Man, that was awesome! Dramatic! I thought for a second I might be paralyzed. :-)
Historically, there was a period during which there were a lot of quack chiropractors-- ones who claimed unrealistic cures for ailments not directly related to bones and joints. There may still be some of those, and they give the profession a bad name. But if your PCP refers you to a chiropractor, for reasons specifically related to joints, I would say give the chiropractor a try.
- Paul, who's normally pretty skeptical about these matters
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Date: 2007-09-19 10:47 pm (UTC)I was having back and hip problems at the time. In four visits the "manual medicine" doctor did some nifty manipulations (details in a moment) and gave me some specific stretches and manipulations to do on my own, some of which I still use whenever my back flares up. Overall, it was a positive experience which definitely reduced the pain significantly and gave me tools to help in the future, though it was not some miraculous cure.
Visits were definitely a novel experience. One time in particular, a session started in which I indicated a tightness and pain in one spot of my back. He sorta frowned and set up his hands in specific spots on my shoulder and leg. Then suddenly he applied pressure and turned me into a human gumby. KKKRRRAAAAKKKK! Man, that was awesome! Dramatic! I thought for a second I might be paralyzed. :-)
Historically, there was a period during which there were a lot of quack chiropractors-- ones who claimed unrealistic cures for ailments not directly related to bones and joints. There may still be some of those, and they give the profession a bad name. But if your PCP refers you to a chiropractor, for reasons specifically related to joints, I would say give the chiropractor a try.
- Paul, who's normally pretty skeptical about these matters