Has anyone gotten hurt by a chiropractor?!


Question:

Has anyone gotten hurt by a chiropractor?

I have this terrible pain in my shoulder and neck for a few weeks. I have been reading that a chiropractor could help, but I just saw a video of one and it looked like he was ripping the lady's head off. I don't think I could take that because I can barely turn my neck as it is, but I can definitely feel something is not right in my shoulder. So have any of you ever gotten hurt by one or is there nothing to worry about? Also how much were you charged? I dont have any insurance.


Answers:

I've seen a site, www.faact.com, about injuries and even deaths caused by chiropractic injuries of the neck. Check it out for more info. Also, google "chiropractic injury." Of course, most people aren't going to be seriously hurt, buy why take the risk? Something else to consider is that when chiropracters repeatedly "adjust" your spine, they are causing ligamentous laxity that will cause your spine to be less stable, so you'll have to keep coming back forever to get "adjusted."

To take care of your problem, go to your doctor and get a referral to a physical therapist. Of course, there are a few lousy physical therapists out there, too. I know-- I once worked for one. You might do better with a hospital-affiliated clinic vs. a for-profit private practice. A hospital employee will not have much of a financial incentive to treat you, and a lousy therapist will get fired, so you have a better chance of getting good care if you go with the big organization, not the little guy. I hate to be so cynical, and I know there are great therapists in private practice, but unless you have a good referral from a friend, this is the way I'd go.

Alternatively, a source I would trust would be the McKenzie Institute's website, www.mckenziemdt.org. The site has a directory of PT's with specialized training and certification in a specific treatment method for neck and back problems. The method works for most people, and I'd be inclined to trust anybody on this list.

A typical physical therapist will address your pain and help you with education and strengthening so you can avoid repeating the injury, but a chiropractor will want you to come back forever.

As far as no insurance goes, you can be seen by a PT without a doctor's prescription in many states. They are called "direct access" states. Therapy is pretty pricey, but the therapist can be sensitive to your situation and make the visits short and as few as necessary (especially true for the McKenzie-trained therapists.) Your participation in the home exercise program the therapist prescribes for you is vital, and will speed your improvement.

I've seen a huge hospital reduce the rate for therapy services for a private pay-patient, so you can always ask. If you really can't afford treatment, you could find Robin McKenzie's book, Treat Your Own Neck, or the new edition of it, 7 Steps to a Pain-Free Life. If the neck is causing the shoulder pain, you might be able to solve the problem alone. Even if you solved the neck problem, and the shoulder problem remained, you'd have one fewer problem to see a therapist for.




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