Chiro VS Physio

[Keej613]

Just wanted to share this with all of the older / injured bullies for whatever it's worth:

I've had back problems for a long time. I used to throw my back out fairly often and it always being a severeal weeks-long ordeal each time. (Bad enough to make it extremely difficult to put socks on, tie my shoes, get up and down from a chair quickly, etc.)

About two years ago, after everyone I knew recommended it, I saw a chiropractor. I did about 6 months of chiro treatment and usually went 1-3 times per week. While it often gave me short-term relief, it never helped me in a long term kind of way. So I quit because I felt like a chump for spending so much money and not getting substantial results.

My back went out again earlier this summer. I saw my doctor about it. She referred me to a physiotherapist. I went for ONE session and I was fixed. What the physio realized in a few minutes (that the chiro never realized after seeing me up to 3 times per week for 6 months) was that my back problem was actually a hip and S-I problem. I did a follow-up session with her just to be safe. She gave me a bunch of hip exercises to do at home and said that, if I stuck with them, I'd never have to see her again. She was right. I've been slacking on my exercises recently and, yesterday, I felt my back slipping again. At night, I did my exercises and today, I'm right back to good as gold.

Long story short: If you're skeptical about chiro (or if hasn't really given you the results you wanted), give physio a shot. I did wonders for me!

(/old guy rant)

[DarkPhoenix]

Did the same thing recently, since all teh doctors really just wanna give you pain pills. When I told her that I wanted a long term fix, not something to mask it, she set me up with a physical therapist. I have been good so far, but I have a tendency of doing something stupid to aggravate it.

[CapnMunchh]

Just wanted to share this with all of the older / injured bullies for whatever it's worth:

I've had back problems for a long time. I used to throw my back out fairly often and it always being a severeal weeks-long ordeal each time. (Bad enough to make it extremely difficult to put socks on, tie my shoes, get up and down from a chair quickly, etc.)

About two years ago, after everyone I knew recommended it, I saw a chiropractor. I did about 6 months of chiro treatment and usually went 1-3 times per week. While it often gave me short-term relief, it never helped me in a long term kind of way. So I quit because I felt like a chump for spending so much money and not getting substantial results.

My back went out again earlier this summer. I saw my doctor about it. She referred me to a physiotherapist. I went for ONE session and I was fixed. What the physio realized in a few minutes (that the chiro never realized after seeing me up to 3 times per week for 6 months) was that my back problem was actually a hip and S-I problem. I did a follow-up session with her just to be safe. She gave me a bunch of hip exercises to do at home and said that, if I stuck with them, I'd never have to see her again. She was right. I've been slacking on my exercises recently and, yesterday, I felt my back slipping again. At night, I did my exercises and today, I'm right back to good as gold.

Long story short: If you're skeptical about chiro (or if hasn't really given you the results you wanted), give physio a shot. I did wonders for me!

(/old guy rant)

My experience with a chiro was similar. A little relief on the day of treatment, then the same backache the next day. After a couple of weeks I went to an orthopedist who told me: "If you go see a chiropractor you'll get better, and if you don't go see a chiropractor you'll get better." I stopped going, and got better. Maybe some people get something out of it, but I found the whole experience a little like medical bullshido. Like when he made a big deal out of cracking my neck, which does nothing at all except push air bubbles out of the tissues. Or when he tried to talk me into using an electrical stimulator thingy.

I've also been to physiotherapists. Maybe the difference is that the chiro tries to manipulate your tissues, while the physio teaches you to do it yourself. For whatever reason, physical therapy worked and chiropractic didnt.

[Permalost]

My dad just won 6 chiro sessions in a random fundraiser auction. I told him if his back doesn't hurt now he probably shouldn't do it.

[Krijgsman]

My physio mother-in-law often says that Chiropractors are to be approached with caution. This is her opinion, not mine, as I have never tried a Chiropractor. Not that they are all bad, but from a physio therapy perspective they try to solve everything with joint/spine manipulation (which apparently is not good, and there is often better options) and are really not as extensively educated as most medical professionals. Some are more quacky than others. And physio therapists should be educated in joint/spine manipulation for when the situation calls for it.

Said mother in law has been nice enough to give me free advice and occasionally free treatment when I get injured and has always helped me recover pretty well from them, though I haven't had anything like a persistent back problem.

[Keej613]

I get a flakey vibe from most of the chiro industry.

The first one I visited did an assessment on me then told me I had to return on a specific day and specific time with my wife so that we could sit through a video presentation. I told him I couldn't make it and he said it was mandatory. I told him I'd try but that my wife wouldn't be there and he told me that it was mandatory that my wife be there. I did a bit of research and found out that he was essentially planning on using scare tactics by showing all the new patients a video about all the worst case scenarios if they didn't receive treatment. Since the patients's wives/husbands/etc are supposed to be there too, it makes the "sale" that much easier since the videos make it seem like the person is doomed without treatment. Needless to say, I skipped on all of that and never went back.

The second chiro I visited seemed quite legitimate. Despite not getting the results I wanted, he didn't seem to believe that chiro could cure autism or that vaccines were the devil's prick. Then I found out that he offered other services such as NLP.

It all seems so strange to me. In any event, I gave it a legitimate shot for a long time and it didn't help. Physio worked for me in 2 sessions. Give it a try!

[Vieux Normand]

What the physio realized in a few minutes (that the chiro never realized after seeing me up to 3 times per week for 6 months) was that my back problem was actually a hip and S-I problem.

In the chiroverse, human beings are nothing more than crackable spines with wallets attached.

Concepts such as "hips" and "S-I" either don't compute, or they're part of a chiro-hater conspiracy to misinform people that they are more than just crackable spines with wallets attached.

[Shawarma]

I've been practicing as a chiropractor for about a year at present. Trained in Europe, which is somewhat different from the American variety. My opinion on a "chiro vs physio" debate is "why not both?" I see many people from local physios that they can't improve by themselves as they lack either the more in-depth orthopaedic knowledge concerning spinal problems or the manipulative skills to correct them and myself Work closely with the physio attached to the Clinic I Work in. Between a good physio and chiropractor, there's really not much in the way of joint pain that can't be alleviated to at least some degree, dependig on the age and degree of damage to the patient.

I agree with Krijgsman. In my opinion, the chiropractic and physiotherapist professions should be merged and we'd have musculoskeletal practitioners adept at rehabilitating chronic injuries as well as diagnosing and manipulating more acute joint injuries like chiropractors are able to.

It's bullshit to Award people "x amount" of chiropractic sessions. It's Akin to awarding people 6 gallbladder surgeries. You Consult a chiropractor when you have a musculoskeletal problem you want solved, it's not a bleedin' massage service.

[Shawarma]

In the chiroverse, human beings are nothing more than crackable spines with wallets attached.

Concepts such as "hips" and "S-I" either don't compute, or they're part of a chiro-hater conspiracy to misinform people that they are more than just crackable spines with wallets attached.

Not entirely true. I use a number of diagnostic techniques to distinguish the origin of the problem which, in the case of low back pain, very commonly originate from the SI-joints as opposed to the spine itself. Hip, ankle or knee problems can also lead to low back pain if left untreated for too long and I also take care to address these issues.

I regret that your own experience with chiropractors must have been awful for you to hold such a low opinion of my profession.

I get a flakey vibe from most of the chiro industry.

The first one I visited did an assessment on me then told me I had to return on a specific day and specific time with my wife so that we could sit through a video presentation. I told him I couldn't make it and he said it was mandatory. I told him I'd try but that my wife wouldn't be there and he told me that it was mandatory that my wife be there. I did a bit of research and found out that he was essentially planning on using scare tactics by showing all the new patients a video about all the worst case scenarios if they didn't receive treatment. Since the patients's wives/husbands/etc are supposed to be there too, it makes the "sale" that much easier since the videos make it seem like the person is doomed without treatment. Needless to say, I skipped on all of that and never went back.

The second chiro I visited seemed quite legitimate. Despite not getting the results I wanted, he didn't seem to believe that chiro could cure autism or that vaccines were the devil's prick. Then I found out that he offered other services such as NLP.

It all seems so strange to me. In any event, I gave it a legitimate shot for a long time and it didn't help. Physio worked for me in 2 sessions. Give it a try!

Eugh. I heard of practices like this. Thankfully, I've never encountered anyone WHO Works that way, although I fear it may be quite common in the Americas.

[CapnMunchh]

I've been practicing as a chiropractor for about a year at present. Trained in Europe, which is somewhat different from the American variety. My opinion on a "chiro vs physio" debate is "why not both?" I see many people from local physios that they can't improve by themselves as they lack either the more in-depth orthopaedic knowledge concerning spinal problems or the manipulative skills to correct them and myself Work closely with the physio attached to the Clinic I Work in. Between a good physio and chiropractor, there's really not much in the way of joint pain that can't be alleviated to at least some degree, dependig on the age and degree of damage to the patient.

I agree with Krijgsman. In my opinion, the chiropractic and physiotherapist professions should be merged and we'd have musculoskeletal practitioners adept at rehabilitating chronic injuries as well as diagnosing and manipulating more acute joint injuries like chiropractors are able to.

It's bullshit to Award people "x amount" of chiropractic sessions. It's Akin to awarding people 6 gallbladder surgeries. You Consult a chiropractor when you have a musculoskeletal problem you want solved, it's not a bleedin' massage service.

It sounds like you limit your practice to musculoskeletal problems, which is a realistic approach.

Is veterinary chiropractic recognized in Europe? It seems that the American Chiropractic Assn does not recognize veterinary chiropractic. Why would spinal manipulation be helpful for humans but not for animals?

[Krijgsman]

I've been practicing as a chiropractor for about a year at present. Trained in Europe, which is somewhat different from the American variety. My opinion on a "chiro vs physio" debate is "why not both?" I see many people from local physios that they can't improve by themselves as they lack either the more in-depth orthopaedic knowledge concerning spinal problems or the manipulative skills to correct them and myself Work closely with the physio attached to the Clinic I Work in. Between a good physio and chiropractor, there's really not much in the way of joint pain that can't be alleviated to at least some degree, dependig on the age and degree of damage to the patient.

I agree with Krijgsman. In my opinion, the chiropractic and physiotherapist professions should be merged and we'd have musculoskeletal practitioners adept at rehabilitating chronic injuries as well as diagnosing and manipulating more acute joint injuries like chiropractors are able to.

It's bullshit to Award people "x amount" of chiropractic sessions. It's Akin to awarding people 6 gallbladder surgeries. You Consult a chiropractor when you have a musculoskeletal problem you want solved, it's not a bleedin' massage service.

I was hoping an actual Chiro would chime in. I know my mother-in-law has had some Chiros she wouldn't ever recommend, and there have been others that she considered going into business with, they were that good. Going together seems smartest.

[JingMerchant!]

Skeptics dictionary on Chiropractic medicine : http://www.skepdic.com/chiro.html

Skeptical consumer report on Chiro : http://www.csicop.org/si/show/skepti...ractic_claims/

What happened, when a British Journalist called Simon Singh, called 'Shenanigans' on the BCA : http://www.dcscience.net/?p=1980

Follow up article : http://www.newscientist.com/article/...l#.UmbtTxAX600

Yeah...

Go to a physical therapist.

[Gypsy Jazz]

1. I would be very wary about making decisions about your health based on internet anecdote(s). Hell, you should be very wary of decisions based on any anecdote(s). Even things that are dangerous absolute nonsense appear to work for some people some of the time.

2. Chiro's foundational beliefs of subluxations is roughly equal to having some sort of magic ghosts in your spine that Chiros exorcise out via snap crackle pop. Many modern chiros do not practice even close to this way, but there are many who still do.

3. In my observations and experience, on the whole Physios and Chiros both tend to be very stuck in the past on a lot of red herrings and thoroughly disproved or unproved concepts. Anyone with medical training, research literacy, and good clinical reasoning will be helpful regardless of their title. I know a good number of people in both professions who I consider friends and colleagues. My criticism is almost certainly a reflection of their opinions as well.

[Vieux Normand]

Is veterinary chiropractic recognized in Europe?

Only if the pets in question are invertebrates.

[Keej613]

It freaks me out that many chiros (in my area, at least) recommend chiro treatments for infants.