Now legally, I can't tell you what a Chiropractor can do, or should do, for you and yours. I can say, however, that I have had numerous men of this persuasion in my life, some for good and some not-so-good. Today I thought I'd relate some of those experiences, and give you my personal conclusions. I'm also not recommending any particular Dr. or therapy; just what has helped me.
When I was 12, my mother took me to a gentleman down town. I honestly don't remember much about it. This was my mother's "Adelle Davis" phase, and we were busy trying all kinds of new things. I had a few visits, there was some discussion and warning about a disc between my shoulder blades, and that was the end of it. Fast forward to college, and I think I also saw a Chiropractor after I rolled my car. That would have been brief, as well.
In the 80's, we were living in Henderson, NV, right outside of Las Vegas. Not the Henderson of today; this was a slower paced, smaller "hometown" kind of community. We met a modest guy with big dreams, and we had full coverage insurance for Chiropractic. All 8 of us- at the time- were dutifully screened, xrayed, massaged and manipulated. Husband got treated just for good measure, as did most of the kids. Myself and number one son were tough cases; me with injuries from all kinds of things, and he with mild scoliosis. The insurance, of course, paid for everything. It was wonderful to come in, be escorted to a curtained area where warm cloths were applied to my back, 15 minutes later someone would come in and use a massage tool all over, then the Dr. himself would see me and do whatever adjustments he deemed necessary. I was still a young parent; this was a welcome relief twice a week. The xrays on my son quickly showed an improvement in his spine curvature, and we were reassured that it had been caught just in time. We had a glorious year and a half of family care, until our insurance changed. We could no longer afford to go, but by then, the good Dr. had built a three story clinic and business office complex, and was no longer the modest of means gentleman we had started with. I have often wondered what he must have charged people's insurance companies to build his practice and his property so quickly! But it was a good experience, overall.
There were other Chiropractors in my life. Some would dismiss what I had been previously told, or treatments I had had; a few openly poo-pooed techniques I would describe to them, or the disc problem in my back. I went to bone crackers and Drs who dabbled in kinesiology, auras, herbs, powders, mental exercises and more. I was on my own journey through these years, reading and studying alternative medicine and midwifery, having my last three children at home, being diagnosed with and learning to deal with PTSD, as well as the health difficulties some of my children had. Some things I was more inclined to stick with, but I also found myself at the mercy of Chiropractors who were convinced that their way was the only way. It was more than a little frustrating to adjust to the contradictions in care, opinion, theory and effectiveness. Some of the Drs I saw did absolutely nothing to correct or alleviate my problems. Many of them openly spoke against their colleagues who did things differently than they did. Because at this time in my life, I was moving pretty frequently, I could not "stick with" just one Dr, and I became discouraged about receiving adequate care. The changes in my life and family pressures also made it hard to take the time and money to take care of myself, so I just quit trying to make Chiropractic a part of my life. I would hurt, but the local MD was always happy to prescribe some nifty pain killer, and my insurance always covered that! Part of my frustration with Chiropractic care is that it is not usually covered, and let's face it, multiple visits gets expensive! So more often than not, I just took whatever pain killers the MD offered, and kept going.
About a year ago, I heard about a Chiropractor nearby who sounded like my kind of guy. He was highly recommended by a couple of friends, and I wasn't particularly seeing any benefits with the current Dr, so I took my youngest son to see him. This young man had sustained a supposedly minor neck injury- according the hospital- from going headfirst off his bike at about 30 mph. No helmet. For two years we had expected healing, followed counsel, seen another Chiropractor, all to no effect. He was suffering limited mobility, a lot of pain, and not being able to do daily things like help his mother in the yard! I was terrified of the cost to see a new Dr, but we went anyway. It has been the salvation of my son. Consistent, thoughtful care, clear goals and explanations, payment accommodations, and a truly caring atmosphere. No hype, no big promises. I was upfront about my need, financially, to wait for my own care until my son was coming along well and going less often. Then my husband hurt himself, and his chronic lower back problems resurfaced with a vengeance. So he began to go, and also experienced relatively quick relief, multiple ways of dealing with his health, and finding the balance in his life through consistent treatment.
I kept telling myself I would go "soon". Tried to joke about what a bad patient I would be, and how I had had so little results in the past. This Dr. seemed unfazed. A few weeks ago I had a crisis of stress and overwork, and my situation went from "later" to right now! I am not very far into my treatment plan, but I have much less pain, have given up some of my pills, and I am really pleased with my progress. Some of my nagging health questions have been answered. I have found support and understanding, suggestions given without criticism of myself or my past care.
There are aspects of Chiropractic that have changed over the years. It's not just "get down on the table and I'll crack your bones" anymore. I am sure that there are still many approaches and attitudes, and perhaps I just got lucky this time, to find a Dr. we can feel so comfortable with. It has restored my faith in the benefits of Chiropractic. It is a huge relief to see my family and myself benefit from this care, even though it's an expense I had not planned for. To us, it is worth it. Going to the Chiropractor may not be for everyone, and yes, I have heard plenty of horror stories. I believe there have been times when I and my family were taken advantage of by a caregiver. But by and large, I think the benefits of proper Chiropractic care can't be beat.
Feel free to post your own experiences, good and bad- but please don't name names or blame Chiropractic in general for any difficulties you have had or know about. Like all medicine and therapies, the experience is individual, and we should hope to learn and grow through that. Thanks for reading!
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