Chiropractors

[Davey Do]

Asa child, I remember my maternal Uncle telling stories to my Mom about his visits to his Chiropractor. I asked my Mom what a Chiropractor was and, basically, she replied, "They're quacks".

As a young LPN at Weed Rover Township Hospital, working as a OR scrub nurse back in the mid '80's, I worked with some medical student externs. One extern had his DC and I remember him saying, "Yeah- I'm going to be a real doctor!"

So, my belief system was built upon opinions that Chiropractors aren't real Doctors, and are basically useless.

I supervised a Methadone Clinic in the early aughts, and a Cracker Jack LPN in his early 50's, Chuck, basically ran it. Chuck and I were chatting one day when the subject came around to back pain. Chuck told me of an episode in his life where he experienced some severe back pain and had set up surgical treatment as a remedy.

Chuck said that two days before he was to have surgery, someone asked if he had consulted with a Chiropractor. Chuck told me, "I thought- what the heck? A Chiropractor can't make my back any worse".

Chuck relayed to me the good results for which he did not need surgery as the result of a Chiropractor's intervention. I thought, "Hmmmm..."

In 2011, I was doing some pretty heavy duty landscaping around my place. I suffered from sharp, chronic left shoulder pain. My medical nurse wife Belinda and I were discussing which Orthopedic Surgeon, that she worked with, should do the surgery when I thought of seeking services from a Chiropractor.

When Dr. Jeff adjusted my neck, it was a total relief! I was out of pain and was giddy! It was better than drugs!

Recently, my left shoulder has again been bothering me. I attempt to work out the numerous aches and pains that I experience here and there, and many are transient. Once it gets to two weeks, I gotta visit Dr. Jeff, and did so yesterday.

Once again with the adjustments, my shoulder significantly improved, and I gave Dr. Jeff a hug.

What are your thoughts, feelings, or experiences with chiropractic interventions? Are they quacks, not real doctors, or healers?

[SmilingBluEyes]

I wish we could find a good chiropractor for my  husband and his chronic back pain. Every one we have seen EVERY one is greedy and costs big bucks and does no good.

I hear good things but have yet to witness it. I am not a big believer d/t being jaded by these sheisters.

[Davey Do]

20 minutes ago, SmilingBluEyes said:

I wish we could find a good chiropractor for my  husband and his chronic back pain.

I have belief based on my own pain and treatment, SBE and that is all structures deteriorate and underworked structures deteriorate faster and may never truly recover, especially if injured.

Case in point: I have been physically active all of my life with bicycling, manual labor, working out, etc. for years and years and years. Even though I experienced severe trauma at an early age, I continued to be active.

Here I am at 64 years of age, deteriorating, but still active. Had I not been active and pushed myself to the point of pain for all those years, I would be in much more pain presently.

Case in point: My best buddy growing up, Rad, was better at everything physical and stronger than me. Rad kept active with manual labor through the years, but he did not keep up with working out or aerobic exercise as I have done.

Rad is in almost constant pain, has had one back surgery, and is scheduled to undergo an ACD in April.

Muscles and other structures have memories that can forget.  Atrophy through disuse. I make an attempt every day, sometimes several times a day, to remind my muscles and other structures of what it feels like to hurt, and what it feels like not to hurt.

Your husband's muscles and other structures have probably just forgotten what it feels like not to hurt, SBE.

Sorry.

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

On 2/8/2021 at 8:47 AM, letsmith said:

If you get your hands on a good chiropractor, then I think you have found a wonderful thing. I have used two chiropractors and they were fabulous. The unfortunate truth of the matter is some chiropractors are not so great and give a bad reputation to the the good ones. When it comes to pregnancy they are quite helpful in getting babies into different positions. I say it is a great alternative especially if you find a good Dr. 

I think this goes in line though with any profession. I have met people who were wonderful and great at their profession....and many who were not.

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

On 2/9/2021 at 5:46 PM, SmilingBluEyes said:

I wish we could find a good chiropractor for my  husband and his chronic back pain. Every one we have seen EVERY one is greedy and costs big bucks and does no good.

I hear good things but have yet to witness it. I am not a big believer d/t being jaded by these sheisters.

As I have said to others....I think every profession can be guilty of being greedy or nuts or unempathetic. I know I work with surgeons.....most of whom are great but there are a few that are greedy, rush through surgeries, don’t monitor patients closely, and thus end up with quite a few post op complications. But they don’t change their practices and they keep doing the same things over and over for the money. I know I met a chiropractor as a kid who I thought was absolutely bonkers. However I also went to one when I was older and I did get some relief for a few years. What I have learned through chronic illness since childhood is I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to say one profession is all crazy or all greedy or all unprofessional. In fact, there is at least a small number of those in every profession. 

[SmilingBluEyes]

I did not paint them all with the same brush. I have not come across one honest good one yet is all. That is my experience.

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

On 2/9/2021 at 5:46 PM, SmilingBluEyes said:

I wish we could find a good chiropractor for my  husband and his chronic back pain. Every one we have seen EVERY one is greedy and costs big bucks and does no good.

I hear good things but have yet to witness it. I am not a big believer d/t being jaded by these sheisters.

Does your insurance cover chiropractor visits? A lot of them do nowadays which can really help with the cost. My co-pay with insurance is $25 which I feel is pretty fair. It's a shame the quality of providers where you are is shotty because I swear to you it can really help if you get a good one.

[Davey Do]

7 hours ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

My co-pay with insurance is $25 

Neither my insurance from Wrongway, or Belinda's insurance from Anomaly Memorial covers chiropractic visits, but Dr. Jeff charges me $30/visit and I am glad to pay that amount.

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

2 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

Neither my insurance from Wrongway, or Belinda's insurance from Anomaly Memorial covers chiropractic visits, but Dr. Jeff charges me $30/visit and I am glad to pay that amount.

Wow, I'm surprised they don't cover it. But 30 bucks per visit is excellent, especially if you get pain relief from a visit.

[Davey Do]

Just now, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

Wow, I'm surprised they don't cover it. But 30 bucks per visit is excellent, especially if you get pain relief from a visit.

Amen, Sister Moon!

Dr. Jeff's family, The Rufuses, are an established and well known family in the Anomaly Ill. area.

There are are least three Rufus Chiropractic offices in Anomaly. I choose this particular Rufus family based on the office location. Two Rufus offices are off busy streets and are generic-looking. Dr. Jeff, along with his Dad and older Brother's office, is on a street in an older part of Anomaly in a big old two story house that was built around 1900.

In the waiting room is a large black & white photograph, dated 1913, of the Rufus chiropractic family.

Form and function!

[GrumpyRN, NP]

Had a quick look online. Chiropractors in my town charge £50 ($69) for an initial consultation and £33 ($46) per session for subsequent treatment.

Chiropractic is not generally offered on the NHS so if you want it you go private.

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

My insurance does cover a small number of limited sessions. About the same number they would cover for physical therapy. After that, the last chiropractor I went to did work with me with the price and it wasn’t as terrible a copay as people think.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

In my area, they tend not to vaccinate their kids. As a school nurse responsible for 600 people in my building, I struggle with vaccine preventable diseases entering and affecting my population. I have had kids who are immunocompromised for a variety of reason-chemo, a-gammglobulinemia come to mind.