Yes! But I also work for one.
I have seen some real "miracles" (I know, only God can perform true miracles). And I know my neck sure feels 100% better after an adjustment! Hope you feel better!
Waiting for Snidely's response...... ;) ( I think we had this debate about a month ago...he's not a believer!)

Electric stim followed by the decompression table got me out of pain. I'm grateful.

Absolutely yes. Of course there are good ones and not good ones, just as in any profession. But I am in total support of chiropractic care.

Hi Juellie, I'm happy to oblige.

Chiropractic treatment is quackery. It's unproven and has no scientific basis. It was invented by a grocer (Palmer) in the 19th century, the Golden Age of quacks and snake oil. Still people go to them, I'll never understand why,

Physical therapy, electro stimulation, and massage can be beneficial, they've been scrutinized by testing and shown to be effective. If you're looking for that, see an MD for your condition and if indicated, you'll get a prescription for PT sessions. Or, go get yourself a gentle massage.

If you know an MD well enough (most tend to want to be PC, unless it comes down to your asking if they would recommend a chiropractor), they will tell you that the chiropractic notion of "spinal manipulation" is nonsense. Usually accompanied by a laugh or a broad smile.

For those looking for believers and miracle cures, I suggest going to an evangelical tent revival.

I agree with Snidely.

It's surprising what a confident air, big smile, and 'the laying on of hands' will do. Even placebo's 'help' people if they believe in the person prescribing them. (That's proven over and over as meds are tested against placebo's.)

Massage for me.

I found it helped me but it was rather pricey. What was just as effective was to roll on an exercise ball and flex my back as much as possible (to make a backwards bridge). It is uncomfortable at first but keep at it to limber up and it is great. Here is a video for all over body movement. It is also very good.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDoVnin62gQ

If I didn't go to a good chiropractor, I wouldn't be walking. A good adjustment, or series of them, followed by PT is wonderful. PT without joints being properly aligned no longer pinching nerves does nothing. Been there tried that. You have to fix the problem then strengthen with PT.

I see my chiropractor once a month. I always feel so much better afterwards. I've had some good ones, some not so good. If they say they are gentle I go somewhere else. I need a bone cracker.

Adjustments not only helps my back, hips and neck I've had my TMJ issues including a TMJ headache I had for months cured.

One time my Granddaddy hobbled into a chiro ofc with his cane, barely able to walk. He WALKED out with my Daddy holding the cane for him. He didn't need it.

In my experience most doctors want to put you on pain pills and send you on your way. That doesn't address the problem. Now you can believe in them or not but I've seen the proof of what Chiro can do. The longer you let the problem go the more trips you will make to their office. That's why I go regularly. If a problem comes up in between visits I call and go in ASAP.

I've been to an orthopedic surgeon and asked him about going to a chiropractor. He said he has sent some of his athletic patients from William and Mary to chiropractors. Today a Chiropractor needs as many years of schooling as an M.D. It's not like the quackery of yore. Originally I went 30 years ago. My back was fine but it turned out I had a reverse curvature of the neck. I use to get headaches that lasted several days and I was unable to function. I did not go to the chiropractor for that but the end result of all my visits, he reversed the curvature (I saw the X-rays) and I rarely get headaches anymore and when I do, it's not the kind that feels like I have a vice around my skull and someone keeps making it tighter and tighter. And yes, like lindylu's grandaddy, once I was in the office and a girl came in, her husband carrying herâ¦..she was a very active person who played softball regularly but was just reaching up in a cabinet for something and pulled something out of place. She literally could not walk and a few minutes later she came sprinting out of the office. I'm a believer. That being said, some are better than others.

Seems to me traction would be just as helpful in alignment. I've 'adjusted' my back by placing my hands on a table and suspending my lower body for a minute.

No advice or miracles, but did nothing for me.

I've been seeing the same chiropractor since the 1980s. I don't go very often, but if I'm in pain he is the man to see. (I would see him for maintenance as well if Medicare hadn't cut off that option.)

I hope he never retires.

I used to but realized that being diligent with stretching and exercise as well as keeping my weight down, has helped reduce my back pain.
I also take glucosamine every day.

Like anything else, there are good and bad ones. I went to one who put me in more pain and in places that I was not in pain before being treated.

I would never say to not go. But, you need a good recommendation. If it helps you, so be it.

I have been going to my chiropractor for the last 2 years. I had so much pain in my hip after having to wear a walking boot for 6 weeks. My chiro saw me weekly for about 6 weeks and then monthly after that. Hasn't cost me a dime. Medicare pays for it. I was referred by a friend. She and her 90 year old husband go regularly.

I love my chiropractor! I am not interested in surgery or pain meds forever. I can get adjusted when I need to and it really helps me.

I went to a chiropractor about 35 years ago after having done a flip on the trampoline and landing on the railing. My doctor suggested it after a couple of years of unrelenting pain and trying all sorts of other stuff. I went for two years and it was the best thing I ever did and it put my spine back where it belonged, fortunately I have never had to go again.

I never thought I would go to a chiropractor until my doctor said either that or physical therapy and the chiro cost less. I went in with several problems, one of which was that I could barely turn my neck and after an hour, I was able to turn my head completely to the side and my shoulders felt better than they had in years. I went maybe 10 times all together and I'd still be going in occasionally, but she moved to CO.

When she worked on me, she would tell me what she was finding and everything she said made so much sense, she was able to tell me things about myself just by feeling my spine and ribs and muscles and cartilage (my first rib was WAY out of whack, up way too high, probably from carrying things that were too heavy for me and once she got that adjusted, I felt hugely better) almost like a fortune teller, my body was telling her things. It was pretty cool. She never did anything to me without asking if it was OK if she did it and she never scared me, she only helped me.

I went from skeptic to believer in an hour.

I've gone to a chiropractor for years, starting with when I first developed a pinched sciatic nerve and a week in the hospital and drugs didn't help. Interestingly, a nurse/friend suggested I go to one. Believe me, he has kept me on my feet for a long time now.

Years ago I worked for a physician and would read his professional journals and read an article which said that for some problems (i.e. back problems) chiropractic was the treatment of choice, even by M.D.'s. When you consider that it is non-invasive and doesn't involve taking drugs, which can really really screw up your daily living skills ( I had two pre adolescent kids at the time), at least starting with chiropractic is the way to go.

Over the years, I've also complained about other problems and my guy offered his suggestions about what might be going on, and suggested that I might want to see a ---------- doc about it, and even ordered an MRI in one case, so that eliminated a step that would have to be done anyhow. I found that he was always right on the money when he would offer his opinion.

Mine has helped me dramatically improve my health over the years, not only with sudden onset, acute conditions but with assorted chronic problems.

He has also educated me about how to maintain a flexible, pain free body and has even gone to the effort of coming up with videos (using his college aged daughter as the demonstrator) remind me exactly how to do specific exercises. I'll find them in my email the morning after I've had a sessiion with him.

He also checks out and approves or disapproves any gadget or tool that I may be interested in trying. That has been a big help!

My own physician approves of and refers her patients to chiropractors when the need arises. Any informed doctor understands the benefits. I've even shown her some of the exercises I've learned.

I can't believe how rapidly the hot shot orthopedic specialists are to suggests shots, heavy duty pain pills, and surgery. One man was clearly irritated with me when I demurred a round of shots for a painful knee. His response as he was leaving the room was, "You aren't hurting enough, I guess. Call me when you are."

That was over ten years ago....I discovered Flexicose right after that. I still have arthritis in my knees but am largely pain free today.

I LOVE my chiropractor! I have seen many chiropractors over the years as we moved around with my DH in the Air Force. Most of them have been wonderful, a couple of them useless. I have been going to my guy now for years and he is so good and helps me so much. If you think they are shysters or don't help you are sadely behind the times or haven't found a good one.

If you think they are shysters or don't help you are sadely behind the times or haven't found a good one.

Well said Dorothy!

Why is it that anti-chiropractic people want everyone else to be anti-chiropractic, too?

It's actually real simple. If you don't like chiropractic, don't go.

I wasn't going to say anything more, but I do agree with this last comment. People should go and do as they choose. The heading of this thread did ask for yea or nay views, that's why I posted

I can't help but notice the items of misinformation people accept that have been mentioned. I'll leave it at that, as I'd decided to do earlier.

Yes AND no~~ I have gone to one occasionally and did help, but the last one I went to could have damaged my back permanently. As it turned out, I had to have emergency back surgery for the spinal stenosis he said he could "cure". His treatments were terribly painful, but he said "necessary". The surgeon said he was causing my back to worsen instead of helping. But I know some of you are blessed with ones who help you and I do think they are okay "in their place"....which was not my back!

I was referred to a choiropractor at my MD's suggestion. I do have many physical issues but do not like to take pain meds, and he convinced me that there is value in seeing a good chiropractor. I'm glad I agreed to go! The chiropractor he referred me to explained to me how some chiropractors make outrageous claims about what they do, and this gives the rest of them a bad name.

My chiropractor will assess a problem, work on it with various techniques and show me how to manage on my own. I like this relationship, and find I only have to go back occasionally for a refresher or if something new pops up. I might add that she is aware that I have full coverage for her services and could go all the time without it costing me, but her goal is for me to be as independent of her as possible- and as quickly as possible! I really respect and value her. Oh, and my athlete son goes to her as well, and he is nobody's fool. He would not waste his time on ineffective treatment.