Chiropractic care: Is it worth it?

[phtgrapher]

What do people think about Chiropractic care?  Has it really helped anyone?  or am I the only one that's been going to one for like over 2 years now and am still having pain.  Does it do any good?  or is it more harm than good.  
I've had neck and back pain and have been going to a Chiro for 2 years. I would expect to be doing back flips by now.  Should I have a second opinion?  
Any thoughts from people out there?

[phtgrapher]

Right now I don't have much faith at all in Chiropractor's.  I feel worse now than I did when I started going in there.  I think what i am going to have to do is research and go to another Chiropractor that might use a different approach. Thanks for your comments.  I'm just frustrated because I feel very bad from day to day and the problems haven't been checked.

[jmbirds]

i swear by chiro now i had some bad ones and some good ones, do they use an activator? on your trigger pts ? this works good for me. do they use a spring table? do they do exercises do they just twist and popp? do they do massage? i have aqua therapy chiro and massage so my rx meds are far and few. some people like energy reiki therapy or acupuncture?  test the waters , change your pillow i had to switch to cervicle u shape pillow , for my artheritic neck ,

[Adam Tanase, D.C.]

Thanks for writing! You ask a wonderful question.

Chiropractic has been helping patients for 113 years. Manipulations of various forms have been performed for thousands of years. It was Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, who once said something to the effect of, "Look well to the spine, for it is the requisite of many diseases." The bottom line is, chiropractic has helped millions of people improve their quality of life. If it didn't work, it wouldn't have lasted this long.

That being said, the earmark of a good chiropractor is one knowing their limits. They should also be using a system of analysis to objectively measure improvement. If you've been going for "over 2 years" without any change to your condition, then I would definitely consider finding a new chiropractor who uses a different approach.

While many patients freely choose to pursue chiropractic regularly for the health and wellness benefits it offers (myself included), a chiropractor should ultimately strive to make himself obsolete. That is to say, patients should be improving enough that they hold their adjustments for longer and longer periods of time, thereby diminishing the frequency of care to as seldom as possible. I have patients in my own office who hold adjustments anywhere from 2-weeks to 2-years depending on their lifestyle.

Again, that's the ideal goal - holding the adjustment for greater periods of time, such that frequent visits aren't necessary any longer. Whether or not your chiropractor personally agrees with this fact is a totally different discussion.

Consider researching a special form of chiropractic known as Upper Cervical Care. Patient information and doctor-referrals can be found online at www.UpCspine.com.
I hope my answer has helped you, and that it will eventually restore your confidence in chiropractic care.

Warm wishes,
AT