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Background: I am a career firefighter, and recently (2 weeks ago) a chiropractor located a town over volunteered his time to come to our headquarters to do "proper lifting" training and all that. He came down for each shift, and had a whole powerpoint presentation and all that. He said he is doing it on his own time and for free because he lives in the town that I work in and wants everyone to be performing at optimal if anything happens to him or his family. At the end of his presentation he offered a free "nerve scan". So I went that evening after work. It showed "hot" on both sides of my neck, and also left side of my lumbar region. He had me get x-rays done, and I just got back from my second visit with him, and here is what happened:
He showed me the x-rays and told me that I have a subluxation in my cervical region. My neck is curved slightly in the opposite way that it is supposed to, and is causing nerves to be compressed, etc. He said that the course of action is to see him at first 3x/week and after a month 2x/week, then 1x/week, then once a month for "maintenance" after that. He then talked to me about payment options. This is where I got a little wary of his intentions.
He outlined 48 adjustments, 4 progress exams, cervical pillow, etc. I had the option to pay fully upfront ($776) or monthly with a credit card.
In my opinion, it is a scam. But I want all your opinions.
1. Is this just a muscle imbalance issue that I should go to a good physical therapist for?
2. If anyone has knowledge in chiropractic medicine, is it safe to get readjustments 3x/week?
3. Are the nerve scans really accurate? One was heat and the other one measured I believe electrical activity (I could be wrong on the 2nd).
Do you have neck pain or headaches or pain in your upper back (that might be referred pain from your neck area)? I mean, if you're not hurting then I'm not sure you need his help?
I'll add that I see a chiropractor regularly (monthly or every six weeks or so) and a good chiropractor can certainly help resolve certain spinal issues.
Well, the cervical spine is supposed to be concave in the back, if that makes sense. A lot of people seem to have the issue of their necks not being enough curved or curving the wrong way, etc, because of computers and desk jobs and all that crap. Basically all that looking down.
But I have no idea if his "treatment" is a scam or not. For myself, apparently my neck is pretty much straight, rather than curved, and the chiro I went to, recommended by my trainer and my doctor, (the chiro is also an art practitioner, and that's why my trainer uses him, my doc isn't terribly keen on chiros but figured he's one of the better ones out there) laid out a similar plan for me.
For my part, I buy that I have a problem. I'd been spending the better part of the last decade with some odd nerve feedback issues that MRIs and neurologists and my doc and EKGs and all that crap couldn't diagnose as anything other than in my head. I don't know that I buy his solution, although I'm now thinking of trying it since I have a butt-ton of cash in our FSA to use up.
I got a recommendation of 3 sessions a week for about 3-4 weeks, then dropping off a bit to once a week for a while, then after all that monthly "maintenance." *shrug*
I will say I doubt he did his stuff free out of the kindness of his own heart, most free stuff like this is used to drum up business. But whether or not it's legit, I have no idea. If JP goes out and volunteers his time and gives a talk about fitness, he's likely doing it in part so that maybe a few people will check out his gym and services. But, he wouldn't scam them, ya know? So I can see it go either way, but it is a smidge fishey.
I've decided to not go back to that chiropractor. Instead, I went to my normal chiropractor/ART practitioner/physical therapist. He told me to stretch the muscles, and also to do chin tucks w/ very little resistance. I'm hoping this will fix the curvature.
The only symptoms that I've noticed is slightly more pressure on my neck, but thats about it. I didn't really notice it until now.
The first chiropractor talked about nerves activating at less than optimal level. Is there anything that you can do for this?
Aoife: Did doing the adjustments 3x/week actually help?
I only did one on my follow up visit and it made it worse. But, I may try again. Maybe it would get better with time. Like a "it gets worse before it gets better" thing.
EVERY person I've ever talked to that's gone to a chiro has gotten that diagnosis, including myself. Must be a whole lot of people with screwed up necks walking around. You think it might be the position he places you in before taking the xrays?
It actually never crossed my mind about my positioning during the x-rays. I went to another place for the x-rays, and I was standing up for the lateral cervical one. I don't remember if I was just relaxed or if for some reason I was looking down or something.
Chiropractors like to use the term subluxation a lot with their patients, which is debatable depending on which health professional you speak to. If your regular chiro/pt is suggesting chin tucks and stretching....it sounds like you might have a slight forward head posture, which is common. If you're asymptomatic, I can't see why you would need adjustments.
anterior protracted neck & chiropractic scam?
But, I may try again. Maybe it would get better with time. Like a "it gets worse before it gets better" thing.
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