quacks. Particularly the ones that claim to cure allergies or depression by spinal manipulation.

they CAN make a sore back/neck FEEL better in some situations, but even friends and family who use them acknowledge their chiropractors never actually CURE anything and they have to keep going back.

Only if his name rhymes with "Smeshshmorkian".

I used to be at the doctors at least once a month with various infections... after going to the chiro, now I have to go like once every 2 years. I also don't go to the chiro that often, once a month at most.

I used to feel the same way about healers and massages. My youngest is in school now for massaging , I thought ohh kaaay, really, if that's what you want. Well I suffer from chronic pain due to auto accident. One particular area that has hurt for the past twelve years is now gone, It was massaged out, by my child, I now wish I had tried sooner. As far as chiropractors, I think there are very few who can help.

I swear by them!!! I got into a head-on collision with a drunk driver and suffered severe whiplash that made a vertebra in my neck protrude and cause migraines and other crazy things to happen, like losing my hearing and experience excess salivary functioning. Looking at the x-ray, duh, my neck should not look like that!! The chiropractor I saw explained how to re-align my neck. 2 weeks (4 times a week) then another 3 months slowly weaning down to just a monthly adjustment worked wonders. My hearing came back in less then 2 weeks and I stopped excessively drooling (if you were near it seemed liked I was parched or constantly licking my lips).

@jsoko: Chiropractic adjustments are said to boost the immune system. I believe it, I was healthiest when I was getting adjustments (no cold, flu, allergies).

I go to one frequently... At the age of 13 I developed slight scoliosis and it has given me chronic back pain ever since. I find they do help quite a bit. I do feel though when you're laying down and they stand at your head, about to crack your neck.. that they really have my life in their hands and they can just snap it any second. Obviously, it's never happened.

@stevebosox: I had a wholly different experience than what you describe. The Chiro I saw was able to explain exactly what happened, why my muscles reacted the way they did, and tell me what it was going to take to fix it. All in english, with easily understood medical terminology, and using standard equipment (like electro-muscle stimulation to loosen the tension). I left the office with exactly the amount of movement and lack of pain he told me I would have, and did so without pain medication or muscle relaxers.

I know there are some that do what you describe, but I personally wouldn't be so quick to dismiss a logical, simple, homeopathic remedy either.

@potter412: Yes! It goes completely against human nature to allow another human being to hold your head/neck like that. shudder

My parents swear by the use of a chriopracter, and try to egt me to go in(since I have the same frame as my father), and they love to talk about how he twists their neck and it makes a huge cracking noise and they feel great.

I always slams the brakes and say no way in hell is someone else twisting my neck and making a brekaing noise.

If you like them or swear by them, more power to you, but I refuse to let someone touch my neck and back for fear of something going wrong.

Started going to a chiro this year. I'm actually quite surprised at how well it's working. I can do things without pain that I've not been able to do comfortably in 5 years. He doesn't usually do manual adjustments though. Uses a machine called the Pro-Adjuster that does it all electronically.

Chiropracters are quacks, do yourself a favor and go to a physical theropist instead. Acupuncturists,, anyone who sell stuff to detoxify your body, and snake oil salesmen fall into the same catagory.