I have used one before, and I can tell you, my quality of life would not be the same if I hadn't. I had 2 separate surgeries for a herniated disc (L5S1), one my senior year of high school in '96 and the next 2 years later. When some time had passed and I woke up one morning barely able to get myself out of bed, I called my doctor again and he basically blew me off, said there was nothing else he could do, and told me to take 4 ibuprofen every 6hrs and 3 extra-strength Tylenol every 4hrs. Needless to say, I wasn't ready to do that to my insides and was pretty desperate. I had never heard anything good about a chiropractor, only bad, but I pulled out the phonebook anyway. Luckily I found the right one.
My issue with chiropractic is this: There seem to be 2 different schools of thought involving chiropractic care.
There is a lot more to chiropractic care than just the back, and there are those drs. that will want and tell you to come back twice a week for the rest of your life to avoid issues, making you dependant on their services.
Then there are the ones that work with you in order to heal/fix the problem to where you are not dependant on them for the rest of your life unless you see the need for "total health." I'm sure continued visits are needed for some cases, but not all.
I was lucky to find the right one and he taught me directly and indirectly to help myself. I learned enough from him during visits to know how to recognize when issues are arising and deal with them myself through certain techniques, etc to avoid or resolve any issues.
I haven't been back to him in over 5 years and do plenty of physical activity on a regular basis. I exceed my limits quite often (run, lift, kayak, in and out of vehicle all day, carry a 6yr old, etc), but I am able to avoid issues and haven't had more than an ache here or there since. I see my doc out on occassion when in Alexandria and thank him every time I do. Sorry, but a couple of weeks ago, he told me that business is so good, he's now having to turn down patients...but you never know.
Talk with whichever chiropractor you choose and don't be afraid to get a 2nd opinion if you aren't happy with his evaluation of your needs. If he can't help you with your condition, he will tell you. Just make sure he is teaching you something and has a plan for your treatment, not just trying to fill his books. Hope this helps.
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