Spoonful No.10 ~ Walks Like A Duck, Quacks Like A Chiropractor?

It used to be that chiropractic medicine was lumped together with offbeat practices such as crystal healing and shamanism. Chiropractors were better known as quacks and according to some people still are. Today it has emerged as an effective medical therapy and has gained acceptance by mainstream physicians and the public.
The chiropractic approach treats the whole person, rather than just one illness or injury. It relies on neither drugs nor surgery and takes advantage of the body's self healing and self regulation abilities. It also promotes good body mechanics, nutrition, and emotional health.
Most of you out there who have considered going to the chiropractor have done so because you had back problems. If you decide to go, the chiropractor may use multiple methods to treat you including, but not limited to, massage techniques, ice packs, ultrasound (not for babies!), or joint manipulations.
When looking for a good chiropractor, the first and best bet is to get a referral from your general practitioner or someone you know. If you don't have this advantage, here are some things you should look for. A good chiropractor should:

• Perform a detailed health history and physical as part of your initial consultation (no, going to the chiropractor is not a one visit miracle fix)
• Be trained to do spinal adjusting (ask before treatment begins)
• Be able to diagnose your problem and, if necessary, refer you to the correct specialist that can
• Release you when you are well without pressuring you to schedule follow up treatment

As always there are going to be some questionable characters out there so be careful of those chiropractors who:

• Insist upon x-rays, even if they really don't seem to be related to your problem
• Make instant diagnoses without proper health history or physical
• Schedule weekly or monthly visits without a clear reason as to why
• A hesitant to refer you to other specialists and claim to be able to cure a wide (and I do mean wide) range of illnesses and injuries

This is not to say that you don't have a problem that is easily identified, needing multiple treatments, and is the cause of a few different symptoms you may feel, but it is always important to keep your eyes and ears open!~