Citation->  The Edell Health Letter, April 1990 v9 n4 p2(1)
            COPYRIGHT Hippocrates Inc. 1990

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title->     How to find a good chiropractor. (column)

Authors->   Edell, Dean

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject Hd->Chiropractors_evaluation
            Alternative medicine_evaluation


----------------------------------------------------------------------------


I ran into a well-known orthopedic surgeon the other night at a

cocktail party. After exchanging some requisite chitchat, we

plunged into a topic of intense interest to us both-chiropractic

medicine, or the practice of treating health problems through

spinal manipulation. Since we wound up agreeing on many

aspects of the "chiropractor problem," I thought I'd share some of

our conclusions with you. Maybe it will help you decide whether

chiropractic medicine can help you.

Chiropractors, it's safe to say, are a mixed bunch. There are the

good ones, content to deal with the kind of muscular and skeletal

problems that often frustrate ordinary physicians. Then there are the ones I
call embarassments, the ones who want to be primary care physicians. This
brand of chiropractor honestly believes that all diseases are caused by a
pinched nerve or a misaligned spinal column. Preposterous though it sounds,
this view is still taught in many chiropractic colleges.

My surgeon friend and I both agree that there is a place for good
chiropractors in health care. My friend described a man who came into his
clinic recently with a sore neck. He advised the man to take aspirin, put
hot packs on his neck, and take it easy for a couple of days. The patient
promptly turned around and hunted down a good chiropractor who provided him
with almost instant relief.

The surgeon admitted he'd like to hire a chiropractor to work at his clinic.
He would gladly send along patients with neck and back pain-after first
ruling out more serious problems such as kidney disease, heart trouble, and
prostate cancer. But he probably won't hire a chiropractor-at least in the
near future-because most hospitals and doctors would refuse to do business
with him. He's already been told as much-an indication of just how bad the
blood is between these two professions. Most doctors simply don't trust
practitioners who haven't earned a medical degree.

This stand-off leaves the consumer caught in the middle. When is it
appropriate to consult a chiropractor? Here's the only advice I can offer:
Try a chiropractor for neck or back pain after first visiting an internist
to rule out cancer and other more serious ailments. Be aware that
chiropractors work best for people suffering moderate, chronic pain. Spinal
manipulation can actually worsen many serious disorders, including herniated
discs or arthritis.

Make sure to find a good one. Many doctors still publicly refuse to refer
patients to chiropractors, but you'll probably find that quite a few doctors
"secretly" know of a few you can trust. Those are the chiropractors you'll
want to patronize. Good luck.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------