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I have had minor success with chiropractors. I am not impressed with their white coats and calling themselves doctors...or doing x-rays. Give me an old x-ray machine and some training and I can see misaligned vertebrae as well.

I have chronic lumbar herniation and cervical as well. Mine is managable when it flares up with opiates and carisprodal(sic) (the only choice in muscle relaxers in my view).

For symptomatic relief I like a nice massage or even better...acupuncture....acupuncture does indeed help the healing...at least for me. I am a big believer in it for this. I do not think it is a cure for everything.

Chiropractors often claim to be able to attribute many conditions to spinal misalignment which is simply pure BS. They can help perhaps manipulate a "pinched nerve" out of the "pinch". I'll grant them that but that's all. They usually want to do all sorts of crap and repeat treatments and charge your insurance for it. I have had chiropractors warn me of the danger of neck snapping so they indeed do know it exists. But, since I prefer acupuncture...I never go to chiropractors anymore.

Acupuncture also does some sort of mental relaxation that I can't pinpoint but anyone who has ever had a "total body" acupuncture treatment will know what I'm talking about.

One last point...if you have a serious back issue with groin numbness and lack of leg control...then forget all the alternative stuff and get to a neuro or orthopedic doc asap. It can degenerate promptly and leave one with permanent paralysis. My cousin who plays semi pro soccer had such an event and knew to go to the doc asap (his dad is a trauma surgeon) and he had a splintered vertebrae and they did surgery that night in Greensboro. He was in danger of life altering consequences.

Just my experiences...flame away ya'll.

You are completely correct on the serious neurological symptoms stuff. Fusion is the only practical approach more often than not. Works well and is safe when done well.

Your observations seem pretty much on the mark. The dirty little secret of healthcare is western medicine is abysmal at treating soft tissue complaints and eastern medicine sucks for things that are actually broken or damaged.

It really doesn't take much success on either side to make the other guy look inept.

You want a DC to do an xray... Adjusting someone without an xray can be very dangerous...