Chiropractors or Osteopath Help

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SpicedApple Feb 2011 2:51pm, 5 Feb 2011 3,933 posts	0 SpicedApple Sorry to hear that Mrs J is struggling. Can you find someone who isn't only chiropractor or osteopath? Our local orthopaedic surgeon back home is a chiropractor as well, and he's very sensible about when to apply what, and knows how the two fields can complement each other.
The_Saint Feb 2011 5:17pm, 5 Feb 2011 4,542 posts	0 The_Saint The problem being that chiropractic doesn't even achieve the semi-sane things it claims to, the insane things claimed should demonstrate to any reasonable person that it is not medicine.
clairster Feb 2011 6:32pm, 5 Feb 2011 879 posts	0 clairster osteopath really helped my back and continues to do so
flyingfinn Feb 2011 7:24pm, 5 Feb 2011 156 posts	0 flyingfinn "who tries to crack your vertebrae "back into alignment" then claims it will stay that way.." A good osteopath would never make such a claim, they'd work to identify why it happened in the first place and advise you how to correct the under lying problem if that was the issue (as opposed to a one off impact related problem). An osteopath that behaves as you describe Saint is no different to a physio who treats the pain with out treating the cause (and I've seen a few of those in 30 years of running), they are simply a poor example of their profession and not an argument for whether or not the approach as a whole is valid. Personally I've seen someone who is labelled as an Osteopath for 12 years and I'd credit her with the fact that I can still do the amount of running I do. Personally I think I'd call her a Sports Therapist because she applies other techniques that blur her treatment into what some would call Physio. And just to confuse things a Physio I know has taken some of my Osteopath's techniques into her work. So my advice would be don't get stuck on labels, find someone locally who another runner can personally recommend, whether they be a physio, osteopath or chiropractor by title.
Velociraptor Feb 2011 7:28pm, 5 Feb 2011 15,006 posts	0 Velociraptor I agree with Flyingfinn. Choose a competent practitioner rather than a philosophy, and never lose sight of the fact that there isn't a lot of evidence to support ANY of the physical therapies for back pain, statistically. If it were me, I'd probably ask a local osteopath whom I trust to have a look at my back. But there are geographical locations in which I'd choose a physio.
The_Saint Feb 2011 8:10pm, 5 Feb 2011 4,543 posts	0 The_Saint So, choose your placebo provider wisely
clairster Feb 2011 6:33am, 6 Feb 2011 881 posts	0 clairster I agree with flyingfinn..my osteo has kept me up and running and works to treat the source of my problem using a variety of different techniques. the physios were doing nothing for me and the osteo worked woonders. horses for courses and pick your treatment according to your injury and the impression you get off the person. it is definitely not a placebo effect, i know this from my range of movement before and after treatment
Pestomum Feb 2011 7:53am, 6 Feb 2011 7,208 posts	0 Pestomum The fact that it worked for you doesn't mean it's not a placebo effect. Placebo WORKS rather often... just because humans are funny creatures.
SharonD Feb 2011 8:39am, 6 Feb 2011 2,547 posts	0 SharonD I agree wtih Flying Finn, years ago I went to see an Osteo who also happened to be a physio, so after a thorough consultation, he prodded in the exact spot that sent me up to the ceiling and I got a mixture of soft tissue and bone crunching which in one session saw the removal of crippling pain in my neck and shoulder- given a list of exercises to perform to strengthen muscles that had wasted away and told to rest from horse-riding, trampolining and swimming etc etc for two weeks and he didn;t want to see me again! it would have been one session at £40 if I'd listened to the 'rest' bit, the second time he saw me I promised he'd never see me again but I'd recommend him;-) If you don't get a thorough consultation before your treatment - don't have the treatment!
clairster Feb 2011 8:44am, 6 Feb 2011 882 posts	0 clairster generally i would agree re the placebo effect, but when a physical restriction is removed due to massage and manipulation, I would tend to think the effect is real rather than imaginery.