The Internet is also full of well meaning (and sometimes not well meaning) people who are confused about chiropractic care, and need some answers. And some of them are other health care providers.
And there are is no shortage of low quality answers to some of these questions.
This is our attempt to answer some of those tough questions in a focused, detailed, and fair-minded way.
As our answers to these questions expand, so will this resource. If you’re interested in asking a tough question, feel free to reach out to Dr. Zachary Ward via our contact page, and mention that you found this page.
Q: Why does my radiology report say “normal” but my chiropractor says there’s a problem?
Sometimes there’s a mismatch between what a radiology report says about our x-rays vs. what a chiropractor says about the same images. We go over the reasons why this happens, and why it matters. And we look at what’s different when a medical doctor examines an x-ray and when a chiropractor does their x-ray analysis, using an example of a 12 year old boy who fell off a bike.
Read more: Why does my radiology report say “normal but my chiropractor says there’s a problem
Q: Is it all about the money? Why does my chiropractor recommend return visits?
A common question asked online by chiropractic patients (or potential patients) is about the need to return for repeat visits. Websites like Quora and Reddit have a large variety of posts regarding this subject.
Without fail there is always the cynical answer from at least one participant who says that repeat visits to the chiropractor’s office are simply about the money. Nothing more.
So, is “it all about the money?” Or are there logical and physiological reasons for the recommendation of repeat visits that will serve the the interests of the patient?
Read more: Why does my chiropractor recommend return visits?
Q: Why do chiropractors claim to help more than just back pain? Isn’t this quackery?
There is an idea that chiropractic care is for back pain, and back pain only. And if a chiropractor makes the claim that they can help with a symptom away from the spine, then that chiropractor is acting like a quack.
Let’s dig into this situation and find out what might be happening in an even-handed way. And I invite you to refer to the video in this post, where I deal with a little bit more nuance.
Read more: Why do chiropractors claim to help more than just back pain?