Wellness Wednesday

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A family member was experiencing back pain last year. Trying to navigate the confusing world of health insurance was bad enough for her, but the worst was trying to determine which type of doctor was right for her condition. First she tried a chiropractor, then she went to a general practitioner physician. All she wanted was relief, hopefully long-term relief. What she got was confusion and wives' tales. Wives' tales? Yes, when she asked the medical doctor about using a chiropractor, she was told it is essentially quackery! So of course, out of frustration, she ended up not going to any doctor and just suffering. 

Not too long ago (1987) the American Medical Association was found guilty in court of falsely accusing chiropractors of quackery and trying to drive them out of business. However, that ugly scene is (supposed to be) behind us and physicians often refer patients to chiropractors. Plus, unlike earlier decades, many insurance plans cover visits to chiropractors. This New York Times article talk about how chiropractic medicine is now mainstream. Unfortunately, the author made it sound as if going to a chiropractor will blindside you when it comes to your bill. (As if no one has experienced that in a physician's office or hospital.) However, the point is that one need not fear the chiropractor. Just make sure, as with any doctor, you do your due diligence and check reputation, insurance coverage, and fees. 

I do think one reason chiropractors have gotten a bad reputation is that they are often the doctor of last resort, so they sometimes see the "incurable." Another family member exhausted her traditional options for a health issue and finally consulted a chiropractor. She said he was the first doctor who listen to her. He saw her health issues as a challenge and was able to pinpoint some of the causes which gave her long-term relief. Again, as with any medical treatment, consider your options and do research.