And people wonder why I am dead-set against Chiropractic?

[Aristus]

2. I have patients with back pain coming in all the time wanting a referral to a chiropractor.

I tell them how much I distrust chiropractic 'care', and refer them to whichever specialist is appropriate for their problem: physical therapy, orthopedic, or in rare cases, pain management. I tell them that the only time chiropractic care is in any way appropriate is if their spinal bones are out of alignment, which occurs much less frequently than many may imagine.

Although I have immense respect for emergency medicine providers and the difficult cases they deal with on a daily basis, their program for care after the patient is stabilized often leaves much to be desired.

I'll have patients following up on an ED visit for a motor vehicle accident tell me that they have were referred for a chiropractic evaluation. I'll look at their spinal imaging from the ED to check for malalignment, and see nothing that requires chiropractic manipulation, and usually something that can be addressed in clinic only, or with physical therapy. I usually get them to cancel the chiro evaluation, and get them into PT or with an orthopedist.

I don't want my patients spending ten years not getting better under the 'care' of someone who's just trying to make his Mercedes payments.