Expert: Scott F. Gillman, DC, DACBSP - 3/26/2008

Question
Hi, I have been going to the same Chiropractor for half a year now. He doesn't do the normal kind of chiropractic work such as x-ray/massage/and then cracking the back and neck. Basically how his office works is, he is open for several hours a day and people just come in and go out in a matter of 1 minute and charges a monthly base fee. He quickly adjusts the neck and back and if you want, you can ask for muscle rebalancing instead of chiropractic work. It is very unusual since I am used to going to chiropractors who give massage before the treatment but he doesn't believe in that. Anyway. 2 days ago I went to him to get a quick adjustment and he seemed very rushed (which is not unusual, the other doctors are good but the owner of the company always seems to rush things) and he just quickly adjusted my back (top, mid, and lower spine) and then turned me on my side and quickly adjusted my hip (?) then I moved into a sitting position and he quickly (and quite roughly) cracked my neck to the right. In and out in a matter of 30 seconds. The next morning I felt a throbbing pain at the base of my head and I've been having headaches and soreness from my neck to the base of my head. Thinking it was just a tension headache or something...I went to get a massage. Today, I'm still hurting and feeling like crap. This is the first time I have experienced something like this, and I'm wondering if this in and out business is good at all? Should I cancel my membership there? It would cost me about double what I'm paying per month to cancel. The other chiropractors seem to be okay and I visit them maybe 2 or 3 times a week for a quick adjustment (which I am not even sure if I need but it makes me feel like I'm being healthy...) Anyway. My question is, is it possible that my chiropractor messed up my neck? Or maybe it's just a coincidence and I slept in the wrong position that night and hurt my neck that way?

Answer
Jessica,

It is my opinion that the adjustment was abrupt, thoughtless, and only good for one party: the chiropractor.  It may very well have caused muscular or joint strain.   I understand that doctors that want to practice outside the insurance system are doing these "membership" plans, but the trade off is that you don't get "doctoring."  You get a very quick pop or crack without any clinical assessment or thorough hands-on care. I also highly disagree about massage or other muscle therapy being not necessary, and there's a whole world of myotherapists that would agree as well.  When that chiropractor needs a chiropractor, he'd be pretty disappointed in a 30 second pop.  I think it's crap.  

Dr. G