"Systematic reviews of controlled clinical studies of treatments used by chiropractors have found no evidence that chiropractic manipulation is effective, with the possible exception of treatment for back pain.[8] A 2011 critical evaluation of 45 systematic reviews concluded that the data included in the study "fail[ed] to demonstrate convincingly that spinal manipulation is an effective intervention for any condition."[10] Spinal manipulation may be cost-effective for sub-acute or chronic low back pain, but the results for acute low back pain were insufficient.[11] No compelling evidence exists to indicate that maintenance chiropractic care adequately prevents symptoms or diseases.[12]"
Generally agree with this, but one time when I was little landed on my back on the edge of a trampoline and really hurt my back. After some back and forth my parents took me to a chiropractor who fixed my pain, saying I probably moved a disk onto a nerve or something like that.
So I think pain caused by physical movement of the spine like my injury is totally legit as a reason to go to one
Glad they worked for you. One thing I would add: Maybe make sure they're actually skilled/qualified and not a chiropractor-in-training using you as a test dummy.
There are literally some clinics that have chiropractors in training who aren't as qualified to do chiropractic as experienced chiropractors. I know a place where they use chiropractors who are still in training and developing experience, and lots of people say to avoid it and go to more professional chiropractors.
I will be more clear. The skills and qualifications of a chiropractor are nothing. If I were more charitable, I'd say that their treatments do not work the way they say they do. It's based on assertions that are at odds with reality and so far in testing, reality has always won. You can not be skilled at a thing when that thing is not real so a chiropractor and chiropractor-in-training are six of one and half a dozen of the other.
You can study fantasy for years and interact with people who play along with your fantasy. Pretending that fantasy is medicine is dangerous and unconscionable.
Yes, there are. But there also some clinics that have chiropractors in training who aren't as qualified to do chiropractic as experienced chiropractors. I know a place where they use chiropractors who are still in training and developing experience, and lots of people say to avoid it and go to more professional chiropractors.
I don't doubt whether you and your parents believe that going to a chiropractor fixed your pain. Can't exactly zip around with a time machine and see what would have happened in that scenario if you'd gone to a doctor, done some stretching on your own, or just gone about your day ignoring it (among other options). Anecdotes like yours suggest that there's a helpful effect from going to chiropractors but when it's studied by competent professionals, those benefits disappear because chiropractic practitioner beliefs and performances are not constrained to the narrow limits of reality.
If someone is injured beyond the simple stuff like cuts that you can slap a band-aid on or sprains/strains to be treated with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate), go to a doctor. Head, neck or back injuries in particular are not something to gamble on but I'm glad your case turned out okay.