Question
Hi! I am a 27 years young female with no kids and very active. I am a professional dog groomer, work out, eat right, and do a lot of outdoor activities. I recently went to a chiropractor in hopes to have some assistance with some numbing in my arms and hands, also some popping in my hips while doing certain exercises at the gym (hip abductions).I see a massage therapist from time to time and he informed me that he felt that I had some straightening in my neck so I took the reference of a coworker and went to her chiro.

Something seemed fishy with him... He took the xrays, then wanted me to come back in a few days and told me I would see my xrays then. When I returned back on appointment time he used "the scare tactic" and told me I have a -12 deg curve in my spine and NEEDED TO GET STARTED IMMEDIATELY! Without seeing my xrays I had an adjustment and asked about my xrays after and he said I would have to come with my "spouse" to an "orientation/ doctors findings" (SALES TACTIC) to see them. I left quite disturbed! and QUITE WORRIED! I have no SERIOUS PAIN! The curve he is claiming I have is 1 degree worse than my fiances boss that is on pain management because he was flung from a car through the windshield. HOW CAN I BE WORSE????
When I told the dr. he was scaring me he said "You should be scared...it's VERY SERIOUS!"  I am very unnerved by him and his tactics. Should I trust him to even be using my REAL Xrays???? I am leaning towards going to another chiro for a second opinion....He also wants to do adjustments once a WEEK! That seems EXCESSIVE! After about 6 weeks he wants to go to once a month! He also makes you sign something...I have not done that but my coworker has!I will go LOOK at ym xrays next Wednesday just so I can see them to compare my 2nd set to see if he shows me the real ones! What should I believe???? Should I even bother going to look at them???

Answer
Hello Misty,

Do not let anyone over-rule your gut feelings.  If you are not comfortable with this Doctor, go see a different Doctor.

Unfortunately health professionals of all disciplines are under tremendous economic pressure now a days.  Years ago, before mangled health care ('managed care'), health insurance would allow patients do choose their own doctors, would allow patients the treatments they needed, tests they need.  Once you were a licensed health professional, you could maintain an office, pay your malpractice insurance, pay your staff, continue your education, pay your student loans.  Now there is increased economic pressure in the health industry.  Fifteen years ago on Staten Island there were five hospital campuses, today, with 100,000 more people, Staten Island has three hospital campuses.  Who ever thought hospital facilities would go out of business.  Doctors of every discipline are getting out of the health care industry due to economic pressures.

These financial pressures are causing Doctors to become salespeople.
I agree that the scenario you describe sounds like a sales type pitch.  Medical Doctors, Dentists, Chiropractors are now utilizing 'practice management' to handle the economic pressures in todays marketplace. So, some of the techniques you described are part of that 'practice management'.

As to the 'seriousness' of the condition; Doctors of Chiropractic treat spinal conditions.  We know that spinal curvatures often progress throughout a lifetime, sometimes as slow as 0, 1, 2 degrees increase per year, sometimes (ie during pregnancy, increasing almost a degree per month).  Spinal curvatures in a snapshot may not look significant; but the curve can progress as the spine is dynamic.  Many times people have come to my chiropractic office with curves that you mention and it does not really show cosmetically, and some times it does show cosmetically, but they want it STOPPED!, they want it corrected, they want the progression halted.  We have all seen people with terrible curvatures and said to ourselves,,, sheeesh, why did they let that happen?? why didn't they go to the chiropractor?

Numbness = serious problem.  Spinal curvature = serious problem.
Pain? presence / absence of pain does NOT indicate health or illness.
Some people feel grrrrrrrrreat, and die of a heart attack the same day(40% of cardiac deaths= the FIRST pain someone feels, is the last PAIN they feel,,, but the problem was building for years).  Some people feel terrible, in pain every day, and live for many many years.
Pain is the last thing that comes in a condition. Pain is not a good way to gauge seriousness of a problem.

Your spinal curvature is only as serious to you as you see it.  To a Doctor of Chiropractic a spinal curve of 12 degrees, particularly in a young childbearing age female, is serious.  But only you can determine how serious the curve is to you.  Given possible progression, spinal curvature of course disrupts posture , gives a poor appearance, is cosmetically unappealing, and ultimately can functionally alter heart and lung mechanics.  The curve also predisposes to osteoarthritic degeneration and spinal injury.  Is the spinal curvature serious where it is terminal or fatal?, no.  But it is serious to health and lifestyle.

Many of my patients go to dentists.  Some of my patients have perfect smiles and are at the dentist several times a year for cleanings, fillings, all type of care.  To that patient, their teeth are a serious matter, and the dentist sells them all kinds of products and services.  Some of my patients have teeth missing, dentistry is just not serious to them and the dentist cannot sell them products or services.  

Given your spinal curvature, a treatment regimen of once a week seems very conservative.  Adjustments, daily exercise, proper joint supplementation are going to be significant in stopping/ slowing/ reversing the possible progression of your condition.

I do not agree with the Doctor's "sales techniques", 'hiding xrays', or presentation to you of the problem.  But, you have a musculoskeletal problem that should be addressed at this time, rather than letting it progress.

I cannot fault your gut feeling, an I probably would not return to that same doctor again, except to pick up my Xray films....
I would go to a different doctor, with those films, for another evaluation and necessary treatment.

As always, this article is for discussion purposes only.  Education and informational conversation. Specific evaluation, DX, RX, TX, PX can only be made by a treating health professional in person.

I hope this has been of some help to you.  You do not have to return to THAT doctor, but do see another chiropractor.  Thank you, your Staten Island Chiropractor signing off, wishing you good luck, and Good Health Naturally !

Dr. Victor Dolan, DC
http://www.DocDolan.net
http://www.GoodealthNaturally.info
http://drvictordolan.chiroweb.com  (email newsletter)