Chiropractor?

skeptik

I was under the impression, after having a look online, that visiting a chiropractor while pregnant was perfectly normal and acceptable. They also didn't bat an eyelid at the chiropractors office when I mentioned it. However, on visiting my GP yesterday, I had the head eaten off me about going to the chiropractor while pregnant, that they take no resposibility for any damage they do and something about them not being medical trained etc. Now I will listen to my doctor, she knows more than me and I trust her. But I'm just wondering if anyone else has been to a chiropractor during pregnancy and had this reaction from their doctor or anyone else?

Mink

It's totally safe. It is my opinion but I have found some GP's to scaremonger re these things, mainly as they've been scaremongered!

I'm nearly 17 wks pregnant & I see my chiropractor as she is specifically trained to treat pregnant women & babies. In fact she had a baby 9 mths ago and her husband treated her (they have a clinic together).

It is the responsibility of the patient to actually tell the chiro they are pregnant and how far along. She would not adjust my pelvis until well into 2nd trimester and uterus as moved up out of the pelvic cavity for safety reasons.

To be extra safe, check with the Chiropractic Assoc of Ireland website to see if the chiro in question is actually registered. They have to be to be insured. Also check did they do specific courses outside of regular chiro training dealing with pregnancy.

Chriopractors are not medical doctos but they are doctors that specialise in the spine, joints and related nervous system and they have to go to uni for 4 years & apprentice another 2 before they get their license. It's not like it's made out to be on Two & a Half Men where Alan went to some dodgy school in Ecuador for 2 years haha.

By the way I do not work in a chiro clinic nor do I have any affiliation with them other than I am a patient. I did work in one yrs ago and learnt a lot and the chiro that was trained in treating preg women had an awful lot of them coming into her especially during the end when their pelvic bones were really going out of place due to ligaments softening. It seemed to bring them great relief judging by their faces!

Cliona99

I would've thought it was totally normal too. I know one or two pregnant friends found it fantastic for relief from back pain during pregnancy. But some doctors take a very dim view of chiropractors. If you trust your chiropractor and you know they're well trained and accredited and they're willing to treat you, maybe get a second opinion from another doctor?

mickydcork

Trust your Doctor.

Chiropractic is a practice with no basis in science and has no science-based evidence to support it's efficacy.

Mink

mickydcork wrote: »

Trust your Doctor.

Chiropractic is a practice with no basis in science and has no science-based evidence to support it's efficacy.

Not going to get into an argument here but I completely disagree with this sweeping statement.

Doctors & GP's are definitely not always right 100% of the time and anyone that listens to everything they say is not using common sense.

colly10

I have been to physios before for my back and didn't find them very good, one told me I was fine to go back training and I got injured in the next session.
I have found good chiropracters excellent for back injuries.
It's up to yourself whether you listen to your doctor or not but not everything my doctor has said is factually acurate

mickydcork

Mink wrote: »

Not going to get into an argument here but I completely disagree with this sweeping statement.

Doctors & GP's are definitely not always right 100% of the time and anyone that listens to everything they say is not using common sense.

Professor Edzard Ernst, who is a Professor of Complimentary Medicine provides the follow review article on Chiropratic in which he concludes

"The effectiveness, safety, and cost of spinal manipulation are uncertain"

http://biblio.physiotek.com/sites/biblio.physiotek.com/files/Chiropractic%20-%20A%20Critical%20Evaluation_0.pdf

mickydcork

colly10 wrote: »

I have been to physios before for my back and didn't find them very good, one told me I was fine to go back training and I got injured in the next session.
I have found good chiropracters excellent for back injuries.
It's up to yourself whether you listen to your doctor or not but not everything my doctor has said is factually acurate

That's an interesting anecdote, but anecdotes are not fact.

Anecdotes that highlight failures in the approach of science-based medicine, do not therefore prove the efficacy of alternative medicine.

colly10

mickydcork wrote: »

That's an interesting anecdote, but anecdotes are not fact.

Anecdotes that highlight failures in the approach of science-based medicine, do not therefore prove the efficacy of alternative medicine.

True, my anecdote does highlight failures of science-based medicine. It does not prove the efficacy of alternative medicine but has this treatment been disproven?
I have found chiropractors to be good, I would never consider returning to a physio for a back injury based on my experience of them.

foodaholic

Do what your comfortable with. It's important to have a chiro you can trust though. I have been to bad chiros and bad physios. The girl I go to know is fab and is experienced with pregnant woman. I would have been crippled without her

mardi

Agree with foodholic, if you're not comfortable with it don't go but personally I would be lost without my chiropractor. I found a great one that I trust too and was attending her throughout my last pregnancy. I wouldn't have been able to function properly without her. A lot of GP's do have an aversion to complementary/alternative therapies but there is a lot more out there than conventional medicine that can help people. There's room for the alternative alongside the conventional. I know in the States chiroprators work alongside GP's.

Mink

mardi wrote: »

Agree with foodholic, if you're not comfortable with it don't go but personally I would be lost without my chiropractor. I found a great one that I trust too and was attending her throughout my last pregnancy. I wouldn't have been able to function properly without her. A lot of GP's do have an aversion to complementary/alternative therapies but there is a lot more out there than conventional medicine that can help people. There's room for the alternative alongside the conventional. I know in the States chiroprators work alongside GP's.

+1 to all this. Patients are referred to chiros in UK as well. I think it's just a new concept to Irish health system... like a lot of things.

But yes you need to find someone that is recommended also - same goes for a physio or GP. I've had chiro adjustments from other doctors that I didn't enjoy and same goes for other practitioners in other fields.

Go with some strong recommendations.