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Ratatusk
New Member
Canada
1 Post |
 Posted - 06/16/2006 : 01:19:37
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I hope this is the right are for this question, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to put it.
A friend of mine is seeing a chiropractor for a few of things, both of which sound ridiculous.
1) Epilepsy. The chiropractor seems to be saying that there are pinched nerves along her spine that are interfering with the chemicals in her brain thus causing her epilepsy.
2) Apparently this guy also helps with allergies because she's also doing something called either allergy desensitization, or emotional desensitization. I can't quite remember what it is. Essentially she's not allowed to touch a certain thing for awhile. One time it was her cats, another time she wasn't allowed to eat chocolate or dairy. I believe the precept behind this is that you get used to the things you're around a lot and therefore have to distance yourself from them every once and awhile. I'm a little baffled beyond the normal here, because she doesn't have any allergies in the first place.
It doesn't sound to me like either of these things have a chance at working, but what I'm really trying to figure out is why. Does anyone have any ideas as to why these things couldn't work or just have more information on them?
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Starman
SFN Regular
Sweden
1613 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 02:39:54 [Permalink]
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Hi Ratatusk!
Welcome to the SFN.
Chiropractors are quacks.
Sometimes their victims might feel better but other times they are hurt by the chiropractor. There is no evidence support the ideas of chiropractic treatments.
You can check out the Skeptics Dictionary on the subject. |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 03:07:52 [Permalink]
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Seeking treatment froom a chiropractor for epilepsy is.... criminal on the part of the chiropractor and sheer folly on the part of the patient.
Chiropractic "medicine" is based on the idea that all human illness stems from what they call "subluxations" in the spine. Everything from allergies to infections to cancer, and some of them actually believe the line they are selling you. There is exactly zero evidence that a visit to the chiropractor does anything other than put you at risk of having them tear your vertebral arteries when they "adjust" your neck, and permanently paralize you.
Please urge your friend to remain in the care of a proper MD for epilepsy,and try to convince her to not let her chiropractor "adjust" her neck.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 03:19:39 [Permalink]
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Hi Ratatusk, and welcome!
There is no way short of divine intervention that a chiroprator will in any way cure epilepsy. And to the best of my knowledge, God has yet to weigh in on the subject. The same holds for allergies.
Chiropratic has only a single goal; to make money; lots of money. These grifters will keep a patient returning for "adjustments" endlessly, and, here's the sad part about it: you can get the same benefit from a good massuse for a lot less cash out of pocket.
Star, ya beat me to the SD reference.... I think Randi has a couple of articles on it, but you'll have to dig through his archives, some thing I don't have time to do at the moment.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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| Edited by - filthy on 06/16/2006 03:22:42 |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 06:41:58 [Permalink]
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| Chirobase.org and its affiliate Quackwatch.org are both places to investigate. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 08:03:14 [Permalink]
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Also Wikipedia has an excellent, in depth page on it.
quote:
Chiropractic is a complementary and alternative health care profession which focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and their effects on the nervous system and general health. Chiropractors believe misalignments, or subluxations of the spine interfere with the body's self-regulating mechanisms, primarily the nervous system. A chiropractor may specialize in treating low back problems or sports injuries, or may combine chiropractic with manipulation of the extremities, physiotherapy, nutrition, or exercises to increase spinal strength or improve overall health. He/she may also use other complementary and alternative methods as a part of a holistic treatment approach. They do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. While there is evidence that spinal manipulation can be effective for low back pain and headaches, some of the other claims that chiropractors make concerning the benefits to health are based mainly on subjective reports from clinical experience, while objective evidence from controlled trials is lacking.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 08:10:35 [Permalink]
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| http://www.chirowatch.com is another. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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