Lifeworks Chiropractic

Bartholomew · Aug 17, 2008

Hey all,

My girlfriend is paying these guys for their services, but their doctor seemed a bit seedy to me. Does anyone know anything about them? My google-fu did not divine anything.

Fenika · Aug 17, 2008

What degrees do they hold and how long have they been in business? If they are new to the area, where did they work previously. That's a good place to start.

Your gf might also keep a journal on how the chiro makes her feel, etc...

Better business bureau?

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Aug 17, 2008

I'm assuming you're looking for negatives? I got over 15000 hits on "Lifeworks Chiropractic". Did you try to google the doctor by name?

Bartholomew · Aug 17, 2008

Yeah. Their names are Doctors Matthew and Meredith Gianfort. No idea what they're doctors of.

Kryianna · Aug 17, 2008

Found their site:

http://www.lifeworkschiro.com/

Bartholomew · Aug 17, 2008

The guy looked at my spine for a minute. Ran what he said was a thermal scanner over it. We looked at some results -- the girlfriend was off getting pro bono backrub that lured us there in the first place --and he asked me when the last time my back was examined. I gave him a look like he came from Mars, because--really--unless you were born with Sculliosis or something, who gets regular back exams at 22? And his reply was, "Really? Never?"

This seemed to upset him a lot. I was suspicious of his thermal scanner, mostly because I don't understand how you could examine the spine via heat signatures, I was suspicious of his Spiel -- if Chiropractics can cure everything from menstrual pain to depression to runny noses, how come I never hear about it in hospitals? And I was really suspicious of his attitude once I told him I wasn't going to buy his services unless it worked for my girlfriend. Because it seems to me that, if his tampering made her Asthma go away (which is what he's claiming it will do), he wouldn't have a thing to worry about.

Shadow_Ferret · Aug 18, 2008

My mother, a retired RN, swears by her chiropractor and when ever I talk about my back pain she's trying to get me in there. I've had lots of friends who swear by it. "I go every month. I feel wonderful." But, obviously he isn't CURING anything because you keep going back.

I tried it once. They did a whole bunch of tests and scans and such. (My own doctor has said I have a slight curvature.) Then they put me on this table with these electrodes and zapped the hell out of my back.

I didn't feel any better. I never went back. I get as much benefit from playing the Wii.

Me, I'm a skeptic.

Pagey's_Girl · Aug 18, 2008

A former co-worker went to one after he threw his back out quite badly, and it did seem to help him. At least he wasn't walking around bent over after that. But to be fair, it was the sort of thing that would eventually get better on its own. I think the chiro did help him get better sooner, though.

golferman · Aug 19, 2008

Chiropractors are great. They stopped my headaches and saved me from back surgery after a football injury. An MD referred me in both cases. You don't hear about it in hosptials because a chiropractor is usually viewed as a competitor to the hosptial. I mean, if you feel better after going to the chiropractor you don't need drugs or surgery and the hosptial can't cash in the many thousands they would have gotten from you.

Usually people go into hospitals walking and come out in a wheel chair. They go into chiropractic clinics in a wheel chair and usually WALK out. MDs and chiropractors refer a lot these days though. Many hospitals are adding chiropractic sections--especially for car accident cases. The American Medical Association endorsed chiropractic for correction of back and neck problems several years ago. I can't speak for all chiropractors, but a good chiroprator will do wonders for you.

Most college and pro football teams have a team chiropractor that travels with them to the games. It seems that athletes do better when their spines aren't twisted up and misaligned...who woulda thunk it?

Beach Bunny · Aug 19, 2008

I checked out their website. I think you have a right to be concerned about them. They aren't board certified and they don't mention certification with the state. I think that they should at least be licensed by the state.

Here is what they say about themselves:

Doctors Matt and Meredith are graduates of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. They take a corrective approach to health and have created a wellness-based chiropractic center serving Shawnee. Doctors Matt and Meredith have spent and continue to spend countless hours and dollars on post-graduate education to maximize their knowledge and skills of chiropractic care, wellness education and nutrition. They believe that God chose them to be chiropractors to touch people's lives.

Compare that to what my chiropractor says about herself:

Dr. Holly Darwin is certified as a Doctor of Chiropractic in the state of Florida . She is a member of the American Chiropractic Association, ACA Council on Neurology, Florida Chiropractic Association, and National Board Diplomate of Chiropractic Examiners. Throughout her life, Dr. Holly Darwin has felt compelled to serve the health and wellness needs of others. Her knowledge of health, fitness and nutrition is extensive and includes 8 years of experience as a Medical-Surgical Nurse. She is well respected among her colleagues and has an excellent referral relationship with other health care professionals

In my opinion, a chiropractor should at least be a member of the American Chiropractic Association and those two aren't. While board certification doesn't guarantee that a medical professional will be very good, they have passed a minimum standard of knowledge for their expertise.

My $0.02

Kitrianna · Aug 19, 2008

The problem with why no one hears about chiropratics from a hospital or a doctor is that it is considered "alternative" medicine, like accupuncture, massage therapy, holistics and the what not. My father has gone to a chiropractor most of my life and i know that it has helped him. Kthrok is supposed to go see one three times a week, but we can't afford it. They don't give you some miracle cure, they help keep your spine in proper alignment which in turn can help aleviate alot of pains and discomforts. That is why you have to keep going back. Everything will cause the spine to shift and you can't always get it to go back the way it's supposed to be. Personally, my goal is to be on a first name basis with a chiropractor and the sooner the better.

Unique · Aug 19, 2008

I checked out their website. I think you have a right to be concerned about them. They aren't board certified and they don't mention certification with the state. I think that they should at least be licensed by the state.

Run!

I wouldn't go to a chiro who wasn't board certified. Florida's professional certification is pretty rigorus -even their massage therapists have licenses

but - like anything else - the provider himself can be good, bad, talented, or even - adequate. Their techniques can vary )usually depends on which school they went to.

I've never heard of a thermal scan either - all the ones I've been to used good old X-rays. Done inhouse, too.

I'd be cautious. Your spine is nothing to much about with. That's why chiros exist in the first place. YMMV.

Kitty Pryde · Aug 19, 2008

Everybody sing with me, Chiropractors are not doctors! They don't go to medical school. Some chiropractors just do back adjustments, which help lots of people with back pain. Others do more dodgy stuff. A chiropractor cannot treat any disease that is not back pain or some variation thereof. Run far away from any chiropractor who treats or diagnoses diseases like ear infections etc, as they are certainly quacks.

Interesting tidbit: the father of chiropractic invented the art when "While working as a magnetic healer in Davenport, Iowa, he encountered a deaf janitor who he discovered had a palpable lump in his back. He theorized that the lump and his deafness were related. After a reported successful restoration of the man's hearing,[2] it led to the beginning of Chiropractic history. His theories revolved around the concept that altered nerve flow was the cause of all disease, and that misaligned spinal vertebrae had an effect on the nerve flow." We now know that deafness cannot be treated by neck aligning, but anyway...

Any chiro work should be done slowly and gently. Any back or neck 'cracking' or sudden adjustments are dangerous. A friend's son was a healthy hearty young paramedic with a wife and two kids. A few hours after getting his neck 'cracked' by a chiropractor, he had a massive brain stem stroke and died. This happens more often than you would think. Make sure your GF is in the hands of a certified professional who isn't claiming to do ridiculous impossible things.

golferman · Aug 19, 2008

Kitty Pryde said:
Everybody sing with me, Chiropractors are not doctors! They don't go to medical school. Some chiropractors just do back adjustments, which help lots of people with back pain. Others do more dodgy stuff. A chiropractor cannot treat any disease that is not back pain or some variation thereof. Run far away from any chiropractor who treats or diagnoses diseases like ear infections etc, as they are certainly quacks.

Interesting tidbit: the father of chiropractic invented the art when "While working as a magnetic healer in Davenport, Iowa, he encountered a deaf janitor who he discovered had a palpable lump in his back. He theorized that the lump and his deafness were related. After a reported successful restoration of the man's hearing,[2] it led to the beginning of Chiropractic history. His theories revolved around the concept that altered nerve flow was the cause of all disease, and that misaligned spinal vertebrae had an effect on the nerve flow." We now know that deafness cannot be treated by neck aligning, but anyway...

Any chiro work should be done slowly and gently. Any back or neck 'cracking' or sudden adjustments are dangerous. A friend's son was a healthy hearty young paramedic with a wife and two kids. A few hours after getting his neck 'cracked' by a chiropractor, he had a massive brain stem stroke and died. This happens more often than you would think. Make sure your GF is in the hands of a certified professional who isn't claiming to do ridiculous impossible things.

Funny. In the words of my child's pediatrician, "Chiropractors are miracle workers with ear infections. They're gonna put me out of business."

A simple neck adjustment got rid of my son's ear infection within a few hours. Everything in your body goes through your spine!

Silver King · Aug 19, 2008

...They believe that God chose them to be chiropractors to touch people's lives.

You mean this isn't enough to convince patients that they're in good hands? Come on, people. Have some faith in pseudo-medicine and stop being so judgmental of your chiropractors' higher calling.

The spine you save from continued trauma may be your own.

Bartholomew · Aug 19, 2008

Well, I didn't see the warnings until now. (Just got home.) She's had an examination. He did something evil looking to her neck, and she said the constant, dull headache she had is gone. If she dies overnight, I'll probably never forgive myself for letting her go.

But his office is... AMAZINGLY busy. I can't tell if this is good or bad. On one hand, he literally deals with hundreds of people a day. On the other, it means he must give them about seven seconds of his time.

###

He said my girlfriend is missing a very important curve in the neck. That her neck is supposed to have a certain degree of curvature, but is, in fact, straight as a rod. He says this is very serious.

He also implied that if something isn't done to correct the spacing of the disks in her lower back, that she may never have children.

I'm a bit confused, frankly. She has lots of minor gripes, so it makes sense that her nervous system could somehow be the cause. But his claims that pinched nerves in the backbone actually shut down vital organs and cause cancer seem-- uh-- absurd.

So on one hand, I'm filtering 90% of what he tells me and throwing it out, sort of hoping he can help with her back pain. On the other, I can't help wonder if he isn't just an artist of the conning variety.

Unique · Aug 20, 2008

Bart -

All your muscles, all your organs, all your everything that moves, feels, etc. - All of that is done from nerves coming out of your spinal column.

Yes, very real 'bad things' can happen if your nerves are getting pinched by your vertebrae.

He said my girlfriend is missing a very important curve in the neck. That her neck is supposed to have a certain degree of curvature, but is, in fact, straight as a rod. He says this is very serious.

I saw my own X-ray. This is what my neck was/is like. Straight. Completely straight. It's not supposed to be that way and let me tell you - it causes me no end of grief.

I can't afford a chiropractor right now and I wasn't enamoured of the one who showed me this X-ray (I didn't care for his technique) but I do remember that lack of curve and do exercises, etc. to try to get it back.

Sometimes I'm successful - other times not so much.
The best book I've ever read re: exercises is Muscular ReTraining for Pain Free Living. I recommend it highly for anyone suffering from chronic pain from injury or just 'life in general'.

Something my anatomy professor once told me:

Just remember 50% of the doctors graduate in the bottom half of their class.

Bartholomew · Aug 24, 2008

Just an update, she stopped seeing him after her first visit with him. All on her own, too. Partially because she read this thread.

--Bart, secretly pleased, and a bit grateful.

ETA

By the way-- she HAS a curve in her neck when she stands up straight and corrects her posture. I'm not sure if this problem can normally be solved by merely looking up, but the fact that they didn't realize she was, uh, looking at the floor when they took the X-Ray really bugs me.

Unique · Aug 25, 2008

Bartholomew said:
the fact that they didn't realize she was, uh, looking at the floor when they took the X-Ray really bugs me.

Beach Bunny · Aug 25, 2008

Bartholomew said:
By the way-- she HAS a curve in her neck when she stands up straight and corrects her posture. I'm not sure if this problem can normally be solved by merely looking up, but the fact that they didn't realize she was, uh, looking at the floor when they took the X-Ray really bugs me.

They're supposed to position your head and shoulders when they take the x-ray so they can acurately measure the angle. I'm glad she has decided to leave them. :Thumbs:

Lifeworks Chiropractic

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Fenika

Ol' Fashioned Girl

Hand? What hand?

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Kryianna

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Pagey's_Girl

Still plays with dolls

golferman

Beach Bunny

The Provocative One

Kitrianna

Official Bad Cat's Prez

Unique

Agent of Doom

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

golferman

Silver King

Megalops Erectus

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Unique

Agent of Doom

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Unique

Agent of Doom

Beach Bunny

The Provocative One