Complaint Review: CHIROPRACTIC CONNECTION - Colorado Springs Colorado

Kimberly's post contains many errors of fact, which I would like to correct. I have been a chiropractor for 35 years, so unlike the consumer who filed the complaint, I am someone who does understand chiropractic. In addition to my practice I have served on my state chiropractic board’s peer review committee and have taught at a chiropractic college. 

I think it is highly unlikely that Chiro Connection cured Kimberly of trigeminal neuralgia. There is no evidence in the scientific literature that chiropractic adjustments can help this condition. Kimberly may have been misdiagnosed, and whatever ailment she suffered from had resolved over time. Even if she truly had trigeminal neuralgia it could have gone into remission. It is a logical fallacy to assume that because one thing happened after another — the trigeminal neuralgia went away after 60+ chiropractic treatments — there was a cause-and-effect relationship. Furthermore, the plural of anecdote is not data. Kimberly’s experience cannot be extrapolated to other cases. Chiropractic care does not cure trigeminal neuralgia, no matter if it’s delivered by the doc in your neighborhood or by the Chiro Connection. 

The chiropractor’s use of x-rays and “exact measurement” does not prove his altruism. Kimberly was apparently impressed by lines and angles drawn on the x-rays, and that is, in part, the purpose of marking those x-rays: to impress patients with the seemingly scientific accuracy of the analysis. But the relative positions of the bones in the spine have little to do with health and disease — unless, of course, the misalignment is serious enough to require major medical intervention, in which case no amount of popping and cracking the back or neck will help. Many chiropractors have abandoned the use of routine x-rays because the radiation exposure to the patient does not justify the procedure. A relationship between a perfectly aligned spine and good health has never been proven because there is no such relationship. 

Vertebrae are not like blocks that must be stacked straight and then remain in rigid alignment. The 24 vertebrae that make up the neck, mid back, and low back are joined together by joints that are supposed to move. Minor misalignments — chiropractors call them subluxations — are usually the result of small muscles on one side of a joint being a little tighter than the muscles on the other side. This difference may be functional or dysfunctional. Adjusting may cause the tighter muscle to relax which may change the alignment, and this may or may not improve function. But x-rays are useless because they tell us nothing about how the spine moves. An x-ray for the purpose of analyzing alignment is like taking a photograph of a door. You cannot tell if it’s stuck or easily swings open and closed from a photo. 

Furthermore, determining how many visits one needs and the frequency of the visits from measuring the angles between the vertebrae is deceptive. I’m not suggesting the chiropractor is being devious. The chiropractor may himself or herself have been fooled into believing this by his/her training. All I’m saying is that none of this is supported by any evidence.  

Finally, the “package deal” of paying for a set number of visits per month works in the clinic’s favor, not the patient’s. Of course it costs less per visit, but it also ensures the clinic is going to get paid for the full complement of visits each month, whether or not the patient keeps their appointments. The clinic is selling visits wholesale — large lots — not retail, one visit at a time. It’s a lot like paying for a gym membership. 

By the way, if you are asked to pay in advance for an unlimited number of visits, that’s illegal in some states, maybe all 50 states, because it is considered the same as selling insurance. 

So based on my experience, it sounds like Chiro Connection is indeed ripping off patients. But the ripoff is more successful and effective because they are convincing patients to drink the same Kool-Aid they themselves have consumed. 

I was extremely lucky to be a patient of a Body by God Chiropractor in IL. My chronic back and neck pain was eliminated. I went three times a week for months, then two times per week when x rays confirmed my improvement, which I could feel. Then once a week and then every other week, when my x-rays showed a near perfectly aligned spine. It was worth three times what I paid and surely not a rip-off. I am saddened that someone who didn't receive any adjustments/treatments is discouraging others from getting the help they need because they couldn't speak up and demand to know exact pricing. My insurance didn't cover it. I initially paid $40 for three visits, then $40 every other visit when my visits were two per week or less. I was so embarrassed at how little I was paying that I parked my Mercedes CLK at the back of the parking lot so no one who worked there would see it. They were the nicest bunch too.

I've gone to the Chiro Connection since January of 2004, and after going 3 times per week for five months, I was cured of Trigeminal Neuralgia. This was after 8 years of heavy duty medication trials, and a brain surgery--none of which ever improved the condition. I still go once per week, which I am sure is needed solely due to all the nasty drugs I subjected my body to for those 8 years, and I feel and look younger now than I did 10 years ago. I am not into the "God" thing, and I don't feel anyone at this business has ever pushed religion. Yes, they recommend reading the Body by God book, but it is by no means a requirement. Being associated with Body by God is simply an association with a set of principles that assert that the body was created with all it needs to heal itself, within itself, and the nutrition to support that healing can be found in a natural diet. And really, right now, the diet portion of the chiropractic program that I am following is not even Body by God--it is a newer nutrition program this company has discovered with tons of science behind it. The chiropractor is always actively learning the newest techniques and support information, and they share this with their clientele as it becomes available. But my point is that if you aren't interested in the "God" portion of any program this company offers, it is never pushed on you. And a "donation" to church services is never required. Yes, the chiropractor and his family are very active in their church. Yes, they like to hold drives on a regular basis that will benefit their church. But if you want to pay for the evaluation in money, you are welcome to do that. The donation is merely a vehicle to obtain a free evaluation, while contributing to what the office feels is a worthy cause. The purpose for the evaluation is so that the doctor can measure the angles in the neck and spine, and determine how many visits and at what frequency you need them. I think the fact that the doctor takes x-rays and uses exact measurement proves that he is not simply trying to take money for frivolous services. He wants to work with clients to align their spines, so it only makes sense that he would want to see what work will need to be done before the clients start making appointments. The problem here seems to be that the consumer does not understand chiropractic--it is not something you slap on like a bandaid whenever you feel pain. You can feel pain in your feet and the source can be in your neck, and you can feel pain and be aligned properly. Faulting a chiropractor for not letting a client make up their own treatment schedule is naive. And any chiropractor who does not take x-rays and go through an evaluation before taking a client's money is definitely a quack (only focused on the money, not the service he can provide). If the consumer with the complaint had bothered to go through the evaluation, she would have found that they do not charge for individual office visits because it is cheaper for the client to pay through a package deal for a set number of visits per month. The x-rays are taken again about every 6 months, so that you and the chiropractor can see concrete evidence of improvement, and continue modifying your visits and treatment for maximum benefit to you. If this chiropractor sees from x-rays that he cannot help you, he will flat out tell you. If you only need to come in once a month, he will tell you that, too. This company isn't at all money hungry, as the consumer has insinuated. I've had horrible financial problems the last few years, and never once have they demanded payment before continuing to provide services to me. I've never dealt with ANY medical office who was willing to work with me in this way, and continue providing services until I could get back on my feet and start making payments again. I highly recommend going through the evaluation process, and understanding the concepts behind the nutritional and wellness programs this company offers, before passing judgment.

You are correct in that Body by God is a ripoff. This is the group that uses religion and other tactics to reel people in and abuse the name of chiropractors. I can assure you that not all chiropractors stoop this low, many are upstanding and qualified practioners. Seek out a good one and they can really help you. Please don't judge all chiropractors by what the fringe groups do.