Back pain charlatans and snake oil salesmen!

[Hooch]

Ok I know a lot of us who suffer chronic disabling back pain search far and wide for a cure or something to alleviate the pain. I knew a bloke who went to China. In our travels we come across some helpful stuff, and some flat out shysters and con artists!

So lets hear your back pain con jobs.

My best one was a chirpractor who practised 'active release technique'. I saw her when I was near the end of the road and struggling with constant chronic pain from blown discs, and I'd done all the physio and fitness, and continued to do so to manage my condition.

She had a whole little system worked out, whereby she'd do a little print out of you with a photo when you arrived noting your postural alignment, including a little calculation she'd ripped off wikipedia or somewhere which would estimate the load your head was putting on your cervical spine.

The actual work consisted of her rubbing and squeezing your muscles from the back out along all those lines of tension that form in your body. It was basically a **** remedial massage. She'd hit you with the chiros little tapper gun, then rub out my 'scar tissue' by rubbing a splicing fid along the two jutting bones of my posterior pelvis. What in the hell that was supposed to achieve I still have no idea. You'd come in and do it twice a week to start (at $75 a pop, more expensive than an experienced and qualified physio), then continue on for god knows how many weeks. My whole contribution was to do some daily stretching and some core work.

The real guts of the operation was her personality, she'd get the people in and she had a natural charm, and would talk to people and try to gee up a real exciting and positive conversation throughout the whole thing. Really she'd talk complete bollocks for hours. People would walk out feeling uplifted, positive... and in less pain! Perfect system! And a complete and utter scam! Instead of teaching people independent coping skills she generated a reliance on her 'therapy', and when most peoples back pain subsided with a bit of massage, streching and time, her system work.

She'd blown out discs years ago, and time relieved the sciatica, as it generally does, and the disc could tolerate load, typical of most herniated discs. The amazing thing was she believed it all 100%. I suppose she had no incentive to really analyse and think about what she was doing, since the money was so good, espescially once you flog off no name supplements you've pulled off ebay at an outrageous profit. She could even afford a personal secretary! Of course she would bad mouth surgery, to the point of noting that bone grows back after a foraminotomy, so therefore it's no good! So she'd be more than happy to take the cash and rub away on someone suffering bad sciatica due to lateral recess stenosis forever and a day.

It really was impressive, the woman was a complete clown, an incompetent physician, but a highly skilled con artist.

So lets hear some more con jobs.

[claudia]

I saw this quiropractor, who by the way is one of the most well known in my area , who would spend like, no more than two minutes per patient. I actually timed him once and my appointment lasted less than 2 minutes. He would line up patients in the four of five tables he had and spend like 2 minutes adjusting each patient. At this rate I imagine he would see hundreds of patients a day (at $45 per adjustment cause he would not take insurance). He would poke me in a few places, and use that activator tool in a couple of spots, and that was it. He kept saying that "everyone has the capacity to heal naturally" and would tell me to "picture a white light going thru me" when he was adjusting me, and even said that he was an "instrument of God" or something along those lines. The guy was actually a very good motivational speaker, he even gave these "talks" once a week that were mandatory for new patients to attend. After my 5th visit, he adjusted my SI joint and caused a big flare up in pain that lasted a couple of weeks, and I never went back. But I still run into people who swear by him. I never understood.

[Justin]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of "cures" offered to Spine Patients. Many Spine Patients find themselves in chronic pain and are desperate for relief. I've seen a lot of questionable therapies over the years--most of these therapies are based on fake "science."

Recently, I've seen a push for "special vitamins" that are targeted at Spine Patients. These gimmicks serve only one purpose: to make those selling them rich (at the expense of vulnerable patients that are in pain).

[Jack-of-all-trades]

Agree with the vitamins. Vitamins don't have to go through the traditional FDA approval process like regular drugs. They can pretty much claim anything they want and since most come in bottles like meds and are pill shaped, the unknowing buy into the belief. Most of the effect is placebo but if it works it works. I don't know about other countries but in the US we have commercials for these pills from this character called "Smilin' Jack, who has gone big time" with male enhancement pills. Maybe I missed my calling in life. I could probably mix up something in the sink with food coloring, a little honey, and some M&Ms and water. I haven't figured out yet what it would be good for but I'm sure it would be better than what "Smilin' Jack" has to offer. A good, honest doctor will tell you which are a waste of money. It seems there is more control over soft drinks and beer than vitamins.

I think the DC (chiros), at least I know they do in my state, get insurance and Medicare re-imbursement. They have one of the most powerful political lobbiest and groups in my state. It might work for some though. In fact, the just ejected Speaker of the sate house was a Chiropractor. It will be the first time in over a hundred years that both state houses were not under control of this on political affiliation. Some DCs are quite knowledgeable and don't over do. Seems like they are the exception rather than the rule though. I finally quit the one I was seeing before he let me go because it wasn't working. Did the same for acupuncture.

[KBear]

Agree with the vitamins. Vitamins don't have to go through the traditional FDA approval process like regular drugs. They can pretty much claim anything they want and since most come in bottles like meds and are pill shaped, the unknowing buy into the belief. Most of the effect is placebo but if it works it works. I don't know about other countries but in the US we have commercials for these pills from this character called "Smilin' Jack, who has gone big time" with male enhancement pills. Maybe I missed my calling in life. I could probably mix up something in the sink with food coloring, a little honey, and some M&Ms and water. I haven't figured out yet what it would be good for but I'm sure it would be better than what "Smilin' Jack" has to offer. A good, honest doctor will tell you which are a waste of money. It seems there is more control over soft drinks and beer than vitamins.

I think the DC (chiros), at least I know they do in my state, get insurance and Medicare re-imbursement. They have one of the most powerful political lobbiest and groups in my state. It might work for some though. In fact, the just ejected Speaker of the sate house was a Chiropractor. It will be the first time in over a hundred years that both state houses were not under control of this on political affiliation. Some DCs are quite knowledgeable and don't over do. Seems like they are the exception rather than the rule though. I finally quit the one I was seeing before he let me go because it wasn't working. Did the same for acupuncture.

The bolded above reminded me of a commercial hubby and I saw the other night. It was for some contraption that apparently fit over the man's genitals and was for erectile dysfunction. It even said that Medicare would reimburse for it. We were laughing so hard, as it looked more like what you would find at a adult 'toy' store. LOL

I agree with you on the chiros, the good ones are few and far between. I saw 3 different ones on different points in my journey. The first two I feel made me worse not better. The last one was a great guy, I just think I was beyond help. He was a Christian man and it was obvious that he really believed in what he was doing. He was seeing me for almost free, because my insurance didn't pay for chiro and I couldn't afford paying him for 2 or 3 adjustments a week. He was also doing my kids for free (and it really did help my little one, who had major constipation issues.) I quit going when it became apparent surgery was the only answer. The main thing that I don't like about chiros (that one included) is they all act like chiro is the only answer and that surgery is the devil. While I would never rush into surgery, for a lot of us, it's the only answer.

My friend is a vet and was telling me about some new laser therapy she is doing on horses. I haven't researched it yet, but she was saying Lance Armstrong apparently used this therapy with great results. She basically said that with horses they do 'blocks' for their pain, which are similar to the injections we get for our backs. That they bring relief, but need repeated and are a huge moneymaker for vets. She said this laser treatment supposedly fixes the horse where it doesn't need the blocks anymore. Anyhow, she bought one of these lasers (to the tune of 5 or 6 grand) and was telling me of the great results she has had. Her fiancee was pissed she spent that kind of money and was a skeptic, well he hurt himself and she used it on him (it can be used on humans by a doctor; obviously this was not a doctor doing it). Well, he's a believer now. I wonder how much is placebo and if and how it would really work. She has no reason to lie to me about it, I don't have a pet needing it and she isn't trying to sell me something, so it's obvious she genuinely believes in it. She was saying that they use the same one on people and supposedly are getting great results. I haven't researched it, but would be interested to know if it really works. All sounds kinda fishy to me.

[bigdogchief76]

I see a lot of info-mercials for miracle "breakthroughs" on solving chronic LBP. All of them are bogus.

The biggest scam artist in the world of chronic back pain is Aetna, IMO.

On a funny note, Homer Simpson came up with the best device in the world to fix back problems. It was a worn out trash can that he would push his patients over. It was classic, especially when the "chiropractor union" came after him!

[Hooch]

Haha I remember that episode, that was gold!