Question About Practice
I’m having really bad lower back pain, it’s something that’s flared up a few times over the years and I know I have stenosis. I kind of know that my recent pain is probably due to dealing with some major events this past year, depression, and lack of care about posture and walking like I usually do. From past experience, I’ve needed an adjustment or two, and then I have exercises I can do at PT or at home.
I went to a new chiropractor yesterday, and I’m just feeling like it’s scammy. They get great reviews, and people seem very happy. But I also noticed that people go for a long time.
They had a first time visit price that included an x ray and two visits. They didn’t do a thing to help me at all on my first visit, even though I was majorly in visible pain. They took an x ray, talked to me about the pain and history, educated me (salesman-like) about the back, even though I already know all of that, and kept talking about they see hundreds of people and can help with their recommendations. They will follow up with their recommendation on the second visit. He said that they don’t want to do any adjustments without looking at the X-ray first. So I’m stuck over the weekend in continued pain.
(I went to a massage therapist right after to hopefully get at least some actual help.)
I realized they operate on people coming back regularly long term. I can’t afford that, and don’t want that. I asked if it was an option to do the exercises at home, and he looked at me like I was crazy, and said they have payment plans, and it may be anywhere between $800 and $8,000, but they were sure I could afford it with a payment plan.
I’m getting all kinds of red flags. But so many people seem to love this place.
Am I being too skeptical? Is this worth the investment, and I’m just being too negative? Is it normal - or even better - for a chiropractor to operate like this?