Reason 12,765,876,761 to Avoid Chiropractors

I know some of you out there believe in chiropractic medicine. I have friends who swear that a chiropractor has helped relieve their pain. It's high on the list of alternative medicines.

It's nuttier than a gluten-free non-dairy fruitcake.

Take this article by Stephanie Sandoval, who does the Your Health column for ABC15 News in Phoenix. Sandoval of course has no health credentials of any kind.

She interviewed Dr. Tony Rodriguez of the Infinite Healing Center, someone who insists that chiropractic "adjustments" can help with digestive diseases and allergies.

Digestion problems
In the case of digestive disorders such as acid reflux, stomach ulcers and constipation there can be a direct link to a spinal problem as the cause.

Dr. Rodriguez says in the mid back the 5th thoracic vertebra relays information to the stomach.

Adjusting a fixed or subluxated vertebra in this area can directly improve symptoms.

Additionally, the 1st lumbar vertebra connects to the large intestine, which if irritated can create diarrhea or constipation.

A second and just as important cause of digestive problems is reaction to irritants and foods.

This inflammation of the gut can lead to a whole host of problems stemming from poor gut function.

Improper digestion and absorption of food can lead to bacterial overgrowth and an inability for the gut lining to keep out bad guys.

A chiropractor can order tests that can point out irritants in foods and bacterial imbalance that may be a part of the problem.

Allergies
Allergies are estimated to affect 30 million Americans. An allergic response is an over protective response from the immune system to an allergen: pollen, dust, milk, dog or cat dander.

For most, these allergens don't create a negative response. But, for many of those that do suffer from allergies, the reaction may not directly be related to the offending allergen.

Dr. Rodriguez says in the spine, the 3rd cervical vertebra directly correlates with the sinuses.

Relieving pressure in the neck can help clear sinuses and reduce allergy symptoms. He adds, food is one of the most common types of allergies.

The guts inability to filter can create fatigue, congestion and outright allergic reactions.

This is not medicine. This is not science. Nothing in medical literature supports this.

What it is is quackery. Gibberish. Moonshine.

Alternative medicine? The alternative to medicine is crackpottery. Don't go there.