Back Problems made worse by massage "therapist"I

[RobRoy]

But I can tell you where the REAL scam/insurance/Medicare fraud is: PHYSICAL THERAPY. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. SPEECH THERAPY. Rehab departments bilk millions for so-called rehab and therapy for people who are long past being helped. Mostly old and infirm nursing home material patients they drag them a few feet across the floor and call it therapy, and the rest of the time they are sitting or laying in a bed. Don't point the finger at naturopathic practitioners. I have seen how the mainstream therapy system functions and it's a joke.

I think this is the real joke.

 

[pgwenthold]

I've been to two chiropractors in my life. Neither of them claimed to be able to do anything other than relieve pain caused by vertebral misalignment.

I realize this is way late and all, but since the thread was resurrected...

There is a problem with your statement. I would say that, in fact, most if not all chiropractors claim to be able to anything other than relieve problems caused by vertebral misalignment. That's not the issue. The woo factor comes from what they think is caused by vertebral misalignment.

Consider those loons who twist babies around to try to fix colic. They claim they are just fixing pain caused by vertebral misalignment, that's all. Despite the fact that colic has nothing to do with a spinal misalignment.

 

[CORed]

Massage therapy that doesn't start with a table shower just isn't adequate.

Fordama

Well, starting with a table shower is nice, but it's what the massage therapy that starts with a table shower usually ends with that really does the trick.

 

[jakesteele]

Chiropracty is 100% pure woo.

I posted this thread in the Skepticism forum and got very few responses. Maybe you could help me out by giving your take as to why a number of pain clinics and insurance plans cover acupuncture and chiro.

Insurance/Pain clinic use/payment of chiro/acupuncture

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173079

"I've always been curious why some insurance companies and some pain clinics use things like chiro/acupuncture/guided imagery, etc. If, as sites like this say, studies indicate no real benefits, why would insurance companies cover something that is going to cost them over and over again with no results? Why does the Mayo Pain Clinic, a very highly ranked and prestigious institute, offer it as one of their therapies? Surely it can't be base on repetitive confirmation bias or some other cognitive bias. If confirmation bias, et al, were that effective, people could cure themselves from terminal cancer simply by believing.

So what is the scoop on this?"



http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/art...ticle_id=42246
Mayo Clinic's Top 10 Complementary Therapies
Safe and Effective Treatments That Enhance Conventional Medical Care

Amit Sood, MD
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Special from Bottom Line/Health
August 1, 2007

Dozens of US hospitals and major medical centers now offer complementary treatments in addition to conventional medical care* -- and some of these therapies are covered by health insurance.

Problem: With so many conflicting claims being made regarding complementary therapies, how do doctors at these institutions decide which to recommend to the patients they treat? At the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, the following four criteria are used...

Is it safe? If a complementary treatment is completely safe, then it may be worth trying, even if its effectiveness has not been proven definitively by scientific studies.

Is it standardized? Herbs and dietary supplements are subject to limited regulatory oversight by the FDA. Therefore, these products frequently are not standardized to contain a consistent level of ingredients, potency and purity. Some herbs and dietary supplements do provide benefits, but you should work closely with a knowledgeable doctor when using them.

Does it meet a need that cannot be met by conventional medicine? When it comes to stress, for example, conventional medicine includes treatments, such as anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants, that potentially can help people. But such medications often have side effects and may not be suitable for long-term use. Complementary therapies, such as yoga, massage and meditation, can help relieve stress without the risk for serious side effects.

Does it positively affect not only patients, but also those with whom they interact? The calming influence of several complementary treatments, such as meditation and music therapy, promotes a feeling of relaxation and well-being that helps bring harmony to one's interactions with family and friends. Positive, supportive relationships, in turn, are believed to help speed recovery from many types of illness.

Here is an alphabetical listing of Mayo Clinic's top 10 complementary treatments -- and the research that supports their use...

BEST TREATMENTS

1. Acupuncture. In this treatment from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncturists insert thin needles into strategic, energy-balancing points on the body. Acupuncture can prevent and treat nausea and vomiting and help relieve many types of pain, including that from osteoarthritis, low back pain, neck pain, headaches and postsurgical pain. Patients who receive acupuncture typically receive up to 12 treatments, usually given once or twice a week.

Standout scientific evidence: German researchers tracked more than 3,000 patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis and found that those receiving acupuncture experienced significantly more pain relief than those who did not receive acupuncture treatments.

2. Guided imagery. Patients imagine a beautiful, soothing environment, such as a warm beach. Guided imagery, also referred to as visualization, helps reduce anxiety in patients who become claustrophobic during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, who are having outpatient surgery without general anesthesia or who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, such as cancer.

Standout scientific evidence: In a study conducted at the University of Akron in Ohio, a group of 53 women receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer either listened to guided imagery tapes once a day or did not. The women listening to the tapes felt more comfortable and less anxious, particularly during the first three weeks of treatment.

3. Hypnosis. The patient is led into a state of deep relaxation and focused attention by either a hypnotherapist or an instructional audio (self-hypnosis), and verbal suggestions are made to help relieve anxiety, pain, tension headaches and insomnia.

Standout scientific evidence: Doctors at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City analyzed 20 studies on hypnosis and surgical patients. In 89% of cases, surgical patients who were hypnotized had less pain, used less pain medication and recovered faster.

4. Massage. A massage therapist manipulates the body's soft tissue -- muscle, skin and tendons -- using fingertips, hands and fists. Massage treats anxiety and low back pain and improves postsurgical healing.

Standout scientific evidence: Studies conducted at the University of Miami's Touch Research Institute show that massage can help relieve back pain and strengthen the immune system in women with breast cancer by increasing levels of natural disease-fighting cells.

5. Meditation. Attention is focused on breathing and/or on a word, phrase or sound (mantra), leading to a more relaxed body and calmer mind. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic use meditation to treat patients with anxiety and high blood pressure and to help people quit smoking without medication.

Standout scientific evidence: An analysis of 20 studies on meditation found that this treatment could help patients cope with epilepsy, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menopausal symptoms, autoimmune disease and anxiety during cancer treatment.

6. Music therapy. Many complementary medical centers employ music therapists. However, you can use music therapy on your own by listening to soothing music or your favorite music.

Standout scientific evidence: At Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, a study of 86 patients recovering from heart surgery showed that those receiving music therapy experienced less anxiety and pain.

7. Spinal manipulation. Practiced by chiropractors, osteopaths (medical doctors whose training allows them to correct structural problems in the musculoskeletal system) and physical therapists, this hands-on technique adjusts the spine to properly align the vertebrae with muscles, joints and nerves. Spinal manipulation is an accepted medical practice for low back pain, but the evidence supporting its use for other medical problems has been somewhat conflicting.

Standout scientific evidence: At the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health, a study of 681 patients with low back pain showed that chiropractic care was as effective as medical care, including painkilling drugs, in relieving discomfort.

8. Spirituality. For some people, this means religious observance, prayer or faith in a "higher being." For others, spirituality can be found through a deep appreciation of nature or art or participation in a secular community.

Standout scientific evidence: Researchers in Virginia who conducted an analysis of 16 studies on illness and "religious intervention" -- praying or attending religious services -- found that spirituality can decrease the length of hospital stays and fever in patients with severe infections... increase immune function... help relieve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms... reduce anxiety... and improve outcomes in people with heart disease.

9. Tai chi. This gentle exercise, derived from Chinese martial arts, consists of a series of defined postures and movements performed slowly and gracefully. Medically, it is used to improve balance in older people who are prone to falls.

Standout scientific evidence: In a study of 278 elderly people at Vrije University in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, those who performed tai chi three times a week for six months had 50% fewer falls and fewer injury-causing falls.

10. Yoga. These stretching postures and breathing exercises, which originated in India, help calm body and mind. Yoga is particularly effective for stress relief, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, anxiety and depression.

Standout scientific evidence: In a study conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, 98 people with heart disease or diabetes who practiced the postures and breathing techniques of yoga had significant reductions in total cholesterol and blood sugar.

*To learn more about complementary therapies, go to www.nccam.nih.gov, the Web site of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Bottom Line/Health interviewed Amit Sood, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and director of research at the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, both in Rochester, Minnesota. He is a contributor to the Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine (Time).

 

[Thunderhead19]

America: The Consumer of Last Resort

Large medical organizations that have an interest in not only remaining economically viable, but making a profit will always offer new options for people to add to their treatment. This allows them to generate extra revenue and increase their infrastructure, which in turn increases numbers such as "Asset Value." To say that these organizations have no influence over the insurance providers would be wishful thinking.

The people that run insurance companies aren't stupid. The liability ratio of adding these treatments is carefully calculated. If providing coverage for quack treatments makes a policy more appealing, and therefore more marketable, why wouldn't they? The insurance company doesn't provide the treatment, they only pay for it. If its garbage medicine, its not their problem (as long as you paid your premiums).

I'm not accusing anyone of quackery, but I am pointing out the obvious potential.

Ned: Whatcha diddely-doin', neighbor?
Homer: Aw, putting speed holes in my car. Makes it go faster.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

As I have pointed out before, there is a benefit to insurance companies to pay for wooish treatments. If they have to pay real doctors providing real medicine and medical services for say a cancer patient, they could pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars over a period of years. If the patient wants to be treated with juice and coffee enemas, they will die in a few months at a much lower cost and great benefit to the shareholders.

Of course I may just be overly cynical.