How Can People Continue To Downplay Chiropractic With Articles Like This?

I think it’s a combo of factors:
(1.) I think if patients are able to submit claims to their insurance companies more easily for these services, patients may be more apt to use them; (2) If the MD community becomes more accepting of these modalities as effective through *thorough and substantial clinical studies*, it will lend more weight to MDs’ acceptance in steering patients toward effective, drug-free options; and (3) the need for clearer and more direct patient *and* MD education regarding CAM therapies on the part of the CAM community. See link regarding NAACM/NIH’s campaign initiative regarding patient-MD communications regarding CAM therapy use/discussion. Interesting.
I think as there are more and more quality studies done regarding CAM therapies and their effectiveness, and/or ineffectiveness, the medical community at large and insurance companies will slowly begin to accept CAM modalities as viable options to manage certain acute and or chronic health conditions/diseases. There just aren’t the large, evidence-based studies out there in epic quantities to give any official “gold star” as to their credibility. But I also wonder how much the CAM community is really reaching out to the MD community to partner in patients’ care? (An aside: I am seeing evidence that some hospitals are providing some CAM therapies into their organization and my current PCP is very open to the use of CAM.)
As it stands, the acupuncture community is much more pathetic in terms of their organization and lobbying efforts than that of the chiro community, IMO. So it’s probably hard to take them seriously by other medical professionals. Especially when many of them get all “New-Agey psuedo sciencey” on you as the majority of the ones that I’ve met do (no knife throwing, please). But they are getting better…they are just the newer kids on the block. Just recently the state of Colorado passed a law that acupuncturists should be paid by insurance companies for acupuncture services (see link below). Previously, only chiros and MDs were reimbursed. It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2012.
I cannot speak to massage community, but they seem like a very transient group overall, and better organization would be a good idea for them.
My 2 cents…

it’s as simple as the adage, “to your enemy, no explanation is sufficient”. these people have abundantly proven over the last century, they will not objectively evaluate alternatives. on the contrary, they are strongly prejudiced against anything which threatens their power and profits and typically dismiss them out of hand. their prejudice makes all their so-called studies about them worth a mountain of used toilet paper for that reason. they absolutely refuse to consider anything but standard medical treatment, and they don’t care in the least how many people get bankrupted, hurt or killed by it either.

I don’t have anything against manual therapies – any of them, so long as they are administered with regard to the patients health and safety. What I have a “thing” against are those chiropractors who are giving assessments to kids shopping for school supplies to hustle up business.
Hm, I guess I do take issue with this notion of “subluxation” I don’t think anyone really needs a cracking and whacking session, but muscle and fascia release certainly have benefits – but then again, physical therapists can do that…that’s one of the things that has always confused me….just what makes chiro (as a field) think that it’s so “different”? For example, physical therapists work with doctors, doctors can provide accurate diagnosis based upon radiological techniques that aren’t available to chiropractors (MRI for example) and often the physical therapist are written orders to “assess and treat as necessary (that’s been my case, with several insurance providers/hospital systems) – why do chiropractors so often insist they can make a dx with only an x-ray?!?!? That get’s me, but I digress…point being, many of the treatments that are given under the label of “alternative” are also used by conventional medicine – just wearing a different label. It would appear that if chiro’s gave up some woo {what is up with those silly “laser” machines?) it would benefit them as a whole professionally.
Edit *** That’s my opinion of the article below, it was kinda easy to overlook***
It’s not a secret that people who seek alternative care have conditions that are typically chronic and resistant to all treatment – however, it’s not a secret that many of them also regress to the mean regardless of therapy used….including the conventional means. I have a theory that chiropractic is the most popular because it is one most people are familiar with, they tend to be intimidated by exercise, and many massage therapists deliver fluff and buff.
Add: As far as would I recommend one? The only one that I know that I would trust retired a few years ago. (He is now 96). Most of them are simply too knee-deep in unethical behavior. Over the years I’ve seen a D.O. of manipulative medicine, and an incredible massage therapist that I would send people to first.