A question for Chiropractors and Homeopathic practitioners?

Question

So, I have a question for Chiropractor's and Homeopaths. But before I ask my question, I need to give some back ground on why I'm asking. About a year ago, a co-worker's wife began vaginal spotting and feeling not quite well. Since she and her husband, my co-worker, seek out alternative health care opportunities, she went to a Chiropractor. He gave her an exam, took x-rays and told her she needed to have treatments three times a week because (paraphrasing here) of the sever subluxations and spinal curvature she was exhibiting those symptoms. He also had her go to see a partner in his practice who did acupuncture and homeopathic treatments. Oh, sorry if I don't get the terms exactly correct, I'm relating this from memory as told to me by my co-worker. So, after a year, she isn't getting any better and the spotting and other symptoms are getting worse. Then, last week, she collapsed at her church. The ambulance came and took her to the ER, and even though she and her husband felt the Chiropractor's advice of staying away from "allopathic" ( ? ) medicine, which would only poison her, the Doc at the hospital pressed them to allow him to do a blood test. The test came back, and the Doc said there seemed to be a problem and wanted them to see another Doc he recommended. They relented, reluctantly, and made an appointment. They went to see this Doc, who diagnosed her with Cervical cancer, and insisted they get her to see an Oncologist and have an MRI. Ok, now they're scared, they go see the Oncologist, get the MRI, and she is terminal with this cancer that has spread through out her body, lungs, other internal organs and spine. So, can you imagine how they feel ? A year ago, if the Chiropractor knew how to read an X-Ray, or suggested they see a "real" MD, she wouldn't be looking at dying in four to six weeks. What, as a practitioner of "alternative" medicine do you tell these people ? I F****D up ! I didn't mean to kill you? What ?!

Update:

I want to thank everyone for their answers. Just an update, the cancer is so agressive, that to have surgery would cause it to spread even faster. Even with that sad news, the Docs now give her only two to four weeks at most.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I'm not a chiro or homeopath so I can't really answer your question, except to say of course we all know there is no such thing as chiropractic subluxation, and homeopathy is a crock.  These guys have no real medical training.  It is appalling they were advised to stay away from conventional medicine (allopathic is a derogatory term made up by homeopathy's Samuel Hahnemann).

This is a horrible story and I think you should at the very least send it to What's The Harm 
http://whatstheharm.net/

William T · Answer

First, my sympathies to you and all who know your friend.  Cancer, especially cancer like this, is a stressful ordeal for not just the patient but for everyone who knows the patient.

Assuming everything you've said here is true, this is a perfect example of what supporters of science based medicine are always talking about.  Proponents of alternative medicine are always saying that their treatments aren't dangerous, unlike real medicine.  But here we see a person who may have been killed indirectly by alternative medicine.  It's unlikely that the alternative treatments had any effect on her, positive or negative, but the time lost was the real danger.  If the chiropractor hadn't misread the first x-ray, assuming he took one at all many of them just bring out old x-rays from someone else after pretending to take one with a deactivated machine, she might have got help a year sooner which might have made all the difference.  Early detection has been the key to treating cancer for the last twenty years.  The most disgusting thing here though is that the quacks all told her not to go to a real doctor because "they would poison her."  The chiropractor, acupuncturist, and homeopath all ought to be charged with second degree murder.  Twenty-five years in jail seems like a fair punishment to me.  If criminal charges can't be brought then I would sue them all for gross malpractice, $10 million is common amount in a wrongful death case like this.

Grace · Answer

Wow, I'd say they have an awesome case for malpractice. That is so unfortunate. Alternative and Western medicines should always be used in conjunction with each other. I cant believe they never saw an MD to find out what was the problem so they could get a game plan for treating her naturally. Serious symptoms like bleeding should never be ignored. That is simply careless. Although, you cannot see cervical cancer through an xray, the chiropractor obviously didnt know the seriousness of the situation, but the bleeding should have definitely given a tall-tell sign that she needed to be examined more thoroughly.

TO ALL- XRAYS AND MRI'S ARE YOU FRIEND. SERIOUS THINGS LIKE THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE TAKEN TO AN MD. NATURAL MEDICINE IS GREAT FOR PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND TREATING CHRONIC DISEASE, BUT MEDICAL DOCTORS ARE HERE FOR A REASON THEY ARE GREAT IN ACUTE SITUATIONS!

Doctor J · Answer

Hi MisterT...

I am a retired Chiropractor.  If the facts are as you have described, then the Chiropractor and the other doctor (the partner) committed malpractice.  These doctors did NOT follow standard of care procedures in this case.  A malpractice lawsuit may be appropriate and a review of these doctors by their state licensing board is also needed.

My heart and best wishes for the woman and her family.

dave · Answer

A truely awful story.

Cervical cancer is easily diagnosed and if found in its early stages has over an 80% survival rate.

Unfortunately, alternative medicine practitioners are NOT doctors, they cannot diagnose anything as they simply do not have the training or facilities to do so.

My thoughts are with your friends.

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A question for Chiropractors and Homeopathic practitioners?

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