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Chiropractic Abuse: An Insider's Lament
News Release
New Book Penetrates Chiropractic’s Veneer
Chiropractic Abuse—A Chiropractor’s Lament describes the life of a chiropractic expert and his fight against fraud, corruption, and abuse by chiropractors and explores how media apathy and political corruption have enabled Americans to be victimized by chiropractors. It also indicates what can be done to protect consumers and insurance companies. The book’s most powerful chapter—“Twenty Things Most Chiropractors Won’t Tell You”—includes these facts:
• Chiropractic theory and practice are not based on the body of knowledge related to health, disease, and health care that has been widely accepted by the scientific community.
• Many chiropractors promise too much.
• Chiropractic education is vastly inferior to that of medical doctors.
• Chiropractic’s legitimate scope is actually very narrow.
• Very little of what chiropractors do has been studied.
• Unless your diagnosis is obvious, it’s best to get diagnosed elsewhere.
• Chiropractors offer lots of unnecessary services.
• “Cracking” of the spine doesn’t mean much.
• If the first few visits don’t help you, more treatment probably won’t help.
• Chiropractors take too many x-rays.
• Research on spinal manipulation does not reflect what takes place in most chiropractic offices.
• Neck manipulation is potentially dangerous.
• Most chiropractors don’t know much about nutrition.
• Chiropractors who sell vitamins charge much more than it costs them.
• Chiropractors have no business treating young children.
• The fact that patients swear by us does not mean we are actually helping them.
• Insurance companies don’t want to pay for chiropractic care.
• Lots of chiropractors do really strange things.
• Don’t expect chiropractic licensing boards to protect you.
• The media rarely look at what chiropractors do wrong.
Author Preston H. Long is a licensed chiropractor who resides in Tempe, Arizona. His professional career has spanned nearly 30 years. In addition to treating patients, he has testified at about 200 trials, performed more than 10,000 chiropractic case evaluations, and served as a consultant to several law enforcement agencies. He is also an associate professor at Bryan University, where he teaches in the master’s program in applied health informatics.
The 160-page book, published by the American Council on Science and Health, is available through Amazon Books. The book was edited by Stephen Barrett, M.D., who operates Quackwatch.org, Chirobase.org, and 23 other consumer protection sites. Former National Council Against Health Fraud president William T. Jarvis, Ph.D., provided the foreword.
For further information:
• Preston H. Long, DC, PhD: (480) 540-3264, plong15@cox.net • Stephen Barrett, MD: (919) 533-6009, sbinfo@quackwatch.org

New Book Penetrates Chiropractic’s Veneer
Chiropractic Abuse—A Chiropractor’s Lament describes the life of a chiropractic expert and his fight against fraud, corruption, and abuse by chiropractors and explores how media apathy and political corruption have enabled Americans to be victimized by chiropractors. It also indicates what can be done to protect consumers and insurance companies. The book’s most powerful chapter—“Twenty Things Most Chiropractors Won’t Tell You”—includes these facts:
• Chiropractic theory and practice are not based on the body of knowledge related to health, disease, and health care that has been widely accepted by the scientific community.
• Many chiropractors promise too much.
• Chiropractic education is vastly inferior to that of medical doctors.
• Chiropractic’s legitimate scope is actually very narrow.
• Very little of what chiropractors do has been studied.
• Unless your diagnosis is obvious, it’s best to get diagnosed elsewhere.
• Chiropractors offer lots of unnecessary services.
• “Cracking” of the spine doesn’t mean much.
• If the first few visits don’t help you, more treatment probably won’t help.
• Chiropractors take too many x-rays.
• Research on spinal manipulation does not reflect what takes place in most chiropractic offices.
• Neck manipulation is potentially dangerous.
• Most chiropractors don’t know much about nutrition.
• Chiropractors who sell vitamins charge much more than it costs them.
• Chiropractors have no business treating young children.
• The fact that patients swear by us does not mean we are actually helping them.
• Insurance companies don’t want to pay for chiropractic care.
• Lots of chiropractors do really strange things.
• Don’t expect chiropractic licensing boards to protect you.
• The media rarely look at what chiropractors do wrong.
Author Preston H. Long is a licensed chiropractor who resides in Tempe, Arizona. His professional career has spanned nearly 30 years. In addition to treating patients, he has testified at about 200 trials, performed more than 10,000 chiropractic case evaluations, and served as a consultant to several law enforcement agencies. He is also an associate professor at Bryan University, where he teaches in the master’s program in applied health informatics.
The 160-page book, published by the American Council on Science and Health, is available through Amazon Books. The book was edited by Stephen Barrett, M.D., who operates Quackwatch.org, Chirobase.org, and 23 other consumer protection sites. Former National Council Against Health Fraud president William T. Jarvis, Ph.D., provided the foreword.
For further information:
• Preston H. Long, DC, PhD: (480) 540-3264, plong15@cox.net • Stephen Barrett, MD: (919) 533-6009, sbinfo@quackwatch.org

- GenresMedicine
150 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2013
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 27, 2021
I found out about this book while undergoing several chiropractic treatments. A friend had recommended this particular doctor because he is committed to finding out what is wrong, even if it does not mean it's treatable by chiropractic. I was hoping for some kind of diagnosis that nobody else had found. I have never been a big fan of chiropractic and after a few treatments I was wondering if this particular office was making things worse. I didn't really get an answer to that question from this book.
Although the book is full of good information, I was disappointed. I found the writing and organization under par and I felt like some additional information would have made it a far more successful book.
I learned that the basis of chiropractic is the adjusting of the back. Other things have been added over time, some of which are practiced by other types of professionals and are legitimate. But Long tells us that the primary belief in chiropractic is in "subluxations" and that there is no proof that they exist. So the first clue when assessing a chiropractor might be whether they insist on treating subluxations.
As I read through the book and considered my own current experience it occurred to me that chiropractic is intended to provide immediate or near-immediate pain relief. If a patient does not experience relief after several sessions then the plan must change. This in fact happened to me: when one method was unsuccessful the chiro tried another, and then another. But none of them helped for more than a few minutes, and usually not at all.
A significant finding in Dr. Long's book is that schools teaching chiropractic teach very little that is evidence-based. It is more a cult than a science. This does not mean that everything a chiropractor does is no good; there are some lower back treatments that help a lot of people and are medically sound. But it means, to me, that a person accepting the dogma without question is not scientifically oriented. Dr. Long questioned the training from the very first day, but continued studying because he had no other plan at the time. Fortunately for all of us, he became good at evaluating what works and what doesn't, and has been a useful expert witness many times. He can speak from within the profession.
I wanted more about what we should expect and how long it should take when we start treatment. But this book made me aware of many practices that clients should avoid, like entering into contracts, or accepting advice on nutrition. If I ever approach a chiropractic office again I will know what to look for.
Although the book is full of good information, I was disappointed. I found the writing and organization under par and I felt like some additional information would have made it a far more successful book.
I learned that the basis of chiropractic is the adjusting of the back. Other things have been added over time, some of which are practiced by other types of professionals and are legitimate. But Long tells us that the primary belief in chiropractic is in "subluxations" and that there is no proof that they exist. So the first clue when assessing a chiropractor might be whether they insist on treating subluxations.
As I read through the book and considered my own current experience it occurred to me that chiropractic is intended to provide immediate or near-immediate pain relief. If a patient does not experience relief after several sessions then the plan must change. This in fact happened to me: when one method was unsuccessful the chiro tried another, and then another. But none of them helped for more than a few minutes, and usually not at all.
A significant finding in Dr. Long's book is that schools teaching chiropractic teach very little that is evidence-based. It is more a cult than a science. This does not mean that everything a chiropractor does is no good; there are some lower back treatments that help a lot of people and are medically sound. But it means, to me, that a person accepting the dogma without question is not scientifically oriented. Dr. Long questioned the training from the very first day, but continued studying because he had no other plan at the time. Fortunately for all of us, he became good at evaluating what works and what doesn't, and has been a useful expert witness many times. He can speak from within the profession.
I wanted more about what we should expect and how long it should take when we start treatment. But this book made me aware of many practices that clients should avoid, like entering into contracts, or accepting advice on nutrition. If I ever approach a chiropractic office again I will know what to look for.
June 17, 2014
In every field of knowledge there are good and not-so-good professionals. So in writing, this seems to be an example of the former. This book tells you how the black sheep among the flock operate in Chiropractic.
Although not a scientific textbook, Chiropractic Abuse: An Insider's Lament uses references to validate the content. Regretably, this is done in a rather unilateral approach, in which there are no discussions of conflicting studies, but only references that serves the purpose to make the claims seem true. Some of the cited material is outdated, some of it is just misinterpreted, and some of it is just plain wrong.
The first chapters tell the author's experience through college and his first practicing years. The critics there span over petty subjects, like students cheating on tests (something I must assume is unique to Chiropractic!!!) and the author having to finish arguments with his big physical body frame.
The chapter on the dangers os spinal manipulation is authored by Stephen Barrett, and is almost a perfect "Copy and Paste" of what is shown on the Chirobase website. In fact, more than half of the references in some places are from the same website.
Aside from all the downfalls of this book, it brings up interesting information on how unethical some people might be, how some chiropractors milk patients and the government for all they can get and raises some well needed discussions on the underlying principles taught in most chiropractic schools. I highly recommend this to chiropractors, chiropractic patients and health insurance companies.
Although not a scientific textbook, Chiropractic Abuse: An Insider's Lament uses references to validate the content. Regretably, this is done in a rather unilateral approach, in which there are no discussions of conflicting studies, but only references that serves the purpose to make the claims seem true. Some of the cited material is outdated, some of it is just misinterpreted, and some of it is just plain wrong.
The first chapters tell the author's experience through college and his first practicing years. The critics there span over petty subjects, like students cheating on tests (something I must assume is unique to Chiropractic!!!) and the author having to finish arguments with his big physical body frame.
The chapter on the dangers os spinal manipulation is authored by Stephen Barrett, and is almost a perfect "Copy and Paste" of what is shown on the Chirobase website. In fact, more than half of the references in some places are from the same website.
Aside from all the downfalls of this book, it brings up interesting information on how unethical some people might be, how some chiropractors milk patients and the government for all they can get and raises some well needed discussions on the underlying principles taught in most chiropractic schools. I highly recommend this to chiropractors, chiropractic patients and health insurance companies.
Want to Read
November 21, 2014Via Roy Benaroch
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews