Reason #843 Why people refuse to go to a chiropractor: And what you need to look-out for when going to one.

I recently had an unfortunate opportunity to see firsthand why some people become skeptical of chiropractic care.

A family member called me after visiting a chiropractor in another state and asked me to look over the treatment contract they had been given. The proposed program came with a hefty price tag and, according to my family member, was accompanied by a high-pressure sales pitch from multiple staff members and a heavy dose of guilt about what might happen if the recommended plan wasn't followed.

As a chiropractor, this really bothers me.

Chiropractic care can provide tremendous value for many people. But when healthcare starts to look more like a high-pressure sales presentation than a conversation between a doctor and patient, we have a problem.

You may hear phrases like:

"We're a corrective chiropractic office."

"You owe it to yourself to do this."

"If you don't complete the entire program, you won't correct the underlying problem."

And then you're asked to commit thousands of dollars—sometimes before much or any of the treatment has even been provided. Don't get me wrong, you should follow a treatment plan, but this was rediculous.

Please understand: chiropractic care should not require a $7,000+ upfront commitment.

There are certainly situations where a chiropractor may recommend a longer treatment plan, and some offices may legitimately offer discounts for prepaying for a defined course of care. But recommendations should be based on your individual condition, your progress should be regularly reassessed, and you should feel comfortable asking questions or getting a second opinion.

When insurance coverage applies, it should also be handled appropriately. And if you're being asked to prepay for future healthcare services, make sure you clearly understand the cancellation and refund policy before handing over thousands of dollars. In some states they may be required to allow refunds.

I intentionally removed identifying information from this document because my goal isn't to publicly attack another chiropractor or practice. My goal is to educate patients.

If someone is pressuring you to sign an expensive contract immediately, making you feel guilty for questioning it, or making you afraid that declining their program will permanently damage your health, you are allowed to walk away and get another opinion.

Unfortunately, practices like this hurt more than the patients sitting in front of them. They damage trust in the entire chiropractic profession. Someone who has an experience like this may never visit another chiropractor—or may be reluctant to follow a legitimate, evidence-based treatment recommendation in the future.

There are many excellent chiropractors who genuinely want to help people move better, feel better, and get back to doing the things they love. Our profession needs to earn patients' trust through good clinical care—not sales tactics.

And to my fellow chiropractors: if your practice relies on fear, guilt, and high-pressure prepaid contracts to get patients to accept care, please reconsider what you're doing. These types of antics continue as we wonder why much of the world doesn’t trust our profession. Our profession deserves better, and most importantly, our patients deserve better.