Comments on: Professional Courtesy Between Chiropractors and Massage Therapists

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:28:34 +0000

Anna, thank you for empowering MTs in your post regarding the great subject of “professional courtesy” between medical pros and MTs. I believe in chiropractic medicine but know there are some DCs (and pros in all fields) who do not value MTs for their healing capabilities but rather for merely adding revenue to their practice. I recently worked for a DC who fit into that last category and who ironically found my profile on Find Touch that I neglected to thoroughly interview when I had the chance. I later found out he didn’t value my work or therapists in general based upon the negative manner in which he spoke about the MT I was replacing. I should have pursued that red flag further but elected to ignore it and accepted his offer to come to work. During the six months I worked with him, he was not forthcoming with information on individual patient histories (unless I cornered him) and, since his SOAP notes were computerized, I didn’t have free access to them. The fact is, he never appeared to be empathetic toward healing his wonderful patients I cared about helping so the experience taught me I need to protect my own professional reputation by being more selective with whom I associate and to make sure it’s a good fit.

By: Lynna Dunn

Lynna Dunn — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:37:22 +0000

I love chiropractic, and have been treated by some really lovely, skilled people. On the other hand, I’ve worked with chiropracters who it seemed to me wanted an LMP in order to “get a cut” of the massage insurance market. These guys liked me as person, I just don’t think they thought massage was really doing anything truly important for the clients or needed to be treated as important (e.g. please be quiet outside my room, I’m actually working in here). That attitude really got to me. I’ve helped a lot of people with healing, and to be at my best, I need to be in an environment where massage is taken seriously. And this is one thing I always look out for now when it comes to chiropractors.

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:54:06 +0000

Thank you for sharing !

By: Sue Peterson

Sue Peterson — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:05:15 +0000

I hear your frustration. I have to say I have never, in 15 years of practice, worked for a d.c., largely because I found they would rather have an unskilled massage person working for them for minimal pay. It’s ironic that one of the main outreaches of massage through insurance virtually assures that people will not have massage from an educated/experienced person. It is time all licensing laws for m.t. require d.c. to hire professiona-level therapists.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:28:16 +0000

Hi, I am a Licensed Chiropractor in CA and a Licensed massage practitioner in WA. I live in WA. All recommendations have to be cleared with the DC prior to telling the client and all those have to be documented on the SOAP notes. Many DC are not able to deliver the same level of healing that comes from an experience therapist. I have been doing body work for 26 years and a DC for 23 years. I totally agree skill should be rewarded. There should be more communication between the DC and the therapist on goals for the patients and not between the therapist and office workers even management. I have also experienced that each state also have a level of professionalism between Chiropractors and Massage Therapists. We all have skills and the respect needs to be there on both sides. I always interview possible employers before I go out of my way for the interview! I have 26 years of experience in body work and all the skills of a Chiropractor without doing adjustments, physical therapy experience and home care exercises and stretching! Of course you have to get prior approval of any thing you tell someone else’s patients to make sure there isn’t an underlying problem and that you are on track at to the goal of the DC. Respect both ways is so important! Being on both sides and knowing what I know is comparable to the 100 0r 500 hours for therapist to get licensed vs the 4,400 hrs for DC. if everyone re[sects each other then we can all work and get along. Therapist you may have to demonstrate what you would like to show the patients so the DC feels confident in your knowledge and skills! Always document everything you do and make copies of your treatment plan and any handouts approved by the DC in the patients file. I am very protective as a DC and a therapist to my patients and clients as to not have anyone undo what it is i am trying to accomplish in the healing goals of anyone. It’s team work!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:47:24 +0000

Thank you! After moving to CA from AZ where I practiced massage therapy for 10yrs, I accepted a position w/ a chiropractor. After showing my client some stretches she could do at home, the chiropractor told me not to do that with her clients. I’ve since been hesitant to work with other chiropractors, but after reading your article, I have new found hope and confidence. I never in a million years would have known to ask if it would be okay for me to suggest home/self care with our clients during an interview! Thank you for your article. This will help me with future interviews with not only chiropractors, but in general.