Chiropractic

As I mentioned a while back, my neck and left shoulder blade have been bothering me.

And by "bothering me" I mean my spinal cord feels like it is chewing tinfoil while a rusty ice pick is being shoved into my shoulder blade.

Being a life-long devotee of chiropractic, I made an appointment at the Salta (pseudonym) Chiropractic Center. For various reasons, I have had to pick a new chiropractor, so this was to be my first visit.

I dutifully got there thirty minutes prior to my 4:30 PM appointment so as to fill out the "new patient" paperwork. One of the first papers shoved under my nose was one that informed me that they expected full payment, up front, for services rendered. By not doing any billing or insurance filing they could better serve their patients and keep their prices in line.

After filling out the papers I was escorted into a small room where I was shown a video explaining what Chiropractic is all about.

"Duh," I thought to myself. "I already know what chiropractic care is. Why do they think I'm here?"

The doctor soon came into the room and asked some questions about my history of back problems and my current afflictions.

"Well, Mr. Davison," the doctor explained, "what we will do today is take a full set of x-rays and then do a thorough examination. The cost of the x-rays will be $199 and the examination will be $79."

Two hundred and seventy-eight dollars? Yikes! I was thinking the first visit might cost maybe $125. I can't afford $278, not with with that week's mortgage payment!

"Does that $278 include my first adjustment?" I asked.

"Oh, no," came the response. "We'll examine your x-rays and use the results of the examination to determine the subsequent course of your chiropractic care."

Summing up:

1. I could pay $278 and have no adjustment and, therefore, no relief.
2. I could pay zero dollars and get the same level of treatment and benefits.

Yeah, I paid the mortgage.

My shoulder and neck are still problematic, but I guess you get what you pay for.

Or not.