Joe Rogan went viral when he claimed that chiropractors are “98% horse s**t.” This bold statement, made during an episode featuring Steve Rinella, was based on Rogan’s personal experience with crippling health issues.
Rogan’s Personal Experience
Rogan detailed his struggles with a severe neck issue that was causing pain down his arm and numbness in his fingers. He shared:
“I had a similar issue with my neck. It was pressing on my ulnar nerve, and I was getting elbow pain. It hurt all the way down my arm and in the back of my tricep. Then, I started getting numbness in my fingers. That’s when I realized something was really wrong. I went to a chiropractor first—huge mistake. I wasted a year on that.”
Rogan’s experience highlights a crucial problem with chiropractic care: misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment. He continued:
“I went to this guy, a nice guy, and he was telling me I didn’t have a bulging disc because when he pushed on the top of my head, it didn’t hurt. I listened to him for a (expletive) year, getting treatment, but I still had neck and back problems. Finally, I got an MRI, and guess what? Bulging disc.”
This is one of the biggest dangers of alternative medicine: delaying proper medical treatment can worsen conditions and reduce quality of life.
The Dubious Origins of Chiropractic
To understand why Rogan’s claim holds merit, we need to look at the origins of chiropractic care. The practice traces back to 1895 when Daniel David Palmer, a former magnetic healer, beekeeper, and grocer, claimed to have restored a janitor’s hearing by manipulating his spine. This single case became the foundation for Palmer’s theory of “subluxations” – misalignments of the spine that he believed were the root cause of all diseases.
Palmer asserted that he received the principles of chiropractic from the spirit world during a séance. He went on to found the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, promoting the idea that 95% of diseases were caused by displaced vertebrae interfering with nerve function. He even suggested that keeping the spine perfectly aligned could lead to immortality.
However, Palmer’s claims were not supported by scientific evidence. Medical professionals pointed out that the nerves supplying the ear do not pass through the spine, making Palmer’s purported cure of deafness implausible.
Questionable Devices and Techniques
Throughout its history, chiropractic care has been associated with various questionable devices and techniques:
- The “neuro kilometer”: A modified thermometer supposedly used to measure spinal subluxations.
- The “nervoscope”: A tool run along a patient’s spine to get a readout, with the tightness of the grip conveniently affecting the needle’s movement.
- The “Atlas adjustment” device: Designed to tap on a specific vertebra in the neck.
- The “activator”: A spring-loaded device used to prod patients instead of manual manipulation.
- The “toughness device”: Purportedly allowing the operator to detect subluxations by rubbing their fingers on a detection plate that would feel “sticky” if an issue was present.
- The “NES health device”: Described as a “pulse electromagnetic frequency device” capable of identifying specific energy frequencies for physical and emotional functions in the body.
Perhaps most surprisingly, the E-meter used in Scientology was originally created by a chiropractor named Volney Madison. This device, which involves holding onto metal cylinders, was later adapted by L. Ron Hubbard for use in Scientology’s auditing process.
The E-meter: From Chiropractic to Scientology
Perhaps the most fascinating and controversial device with roots in chiropractic is the E-meter, a key tool used in Scientology auditing sessions. The E-meter was originally created by Volney Madison, a chiropractor, as one of many questionable tools used to detect supposed spinal misalignments or “subluxations.”
Like other chiropractic devices of the era, the E-meter involved holding onto metal cylinders and purported to measure electrical signals in the body. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, later incorporated Madison’s invention into his new religion, adapting it for use in Scientology’s auditing process. Hubbard claimed the E-meter could measure mental mass and energy.
This connection between chiropractic and Scientology goes beyond just the E-meter. Both fields emerged in the late 19th/early 20th centuries and made pseudoscientific claims about treating physical and mental ailments. Scientology even borrowed some concepts directly from chiropractic, like the idea of “MEST” (Matter, Energy, Space and Time).
The E-meter’s chiropractic origins highlight how fringe medical ideas and devices can sometimes find new life in spiritual or self-help movements. While mainstream medicine has largely dismissed such electrical measurement tools, the E-meter remains central to Scientology practices today – a testament to how pseudoscientific ideas can persist when wrapped in a belief system.
Medical Professionals Speak Out
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Chris Raynor has been vocal in his criticism of chiropractic subluxation theory. He asserts that it has no basis in medical science and has been discredited even by modern chiropractors. Dr. Raynor expressed particular concern about chiropractic treatments performed on vulnerable populations such as newborns, elderly patients, and those with osteoporosis.
Dr. Raynor also addressed the misuse of medical terminology by some chiropractors, explaining that true subluxations in medical terms refer to partial dislocations, not the theoretical misalignments claimed in chiropractic theory.
The Danger of False Claims
Some chiropractors make bold claims about treating non-musculoskeletal conditions. For instance, there have been assertions that adjusting the thoracic spine can treat conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, and indigestion. However, there is no scientific evidence to support such treatments.
These unsubstantiated claims can be dangerous, potentially misleading patients and delaying proper medical treatment for serious conditions.
Where does this leave us?
While some patients report benefits from chiropractic treatment, the field’s origins in pseudoscience, its reliance on questionable devices, and its tendency to make unsubstantiated claims support Joe Rogan’s assertion that much of chiropractic care is “horse s**t.”
For those experiencing back and spine issues, medical experts generally recommend seeing an orthopedist, neurologist, or physical therapist rather than a chiropractor. As Rogan’s experience shows, proper diagnosis and evidence-based treatment are crucial for addressing serious health issues effectively.
It’s important to approach health care with a critical eye and rely on practices grounded in scientific evidence. While alternative therapies may have their place, they should not replace or delay proper medical treatment when needed.