Isn't chiropractic backward thinking; adjustment first, muscles second?

Accupuncture treats muscles first, thereby letting the body adjust all by itself.

as a chiropractor myself i know this thinking is not backwards. we adjust the spine in order to allow the nerves exiting the spine to be able to function normally. if there is a misalignment in the spine then we know there is interference with a nerve in that area of the misalignment. because the nervous system controls EVERYTHING (including muscles) we know that if that nerve is being interfered with, it becomes hyperactive. so since it controls the muscle, it sends these hyperactive signals to the muscle and causes the muscle to become hypertonic (or spasm/tight).

by adjusting this misalignment it takes the pressure off that nerve and allows it to function normally again, which reduces the muscle spasm. now i don't adjust anyone without working on that muscle though either. it is important to do some trigger point therapy or massage to that muscle so that is calms down to help allow the adjustment to go smoother. so i don't deny, the muscle spasm should be addressed. but there's no doubt that the muscle is controlled by the nerve--the spasm is just a SYMPTOM of the true cause of the problem (unless there's trauma, etc. directly to that muscle). so not gullible's cause/effect explanation is what's backwards--because the nervous system controls everything!! and that's why chiropractors work with the nervous system. not gullible should actually try chiropractic first before drawing conclusions, i've done the PT route myself already and found it to be a good complement to other treatments in helping people get better. but the reason i became a chiro was because of the medical/PT treatment vs. chiropractic--i found there's nothing that can do more for you than an adjustment since it is aimed at correcting the source of the problem. so unfortunately not gullible is the one that is actually "repairing the water damage instead of fixing the leak."

as a side note: there was a study done that found it only took the weight of a dime to reduce a nerve's function by 66%--so it hardly takes any pressure on a nerve to affect it greatly! Source(s): moist1 D.C.

no, muscles can't heal on a problem frame or you will always have the same issues. Even in traditional medicine if the bones are not corrected first the muscles aren't fed properly by the bone marrow, or the connective tissue wont be able to hold muscles in the proper place and then wont heal properly.
my medical training
I'm not sure where JudiT received her medical training, but if I were her, I'd ask for a refund.

Muscles move bones, bones NEVER move muscles. This is basic physiology and beyond dispute. If a vertebrae, pelvic bone or any joint is pulled out of normal position it's because a muscle has put it there. Release the muscle that's anchoring the bone out of position and the bone will realign. Forcing a vertebrae to move without addressing the hypertonic muscle that's attached to it is a waste of time. Most people who receive regular chiropractic adjustments already know this. Why does the chiropractor have to adjust the same bones every visit? Because he's not releasing the muscles, the ONLY structure in the body that's capable of moving and misaligning the bone in the first place. Think of it this way: if you have a leaking roof on your house, what makes more sense? Repairing water damage inside the house every time it rains or simply fix the leak so the water can't get inside in the first place? Chiro adjustments focus on repairing the water damage instead of just fixing the leak (the cause) of the problem? I'm not saying chiropractic isn't worthwhile in some cases, only that the reason most people are going to a chiropractor (adjustments) will not be corrected for very long because the methodology is backwards and ignores the underlying cause of the subluxation.

Your observation is correct, the body is self-adjusting. If muscle tension is equal on both sides of a joint the bones will automatically re-set to an ideal position. Mind you, they are not moving themselves; they re-set because no muscle is pulling them out of position.

FYI- Accupuncture does not really treat/release muscles directly like deep massage does. Accupuncture calms the nervous system to a certain degree, which may or may not, cause a spontaneous release of muscle tension. The best way to release a muscle is to actually treat the muscle with direct massage therapy.
NMT, LMT, CPT
I am a PT as well and actually am going to have to side with the chiropractor on this one. moist1 is right about how the nervous system controls everything. I have been seeing a chiropractor for over 15 years now myself and find that the most relief I get when I have back pain is from an adjustment. I also have an exercise program that I do that helps keep me healthy but if there is a vertebrae out of alignment there's only one way to get it back in place--a chiropractor.

not gullible seems to have a narrow mind when it comes to treating patients. Now I think that physical therapy is fabulous and that it helps many people, but I also realize that it is limited to what it can do. I have found that chiropractic in conjunction with physical therapy is one of the best combinations of treatment for people--because then you are addressing both muscle and nerve problems. In my opinion though, I think chiropractic can influence healing more since it does address the more important component--the nervous system.