”Don’t judge me, but I saw a chiropractor”, says my friend.

Last time we discussed her lower back pain, I had advised her to keep moving, avoid opioids and see her doctor for a care plan to access up to five free sessions with a physiotherapist.

“Tell me more”, I reply – if only to prove that I value friendship over judgment.

She exclaims that finally she understands what has been ailing her all this time: her spine is abnormal and her pelvis is tilted. After “drawing all these lines” on an X-ray, the chiropractor has prescribed a prolonged course of spinal adjustment followed by “maintenance” sessions. What’s more, the first treatment has made her feel better!

Doctors infamously interrupt patients after 18 seconds. I listen to her explanation for 10 times as long before my dam bursts. “I am glad you feel better, but the chiropractor’s explanation makes no sense.”

I tell her that all spines have a natural curve and most women have a pelvic tilt. Her pain was real, but the overly earnest attempt at explaining its aetiology had veered into pseudoscience.

A day’s leave and $120 out of pocket later, my friend is unimpressed. Pushing my luck, I reassure her that most lower back pain is cyclical; she will improve. The next day she........

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