Are there still honest chiropractors out there?

Are There Still Honest Chiropractors Out There?
The short answer? I really hope so — because I’m trying to be one.

Let’s be real.
If you’ve ever Googled “Are chiropractors legit?” or “Do chiropractors even know what they’re doing?” — I get it. I’ve been on the inside, and I’ve seen some things that made me question everything too.

I’m writing this not to convince you that all chiropractors are amazing or to pretend we don’t have a branding problem. I’m writing this because I know what it feels like to be let down by your own profession. And because I think you deserve honesty — the kind that’s hard to find in a sea of quick fixes, 3-visit-a-week-for-life care plans, and “miracle adjustments.”

My Story

Early on in my career, I worked for a practice I won’t name. Let’s just say — if there was a textbook definition of snake oil sales, that place might’ve had its photo next to it. I watched patients be fear-mongered into endless treatment plans, “alignment” jargon thrown around without real meaning, supplement sales unnecessarily, and the actual people behind the pain being completely overlooked.

It shook me.
To be honest, I almost left chiropractic for good.

I couldn’t reconcile what I was taught to believe with what I was seeing. It felt unethical. It was unethical. And I couldn’t put my name behind it.

I ended up taking a locum gig just to make ends meet while I figured out what was next. That one temporary job ended up changing the trajectory of my whole career. The chiropractor I covered for practiced differently. With integrity. With curiosity. With humility. They treated people, not just spines. They explained things in a way that made sense. They referred when it wasn’t their scope. They used research. They cared.

And it made me realise:
It is possible to be a chiropractor and still sleep well at night.

I Still Get Frustrated Too

The world of healthcare is messy.
Hot vs. cold.
Do this, don’t do that.
Chiro vs. physio.
Surgery vs. conservative care.
Evidence vs. experience.
Every week there’s a new “must-do” or a “never-ever.”

I understand how overwhelming it is — not just for patients, but for *us* as practitioners too. I’ve spent years cutting through the noise, figuring out what’s backed by science and what’s just social media fluff. I’ve had to unlearn a lot of what I was taught. And trust me, I’m still learning every day.

There are no guarantees in healthcare.
No magic pill.
No one-size-fits-all.
No adjustment that will fix everything in 10 minutes.

But here’s the only guarantee I can make:
I will show up for you. Every single session.
I will give you my full attention.
I will treat you like a person, not a diagnosis.
I will do my absolute best to get you better — and if I can’t, I will help you find someone who can.

Not All of Us Are Selling Snake Oil

I’ve been lucky to find great mentors in this profession. Chiropractors who are evidence-based, ethical, and grounded. They’ve helped shape the way I practice today — and the kind of clinician I’m proud to be.

But I still see the social media gimmicks. The shady marketing. The “TikTok crack” videos that make it all look like a party trick. And I know that trust in our profession is at an all-time low.

So if you’re sceptical — I don’t blame you.
Honestly, I’d be worried if you weren’t.

All I ask is that you don’t judge every chiropractor by the loudest or flashiest ones online. Some of us are quietly doing the work, putting patients first, staying in our scope, asking better questions, and building trust one person at a time.

Final Thought

This blog post isn’t about chiropractic being the best option — it’s about showing up with integrity in whatever role I play in your health journey.

There’s no ego here.
Just honesty, evidence, and a genuine commitment to help you feel better, move better, and live better.

If that’s what you’re after — I’ve got your back. Literally and figuratively.

Are There Still Honest Chiropractors Out There?

Your Cape Town Chiro
Evidence-based. Human-first. Always honest.

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