skeptical about chiropractors too
I too was skeptical about chiropractic medicine (I'm 50 years old and a scientist.) It is true that it was founded on the belief that adjusting the spine somehow releases energy to your organs through the nerves. Nevermind that many nerves going to your organs don't even travel through the spinal cord!
OK, so that premise doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny.
Nonetheless, I think chiropractic can help, especially when it comes to muscle and joint problems related to athletic use.
My very-well respected orthopedic physician's answer to my back pain induced by golf was to quit golf (which I did). But, when he suggested running was not great for my back either, that's when I sought out a chiropractor that other sports-minded people I know recommended.
I was very leery. I get hip bursitis and I have problems in my lower back (MRI done by orthopedic physician showed maybe spondylosis or stenosis). The more I run, the worse the bursitis gets and my lower back gets spasms when I bend over and reach out for something (like unloading the dishwasher).
I went to a physical therapist for months, but every few days my back would spasm again and I was back to square one.
Anyway, long story short.
The chiropractor I go to was the first to actually look at my back and "see" the slippage in the L1 vertebrae. He also puts his hands on me and finds the muscles that are very tight (ouch, those IT bands). With heat, electrical stimulation, massage and manipulation, I am feeling real relief and my back does not spasm.
I am not cured but am better and my bursitis is calmer. My L1 is also not cured but is more aligned as is my crooked right hip. More importantly, I can run 3 miles w/o limping. Maybe someday I'll get back to the 1/2 marathon distance that I want to run!
You need to try different therapies and find the one that actually addresses your problems. Being adjusted because you have a cold is not far removed from "faith healing" in my books. And, chiropractors have no business treating allergies, or selling supplements or other dietary treatments. But, treating muscoskeletal problems with chiropractic methods may be effective for chronic problems that don't warrant surgery.
Be skeptical, and ask for referrals from friends.
