When taping concluded, I spoke briefly with Dr. Brian Jensen, a chiropractor who was in the audience for the entire show. Asked to provide his perspective on the episode, he explained that "each of the patients associated with the show could have benefited from chiropractic care ...
we know that at the very least, any neurological stress inhibits the body from functioning at its highest potential. The gentleman that had the spinal surgery certainly had some postural issues that are a contributing factor to pain and degeneration, and would benefit from a thorough chiropractic evaluation.
"Chiropractic care may have been beneficial to the patient with the heart issue," he continued, "because we know that subluxation can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, decreasing the efficiency of the heart function. Co-management of cases like this could be very helpful to these patients. [In one of the segments, the doctors talked to a woman who, during pregnancy, had suffered major cardiac complications due to a bacterial infection following a dental procedure. She was at higher risk for complications due to a pre-existing condition.]
"The sinusitis causing tooth pain is another example of a condition that may respond positively to chiropractic adjustments; immune system function improves when the nervous system is balanced, helping the body fight infection." (This segment provided another big boost for chiropractic when one of the other co-hosts, Dr. Drew Ordon, commented that "there are so many sites of referred pain" in the body. And by the way, the patient's pain was related to the trigeminal nerve, reinforcing to viewers the role of nerves / the nervous system in pain and dysfunction.)
New York City DC Appears on "The Dr. Oz Show" Again
On March 14, the same day the "Dr. Phil" episode featuring Dr. Mancini aired, another chiropractor made an appearance on daytime television: Dr. Steven Shoshany. For the second time, Dr. Shoshany stopped by "The Dr. Oz Show" to discuss chiropractic and even adjusted a patient live in-studio.
Dr. Mehmet Oz introduced chiropractic in a segment called "Best Back Pain Solutions, Pt. 2," which discussed various potential treatments for back pain, including chiropractic. He began the chiropractic portion of the segment this way: "Millions of you swear by it, calling it the most successful way to treat your back pain. Yet chiropractors are dismissed by many in the medical community as alternative, unproven, ineffective, [and] little more than a placebo. Yet nearly 60 percent of people suffering from back pain claim they get badly needed relief from chiropractic treatments. Could this hands-on approach to your back pain be better than surgery or steroids?"
Dr. Oz then introduced a woman suffering from chronic back pain of 1 1/2 years' duration. According to the woman, she had previously gone to a DC for neck pain (which she says helped), and was now considering trying chiropractic again for her back pain. Dr. Oz told her that despite the "controversy" regarding its effectiveness, he thought "it might be worth giving a shot to a chiropractor" and then introduced Dr. Shoshany.
Dr. Oz asked Dr. Shoshany why chiropractic is different from painkillers; he explained that they "don't address the cause of the systemic problem; they cover it up and mask the symptoms. Chiropractic gets to the root cause of the problem. We're dealing with spinal balance; when joints become restricted, nerves become irritated, and it can interfere with the body's ability to heal itself. ... When we adjust the spine, the body can work better."
Dr. Oz asked the woman, "Would you like to give it a shot?" She agreed and lay face-down on an adjusting table in the center of the stage. Dr. Shoshany explained that prior examination had revealed mid-thoracic restrictions and that he would adjust that area of the spine.
As the woman was adjusted, Dr. Oz gasped, "Oh my goodness. Did you hear that?" in response to the audible sound of the adjustment. Dr. Shoshany was quick to state: "It's really safe, really effective," and then proceeded to adjust her a second time, this time eliciting a louder popping sound. Dr. Oz repeated his initial reaction, and this time the audience gave a collective groan. Dr. Shoshany said, "It's as easy as that" as Dr. Oz asked the woman if she was alright; to which she immediately replied, "It feels really good, actually."
Following the adjustments, Dr. Oz asked Dr. Shoshany what tips he offers patients for avoiding back pain; Dr. Shoshany suggested core strengthening, stretching, adequate hydration, and movement (avoiding sitting for long periods of time, which he said "puts a lot of pressure on your back"). Dr. Oz emphasized that keeping strong posture throughout the day is important.
The following statement posted on the show's Web site offers Dr. Oz's perspective on chiropractic: "Over time, chiropractic treatments for back pain may make a difference and are just as effective as pain medication. The difference, however, is that painkillers don't eliminate the problem – they just cover up the symptoms, whereas, spinal realignment, which forms the foundation of chiropractic care, can get to the root cause and fix an irritated nerve."
Dr. Shoshany first appeared on "The Dr. Oz Show" on March 3, 2011, discussing the advantages of chiropractic treatment vs. surgery and prescription medication when managing pain. He also adjusted Dr. Oz's "assistant of the day."
Peter W. Crownfield is the executive editor of To Your Health. Direct all comments and questions to
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