Chiropractor Charged Me $65 for 2 Minutes of Free Adjustments He told me were included in $49 Facebook Offer

Update: Just advising that a refund of $780 has now been processed to your nominated account.
Not showing up in my bank yet so not by OSKO but I will give it a few days and see.
Update 2: Got my $780 back today looks like my threat of leaving a bad google review worked

I went to Chiro H3 in Cremorne after seeing a Facebook offer for 2 sessions for $49. The first session I did some examination and went on some machines. The 2nd session the results come back and I have Scoliosis(sideways curvature of the spine). Bobby tries to scare me and say my condition is advanced and pressuring on my discs 5+ years advanced. He gives me the hard sell and tells me I need 1yr treatment plan at least, 4 weeks of 3 sessions a week and 4 weeks of 2 sessions a week and then once a week for the rest of the foreseeable future.

He offers some adjustments, and does 2 minutes of 3 simple adjustments. He claims doing this multiple times a week will solve my spine and correct the curve. Bobby says $780 for 12 sessions the first four weeks will need to be prepaid ($65 a session). I am very shocked by this, and decide since he diagnosed it I should go along with his plan. When I go to the Radiographer to get a Film of the Xrays to show my parents, the first thing the Radiographer asks is "Did you find another Chiropractor?". This seems strange to me, why would they think about that first when I honestly requested my Xray films?

This gives a sick feeling in my stomach as I think maybe I've been upsold $780 of treatments that I don't need. I go online and Google reviews confirm my suspicion "Beware. This place scams you into paying thousands of dollars. They suck you in and tell each person that they have a huge problem that needs to be fixed. I didn’t even have pain but Bobby is a marketing genius who’ll persuade you uncomfortably strongly into spending your savings away, to spend all your spare time travelling there for adjustments that do nothing but give a few hours relief. He gets lazier with time, charging you silly amounts of money for 2 minute manipulations and taking shortcuts, and doesn’t actually care about anything but your money. He doesn’t even warn you of the potential risks of spinal adjustments before commencing, which every chiro should do. They can be fatal. And after all that, all I gained was much more back pain, when I didn’t even start off with much at all to be a problem. Don’t let them touch you."

There are 2 other negative reviews to the same effort, another with Bobby's name and the other confirming you are a "client" not a patient and that is confirmed when I call in they call me a "client". I decide to get a second opinion from another Chiro that I used to go to and had positive experiences with. She confirms the diagnosis but disagrees that they can correct my spine scoliosis saying "It's medically proven they can't correct the spine just strengthen around it". She said they are definitely upselling $65 for 2 minute adjustments for 3 times a week and likely I wouldn't benefit from it as they are not doing muscle work and soft tissue massage. I had paid for a 1hr session with her and she spends 30 minutes working on my back, a big difference to the 2 minutes Bobby spent on 3 simple adjustments.

When I call ChiroH3 to cancel my $780 care plan, they say "Every Chiro will have a different opinion that is fine. We will cancel your plan and provide a full refund". Then I receive an email from them "Thank you for sending through your account details. Bronwyn in our accounts department can process the refund of $715 to your account (this is $780 less $65 for the adjustment treatment you received on 11/1/2022)."

I am very surprised by this as I paid $49 Examination, COREscore, X-rays* and second visit Report of Findings. I had also explicitly asked if adjustments were included over the phone when paying for the $49 offer and then again with Chiro Bobby on the first and second session where he said he would work on me after the treatment plan. All 3 times they said yes, we will do adjustments on you part of $49 plan. I thought the whole time some Adjustments were included in the 2nd visit for 2 for $49, but they tell me "Not included after you signed your treatment we are deducting $65, sorry for the misunderstanding but you still have to pay". So you are telling me you put videos of Chiropractic adjustments 2 for $49 and your offer does not include any treatment? The reason I didn't think $65 would be charged is that he only did 2 minutes of adjustment, I thought just quickly as part of the 2nd session after the treatment plan.

I'm understandbly very angry about this and want to name and shame them. My bank has said that as long as I have contacted the merchant I can dispute the transaction and will be leaving a negative review as soon as I can.

TLDR: Chiro is charging $65 for 2 minutes of Free adjustments offered as part of 2 for $49 offer. He is claiming falsely he can straighten my spine and high pressure sold me a $780 care plan as part of a $5000 year plan I am trying to cancel.

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Comments

  • +3

    Geez, at least Pam doesn't complain about chiros!

    • +5

      Patience, young padawan

  • +9

    Chiro = Expensive masseur without the happy ending.

    • +4

      Some don't even massage, just crack your joints.
      They are just crack pots if you ask me :)

  • +2

    Chiropractors are scammers alright, but in this case you agreed to buy 12 sessions from them, you received 1, and you got a refund for the remaining 11. The title of the topic and your TL;DR are misleading because you leave out this crucial detail that makes it more of a grey area.

    You could argue that you expected to get 1 discounted promo session + 12 paid sessions, totalling 13, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is fine print that says that if you sign up for a treatment plan, that promotional session counts as the first of the 12 sessions, and that you signed up to continue the treatment you already received.

    • +2

      They have agreed to refund all $780, perhaps as I was being a pain to deal with.

  • +1

    Should have seen an exercise physiologist instead…

  • +6

    Please report this behaviour to AHPRA - this is the only way to protect the public

    https://www.ahpra.gov.au/News/2017-08-30-predatory-chiroprac…

    • I'm amazed ahpra even choose to regulate that.

      • That was my initial thought when I learned that about AHPRA as well.

        Then I thought it must be a matter of someone deciding it was better to have chiro/quacks inside the tent rather than outside the tent pissing in.

  • +4

    Your first mistake was seeing a Chiro in the first place.

  • +4

    He is claiming falsely he can straighten my spine

    Any chiro that claims they can "straighten your spine" is a quack. In fact they all are quacks.

  • +5

    All Chiros are a scams, not backed by science and often cause more harm than benifit.
    You went for a miracle treatment based on pseudo science and are complaining about getting robbed.
    You should take it as a lesson and move on.
    Go to a qualified doctor next time and they will refer you for some physio if you need it.

  • +1

    IMO the problem here is the word chiro.

    My physio charges me $65 for 30 mins. He says he won't touch necks or straighten my pine.

    Oh, they are considered properly registered members of allied health.

    Sorry, what does your chiro do again??

    • +1

      That’s strange that your physio won’t touch necks, most do when required, I’m not saying manipulating it, but I’ve definitely has physios touch my neck for assessment and manual therapies. All well regarded physios with masters quals, both public and private.

      Unfortunately chiros are also registered health professionals.

      • Probably anything to get some ahrah fees.

  • -8

    God, people like this give all chiropractors a bad name.

    These guys use evidence based exercise rehabilitation and won't do any manual therapy on you.

    https://scolicareclinics.com/melbourne-clinic

    It's worth having an assessment to see if you even need treatment at all I would think.

    • -3

      Weird how i got downvoted for recommending an evidence based clinic that has nothing to do with chiropractic in the slightest.

      • +3

        Maybe you should look into what you are actually recommending: https://scolicareclinics.com/professional-team

        • +1

          The fact they get to call themselves 'doctor' is a hoot

          • @SydStrand:

            The fact they get to call themselves 'doctor' is a hoot

            Those ones have done a shitty "PhD" and are hoping that people will think they're a medical doctor. Absolute assholes.

  • +1

    I thought it was widely known that any "fix" that a chiro performs is all placebo…

  • +3

    Finding a good Chiro seems to be an issue on ozbargain. Best to go to your local cross-fit gym and ask around. Finding one that has a good rep with athletes is always a good sign.

    One of my best friends is a Chiro. Pulled my low back doing a deadlift. Could not work upright, went to ED, they gave me an x-ray and said must be a stretched sciatic nerve and sent me home. Called my Chiro friend, went to his house, as he is fully booked for 2-3 weeks at his practice. He did a deep tissue massage and used a thero gun to get my muscle to relax. Scrapped my back using RockBlades Mullet, which was the most painful tissue feeling I have ever felt, but as soon as he was done, my pain went from a 9 to a 6, which was just 1 hour of him working the muscles.

    Gave me a few exercised to help relieve the tension in my back, told me to do as much walking as I can, each day. more and more. Don't sit for more than 10mins etc,.

    Did no bone cracking or anything. Went to him a couple more times, all the same processes and was walking normally by the weekend.

    I've always respected his option, and also talk about the rogue operators. He hates them. The industry is changing, as the newer guys come through, and they actually care about your health, rather than your $.

    • thats how they all start out lol

    • +1

      I want to be his friend too!

    • -2

      I have had a good experience with a Chiropractor. I had very bad back pain and could not sit for more than 20 minutes at a time. For about a year, I saw physios twice per week, an Osteopath a few times, and an acupuncturist. The physio tratments gave me relief for a few hours before the pain returned. Finally out of desperation and the fact that I was due to fly overseas I saw a Chiropractor. Within a few weeks, I flew and had no pain.
      If I do certain activities too much I will still get pain but now I only see him maybe once a year. Rather than just trying to make money off me there have been times where he would not allow me to see him as often as I wanted to.
      One time he changed location and I tried another one but then had pain where none existed before. So I had to go back even though it involved more travel.
      So there are good ones out there but you have to be lucky to find them.

      • +3

        So there are good ones out there but you have to be lucky to find them.

        It shouldn't be that way…

      • +2

        Sounds like a classic case of back pain resolving itself. Which happens in a lot of cases. You can speed up the process with gentle exercise/massage to stimulate blood flow to the area.

        Whole industries built on selling whatever random treatment the person was trying at the time.

        • +2

          When I did my injury, he said most back injuries can be resolved just by walking, the massaging just helps relieve the muscle tightening, which happens because it's trying to protect the back.

    • +1

      Disclaimer, I work in a chiro clinic as a massage therapist. I have nothing against chiropractors in genearl.

      However, the key here is that he spent an hour with you, that's not common. Chiropractors as a whole go through sufficient training anatomically and treatment wise, the issue is their business model usually does not allow them to spend enough time with you. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part this is how chiropractors operate.

      An hour with a single patient is not as profitable as quick adjustments are.

      1 of 2 things happened here. He spent more time with you because he's your mate, or it's possible he treats all of his patients like this and he's not making as much money as he could be.

      • Yeah, that's why his booked out for 2 to 3 weeks ahead. Normally 45min sessions. His more of a hybrid between Physiotherapy and Chiro. More focused on sports injuries etc rather then crack and more on types.

    • +1

      +1 Here.

      I've seen both a chiro and physio in the last 6 months.

      Similar experience to "smigglejiggle" here.

      Had on-going shoulder/neck pain for about 12 months, got to a point where I can't even raise my arm up. But deep tissue massage, thero gun etc, and I'm moving again. Gave me take home exercises to do, starting from movements, then resistance bands to weights to strengthen muscles in the area. Initially seeing him twice a week, then once a week, then once a fortnight.

      My PHI ran out and now I'm seeing a physio.

      Can't say the experience is very different but I really did enjoy the deep tissue massages which I don't get as much now. Haha.

      In conclusion, I believe there are good chiros out there and it seems I may have been lucky with the first chiro I went to see. It's unfortunate to see the mass hate on them so much, lol.

    • Honeslty as an athlete eventually you realise chiro is bullshit

      Decompression feels nice but it never actually fixes anything

  • +9

    I didn't realise chiro's weren't doctors.

    So I went to a chiro and I saw a bunch of posters in the waiting room saying things like "Chiro Works!", and "Chiropractic really helps!" - which was really a mistake by the chiro.

    No one else has this on their walls - GP's don't have "Medicine works!" and "Antiobiotics are real!"
    Engineers don't have "Maths is true!" and "Forces can be calculated!" posters

    That's when I started looking into chiros and found it was (mainly) a scam :/

  • +2

    So you paid $49 to give old mate the opportunity to flog you expensive treatments?

    Obviously with lockdowns, these types have had to move away from the "free assessments" provided in shopping centres.

    By all means, attempt get your $65 back, but frankly it sounds like you've dodged a $715 bullet, not to mention where this could have gone over the next couple of years.

  • +13

    I had exactly the same problem with my Exorcist. I had a Facebook coupon and had examination with some machines and 2 minutes of ritualistic chanting. Exorcist said I was possessed by headless wolves whereas my Trusted Excorcist (no Facebook coupon, haven't seen in 5 years) always said I am possessed by Satan Himself. Very unprofessional. Will leave negative Google review.

  • +4

    Chiro's don't want to fix you up with only a couple of appointments.
    There 2 types of chiro, one uses a clicker to push the disk into place — totally useless.
    the other is the gonstead method, where they crack you, and fix you up with a few visits.
    While in Europe my wife got locked back/ heap and could not even get up from the bed.
    We found a chiro/physio who charged us 35 euro for 2 hour treatment using
    Infrared heat, magnetic, 2 lots of massage and manipulation.
    My wife walked out feeling the best she ever had, for 2 years after that event she had no further problems.

    Do some happy cat / angry cat exercises.
    Get down on 4 and arch your back, up - down do about 10-15 times, takes 5min and you will feel relief after a couple of days.
    Or go to remedial masseur 1 hour costs about $65. You will find muscles you did not know you have. You will hurt for 3 days but boy it works.

    • The cracking is just a quick fix, technically you could do it by lying down in certain position relaxing your muscles, if you're really fked, you'll hear the crack yourself

      Some of us are really fked and as per the Op 2nd Chiro said, its about strengthening the muscles, over the long term. This also helps you keep a good posture

      As I've improved my posture, I've noticed then asked other with really good postures, half came from Chiro advice

    • magnetic therapy….
      And i thought i heard it all.

  • +2

    I went to a chiro once.

    The sell made it feel like it was The Church of Scientology.

  • I hope you got a happy ending with that.

  • +1

    This practice of Chiros diagnosing issues and you needing a “treatment plan” has been going on for a long time. I had it happen and dodged it I recon 20 years ago. Felt like a scam even back then. The chiro kept calling and chasing me for weeks about why I was taking it up. It was harassing, finally they gave up.

  • +1

    If a mechanic or a doctor has some first service free type deal I just assume it's a scam.

  • +2

    "and I have Scoliosis(sideways curvature of the spine). "

    Very few adults don't.

    It's a bit like being told you have haemorrhoids - the term for special "padding" blood vessels in your anal canal.

    What happens if you don't have haemorrhoids?

    Depends.

    • -1

      haemorrhoids - the term for special "padding" blood vessels in your anal canal

      uhh, no

  • +1

    i honestly dont know why anyone still goes to a chrios

  • Never trust a delicate genius

  • Bobby needs to make money
    Bobby didn't force you to go to chiropractor
    Bobby gave his opinion. You don't need to accept Bobby's opinion.
    Bobby is a chiropactor not a Dr or physio.

    • +1

      Yes but Bobby enticed me with bait and switch $49 offer in his ad showing adjustments, the way he is trying to make money is unethical, according to the other Chiropractor and he is giving false hope of straightening spine cannot be done. Also evidence of 3 other Google reviews of people with the same experience wasting thousands on 2 minute adjustments.

  • +2

    Unrelated but are some companies getting smarter or is it just my paranoia speaking? Sometimes I'll read the 1 star reviews so I can make up my own mind about a place and many times now I've come across the "Sorry we've never met a client named John Smith before. I think you may have the wrong business etc etc…"

    • Yes that is what Chiro H3 tried to do, with somebody who knew Bobby's name etc
      The name was in his business Salhend Music

  • +1

    I am sure Alan Harper will have something to say about this!

  • -3

    I'm willing to bet most people bashing chiros likely don't do any sport that is hard on the body. Its easy to talk when you biggest effort of the week is punching a keyboard. As a 45 year old who has been lifting heavy weights for 25 years and does Jiu Jitsu 5 times a week I have a different opinion about them but I'm not planning to argue with the couch potato experts

    • +3

      Cause it's bullshit.

    • i do weights and krav maga but also have osteopenia and slight degeneration of neck tendons due to long term steroid use (transplant) and my orthopedic specialist said to avoid Chiropractors as you need to exercise the muscles,bones and tendons (sports science) in a controlled manner rather than a Chiropractor who can potentially further damage joints, bones and tendons with quick, sudden manipulations. Though thats just one opinion specific to my health issues, so it may work for others?

  • Looks like you now need massaging on your writing hand. Place it in ice water for 1min then wrap a warm towel around it for another minute, then rub some oil into the joints.

  • Chiro… There is your first mistake. There is a reason "Alan" on Two and a Half Men was a dodgy Chiro character… The whole chiro industry is like a dodgy brothers skit IMHO.

    See a Dr and then a Physio if required but never a Chiro.

  • As a person who've seen Chiro for most of my life, the best service they all provide (except 1 dodgy guy) and to avoid going back frequently

    DO THE DAMN EXERCISES

    and improve your posture

    Most people don't need even need to see a Chiropractor, they can just you tube back exercises and slowly do them more and more over time.

  • Update 2: Got my $780 back looks like my threat of leaving a bad google review worked

    • +6

      You have a moral obligation to still leave that bad review detailing your experience.

      • +1

        Agreed. They will keep doing this until enough people leave Google reviews. If more people left a review then they would be forced to stop.

    • It's a shame that crooks and cranks can bribe their way out of bad publicity.

  • +1

    I still dont know the difference between a physio, chiro and osteo! Having said that I would only trust a physio and osteo (in that order) and only go to chiro as last resort/emergency

    • +3

      Hi. Surgeon here.

      Physio: Evidence based mobility and musculoskeletal specialist.
      Chiro: Quack
      Osteo: Quack

      You may disagree on the last two if you believe in reading tea leaves, horoscopes and ghosts.

      • i initially thought you meant Orthopedic rather than osteopathy.. My renal specialist is also a bone specialist in renal patients- He also recommends Physio and never goto chiropractors (in my case) as my joints, bones and tendons have been weakened by 30 odd years of steroids and sudden manipulation could further damage joints and tendons — weights and cardio in controlled manner to strengthen tendon, bone and muscle health is the way to go — no chiropractic manipulation will fix issues, you need dedicated strength training —chiropractic is like those vibrating exercise machines that claim to replace putting in the hard yards of training…

  • YouTube 'master chris leong frozen shoulder'. It looks like Chiro and he and has several videos fixing frozen shoulder in under 5mins. Can any medical professionals comment on whether or not this is real?

    • So this is how people easily get fooled into Chiro and many other things in life. People make you see what they want you to see.
      Im going to teach you a life lesson here son.

      Research what is actually a frozen shoulder e.g research the anatomy and the reason why there is limited movement in the shoulder. Then ask yourself…… if someone smacks the shiz out of me and jerks my back up and down is that going to magically fix the issue within a few seconds?

      Always ask yourself…. Why? How?

      • You haven't answered my question.

        • That’s the point,
          Do your own research especially when it comes to things that are too good to be true

          • -1

            @Purepwnage2: Still haven't answered my question. Are you a medical professional like I asked for?

            • @Cusack: Yes I am and have been for the last 5 years. I know what the answer is.

              And the reason I’m not answering is for the following reason
              Here comes
              Mr x - “yes it works, I am a health professional” (is a chiro)
              Mr y - “no it doesn’t, I am a health professional” (is a physio)

              So like I said, go do your own research, I would gladly help if you even put in the slightest of efforts to research but based on your responses you can’t seem to help yourself

              The fact that you have to ask if smacking someone up and down for 2 minutes fixes a chronic issue shocks me

              • @Purepwnage2: Mate forget abt it. I wasn't that serious. And definitely not serious enough to start researching anatomy. I was just interested in comments or thoughts. It's not like I'm going to take the answers as gospel. Come on. This is ozbargain remember ;)

                • +1

                  @Cusack: Hi, I am a doctor (surgeon). Chiropractors are ALL scam artists who believe in pseudoscience. All they can offer is a massage that most often is safe and won't hurt you permanently (look up "carotid artery dissection chiropractor" on google). They cannot read X-rays, they have no understanding of human anatomy (more than a lay person) and overall are just selling lies. They prey on the uninformed and superstitious.

  • had a chiropractor not long ago, due to the pandemic I realized something, open up and assess him, and as I continued I noticed the seat backplate (can't speak for others when using different parts, but hear me out here)then with my current chiropractor using a different chair I realized source a new one and gut it(the previous owner was a different chiropractor damaged, so I purchased it for $50) that housed the different chiropractors on the day with different positions, as I realized I just upgraded my chiropractor specs.

    Now the chair was not huge but had a few issues ( there are caveats to consider) reason for doing this was due to the pandemic.

    Now all we need is chiropractor or specialist to start building better chairs that are eco-friendly.

    • I want some of what you're smoking.

  • +2

    You do realise ALL chiropractors are a scam right? And by that I mean, sure, you might feel a bit better after a massage (shit, I do, on the are occassion I get one) but all the stuff that they talk about and believe in HAS NO BASIS ON SCIENCE. You can't "manipulate" the spine into anything unless you break it. Some of these quacks have "manipulated" (ie bent) people's necks so severely that they have caused dissections in their carotid arteries leading to strokes, paralysis and even death (look it up). Buyer beware.

  • This is a classic scam. Doesn't matter if it's chiro, physio, podiatrist or massage. Nobody has the perfect body. These scammers prey on this by making every imperfection into a big deal and telling you it needs to be fixed.

  • Chrio's are quacks.

    They only offer temporary pain relief, which can be dangerous.

    Physios give you exercises, and treat the root of the problem for permanent solutions.

  • I stopped reading at "Chiropractor".

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