Sexual advances chiropractor certainly occur and should be reported.
Sexual advances chiropractor are rare events, but they do happen and should definitely be reported.
This page was last reviewed by Dr Barrie Lewis on 14 November, 2018.
Sobering and thought provoking events occur on a daily basis in our consulting rooms. This particular one I know is also played out at the medical clinic too.
You have pain in the groin or perhaps adjacent to the breastbone and are anxious as you know the doctor must examine you in sensitive areas; you have not consulted this particular DC before. The wise thing is to take a companion with you, be it your spouse, best friend or even a child.
This week we had a new patient in her sixties, with a very long history of neck pain, culminating in a fusion five years ago that was not a success. But failed cervical surgery is not the subject of this blog; it's about the intimate environment in which doctors and folk like you find themselves every day.
At 23 years of age, she consulted a DC who apart from treating her, fumbled with her breasts and made certain untoward advances. For forty years she was put off our profession and went the medical route.
Of course, we have no idea if she would have been better off if she had enjoyed life long chiropractic help.
So, what's my point? The chiropractic coalface is frequented by many beautiful people, mental and spiritual as well as physical. It's never a bad idea to take a partner, friend, parent or child along with you to visit your DC until you have confidence in him or her.
Many of these procedures, for example treating a Tietze's syndrome, when your chiropractor will be contacting the attachment of your rib to the sternum, immediately adjacent to the breast, involve approaching a delicate part; and likewise with one of the many upper thigh and groin conditions, like hip dysplasia and meralgia paresthetica. If you are the slightest bit anxious, take a friend.
This is of course just as true in the medical world.
I feel sad for the lady in question. She has suffered forty years of pain, perhaps needlessly, because of one person's gross overstepping of the norms of society. Don't let it happen to you. Report sexual abuse to the professional chiropractic society.
What's interesting is that the woman concerned, older than I, flirts mercilessly with me, knowing I'm happily married. Was she coquettish all those years ago, inviting an advance? We'll never know.
What certainly is equally true is that many a professional, chiropractic and medical, has fallen prey to the charms of a patient who, attracted by the doctor, or their income perhaps, has invaded his or her territory.
Don't let sexual advances by a chiropractor happen to you; go prepared for your treatment.
In short, both the doctor and his patient need to be alert; and nothing beats taking another person along with you for a consultation.
In theory, the doctor should invite a staff member in when doing a possibly compromising procedure; the problem is that the patient then often feels that their privacy has been twice invaded.
The particularly sensitive areas are in the armpit, ribcage, breastbone and groin; all these may involve examination of a compromising area, perhaps leading to concerns of sexual advances by your chiropractor.
Examination of the subscapularis muscle in the armpit and the pectoralis muscles in the chest, and a condition known as Tietze's syndrome of the ribs adjacent to the breastbone may encroach on breast tissue.
Likewise meralgia paresthetica which is a trapped nerve in the groin causing numbness in the thigh involves an examination of the groin and hip areas.
So too, conditions such as hip dysplasia often cause severe pain in the groin and adductor muscles of the inner thigh.
The clinician must examine these areas; should you have the slightest concerns about sexual advances chiropractor, take a companion, or ask if a female assistant can be present during the examination.
I have never heard of a female chiropractor being involved in sexual advances chiropractor concerning a male or female patient, but in theory in can happen, one supposes.
What I personally do is to explain fully what needs to be done, and then ask if they would like an assistant to be present, or to come another day with their spouse.
I've learnt the hard way; accusations of sexual advances chiropractor are not pleasant. If you want to read about it, then you can purchase my book, Stones in my Clog; there was something of a catharsis writing about this subject.
Now that ebooks have become established, retailers have increased their price exorbitantly, considering there are no overhead expenses, no printing costs, no returns and no highstreet store; however I've kept the price of my books affordable.
All chiropractors need to do a breast examination periodically, and some do it routinely. Talk candidly about what's involved and whether it's your desire that another person should be present.
Don't let sexual advances chiropractor happen to you; be prepared and cut it short if there are any innuendos.
Locating the offending rib in Tietze's syndrome certainly verges on no-no land; the rib almost always is one of those passing under the breast.
Likewise the examination and treatment of the inner thigh muscles which may become extremely sensitive in groin conditions like pubic bone pain and hip dysplasia.
I will no doubt be accused of making you uneasy. Truth is these incidents are rare, but if you are the one in a million then it really can upset the apple cart. Don't be overly anxious, but yes do be sensible. Just as your would when consulting a gynaecologist.