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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Awkward questions

47 replies

Tainbri · 24/07/2017 21:06

Went to a chiropractor today. Never done anything like this before but I took up an offer in the local paper which offers X-rays and diagnosis at a good deal and having had a bad back for years thought I'd give it a try. I was expecting the "are you sure you're not pregnant?" question like they ask at the hospital before the X-ray but I wasn't xpecting the indepth written personal interrogation. When was your last period, when did you last have sex? Have you had sex since your last period? What contraception do you use? AIBU or is this necessary and usual with a bit of a stiff neck?! I am not sure I want to go back for the results now tbh Hmm

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 24/07/2017 21:09

Seems like a lot of extremely personal and unnecessary info for a chiropractor. Maybe a gynecologist, sure, but to get your neck cracked?

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 24/07/2017 21:22

My chiropractor has never asked anything like this.

Aquamarine1029 · 24/07/2017 21:33

I just texted a friend who has been to 3 different chiropractors. She has never been asked ANY of those questions, aside from the pregnancy one.

Crumbs1 · 24/07/2017 21:35

Some chiropractors are charlatans. If they are offering X-rays they should be registered. Report concerns to CQC as these questions are entirely inappropriate and more than odd.

ImperialBlether · 24/07/2017 21:38

Blimey! I think you need to find out more about this person. Have you paid any money?

Original poster
Tainbri · 24/07/2017 22:08

I paid £40 for the X-ray and consultation. I e only had the X-ray so far and filled in aload of forms. I'm meant to go back next week for the result and consultation. It seemed like a smart enough place and I looked them up on the internet, but I have come away feeling really stressed out if I'm honest but not sure if it's me being weird and prudish or something! I left part of the form blank if I'm honest and just left it with the receptionist but before that I felt a bit uncomfortable with the X-ray as the robe they gave me was a bit skimpy to say the least. I had to remove my underwear and it was a guy dealing with me, he was fine, but I did feel a bit vulnerable. I think the questions just compounded the whole awkwardness and none of it was what I was expecting but then I didn't really know what to expect! I went to an osteopath once and I never had to undress let alone the interrogation on the sex life!! Blush

OP posts:
RainbowPastel · 24/07/2017 22:15

You had to remove your underwear for treatment of a stiff neck? That doesn't sound right at all. I can't see why those questions would be necessary.

waitforitfdear · 24/07/2017 22:19

I think I would be going to the police. This sounds well dodgy

Original poster
Tainbri · 24/07/2017 22:20

For the X-ray - Haven't had any treatment yet Confused and actually by everyone's responses, I'm pleased it not just me feeling the questions were "too much".

OP posts:
IdentifiesAsASloth · 24/07/2017 22:22

I can't remember having to remove my underwear for an X-ray before Confused

Sounds a bit dodge op. I wouldn't go back.

roundaboutshuh · 24/07/2017 22:22

Weird!

Crumbs1 · 24/07/2017 22:24

It sounds a somewhat abusive situation and unprofessional set up.
There is a chiropractor business in Kent where they do this sort of thing. Chap calls himself Dr Chris but has been struck off chiropractors register. He has a business partner 'Dr T' who has conditions on her registration. It goes on all over the place but most don't go down the sexually intrusive questions route.

Please report them via CQC. Many call themselves doctors when they are anything but. This could be a real risk to someone vulnerable. Who is reading the X-rays? Are they a qualified radiologist taking the X-rays? Are the machines calibrated and serviced? Why would you need to take your underwear off for a neck X-ray? It rings huge alarm bells.

Aquamarine1029 · 24/07/2017 22:25

First of all, never feel obligated to answer any question you aren't comfortable with, and it doesn't matter who is asking. Also, I would have questioned WHY I needed to take my underwear off for an x-ray. I have had dozens of x-rays taken, and I have never had to remove my underwear. Something seems really creepy about this place.

SnowiestMountain · 24/07/2017 22:26

This doesn't sound at all right OP, I definitely wouldn't go back and would consider reporting them

cailyaclara · 24/07/2017 22:27

This doesn't sound at all right. There's no reason why underwear or most outerwear needs to be removed for a neck x-ray and the questions are highly inappropriate and not relevant. Get on the phone to the CQC first thing.

cailyaclara · 24/07/2017 22:29

And phone the police. It's ringing huge alarm bells.

frieda909 · 24/07/2017 22:29

I will admit that I'm VERY wary of chiropractors in general so I may be biased, but this sounds incredibly dodgy to me. Maybe someone with experience in the field can comment?

Personally I would not be letting these people do ANYTHING to my neck or spine!

GoldenOrb · 24/07/2017 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Redsippycup · 24/07/2017 22:33

I had to take my bra off for an xray once. But it was a chest xray - i doubt my underwires would have been a helpful addition. I kept my jeans on though! (that was in a&e so definitely legit!)

How much of you did they xray? If it was your whole spine i could see them needing you to remove clothes that could interfere - if it was just your neck then hell no!

A word of warning - years ago a family member had an xray done by a chiropractor. He always wore a necklace and forgot he had it on until after the xray. When he went back for the results the chiropractor was merrily pointing out things that needed fixing - until he asked why his necklace wasn't on the xray. The guy had a 'stock' film he showed everyone, none of the xrays he charged for were real.

Whitegrenache · 24/07/2017 22:33

Questions about sex life and periods maybe due to the fact that x rays are extremely harmful to pregnant women?

Whitegrenache · 24/07/2017 22:34

And underwear/ bra could contain metal?

MadameJosephine · 24/07/2017 22:41

LMP is a reasonable question to ask as some women might say no to 'could you be pregnant?'and they actually are. If you're not trying to conceive and not tracking your cycle you may not realise your period is late unless asked specifically. The others sound a bit too intrusive for a chiropractor though and I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable being treated there. By underwear did you mean bra for the X ray? If you meant your knickers then that is definitely a bit dodgy!

DramaAlpaca · 24/07/2017 22:41

That doesn't sound right at all, OP. Listen to your instincts.

Crumbs1 · 24/07/2017 22:42

Knickers rarely contain metal so even if doing whole spine they should remain in situ. A simple 'date of last period?' does as pregnancy check. A bra might interfere if whole spine only. You don't need much off to X-ray a neck. They are dodgy.

Ohthehorror2 · 24/07/2017 22:44

Radiographer here. It's quite normal to ask about the first day/date of your last period and if there's any possibility of you being pregnant - the rest seem unnecessarily probing to me. As a PP said, potentially just overkill to ensure you're not pregnant, but not a line of questioning I've ever gone down with a patient.

Again, perhaps normal to ask someone to remove a bra if they were worried about metal clips being in the way but it seems unlikely. And totally unacceptable to ask you to remove pants, I hope they didn't!

I would be very wary of having xrays taken by anyone other than a radiographer if I'm honest. As someone else pointed out, it's very difficult to regulate these people and to make sure their equipment is calibrated and being used safely.

Your GP should be able to refer you for diagnostic neck X-rays if it's an ongoing problem. I'd think about reporting this chiropractor to the CQC.