HLM -Chapter 745 The Chiropractor

In mainland China, few people might have heard of the profession “chiropractor,” but it’s relatively common abroad, especially in the United States, where many practitioners exist.

Hearing this made Wang Bo angry. Nowadays, many Western countries do not recognize Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and scoff at its yin-yang and five-element theories, its diagnostic techniques of observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking, and its methods of sweating, vomiting, purging, warming, clearing, tonifying, and dispersing.

But the profession of chiropractic is similar in its reception. This isn’t just Wang Bo’s prejudice—let’s look at the history of chiropractic.

The earliest founder of this practice happened to be an American who looked down on Chinese medicine, in the late 19th century. His name was Daniel David Palmer.

Daniel lived in the American Midwest and was a grocer, as well as a practitioner of magnetic therapy. To Chinese massage therapists, these were almost like quackery.

Once a patient came to him for deafness. Daniel noticed an unusual protrusion near the fourth cervical vertebra at the back of the patient’s neck. After manually adjusting the vertebra back into place, the patient improved.

Thus, Daniel established his own school of thought. He believed that all human diseases stem from vertebral misalignment, which causes abnormalities in the nervous system.

He even founded a school in Iowa. Later, his son, “Little Palmer,” took over and developed his father’s methods further, proposing that the human body possesses innate life energy, and chiropractic adjustments harness this energy to allow the body to heal itself.

Little Palmer claimed that all diseases are caused by misaligned vertebrae, including infectious diseases such as polio. He opposed using vaccines, believing they harm the body. According to him, the only effective treatment and prevention is spinal adjustment.

In Western developed countries, including New Zealand, chiropractors have formal degrees and licenses. The government recognizes the profession, and income is quite substantial.

In New Zealand in particular, nearly every clinic has information about chiropractors. TCM massage is considered fringe or pseudoscience, yet chiropractors with similar theories are often addressed as “Dr.,” giving them a prestigious aura.

Of course, the prestige isn’t just in their titles—it’s also in their fees. Chiropractic treatment in New Zealand is very expensive, usually 45–75 NZD for a 15-minute session, and most chiropractors are not covered under the public health insurance system.

After Dr. Yi took over the small-town hospital, he suggested that Wang Bo hire a chiropractor. Wang Bo posted a recruitment notice, but no one came, which infuriated him.

This is understandable. Chiropractors’ income isn’t tied to the hospital; they work outside insurance systems, meaning people pay out of pocket.

The bigger the city, the more clients they have and the higher their income. In a small town, even if someone feels unwell, they probably wouldn’t spend money on a chiropractor. Besides, townsfolk usually do physical labor, so their bones rarely have problems. It’s city office workers sitting at computers for long hours who are more prone to joint and muscle issues.

After Zheng Hongmei reminded him, Li Bo awkwardly rubbed his hands and didn’t say more. Practicing medicine without a license in New Zealand is far more serious than driving without one—if something goes wrong and you get sued, you could end up in jail!

Wang Bo waved his hand: “It’s fine. Give it a try, Mr. Li. Our town has no chiropractors. If you don’t treat him, this kid will suffer for several days.”

Li Bo was confident in this area. He reassured his wife: “Even though I don’t have a license, it’s okay. This is actually very simple—just a slap, and it’s done.”

Kidd heard this and got scared. “A slap? No! That’s my waist!”

Zheng Hongmei was surprised. “Huh, the boy understands Chinese?”

“Like father, like son,” Charlie shrugged from beside her.

The couple was instantly impressed. Could this town be a gathering place for Chinese culture enthusiasts?

Kidd trembled as he lay on the chair. He whispered, “Doctor, please go easy on me, I…”

Before he could finish, Zheng Hongmei supported Li Bo behind him. Li Bo placed his hands on Kidd’s lower back to locate the right spots, then raised his hands, shrugged, took a deep breath, and gently started tapping.

“Is it working?” Elizabeth asked worriedly. “He doesn’t seem to have strength, but that’s okay—as long as he doesn’t break Kidd’s poor waist.”

Charlie said, “Massage is like that. You might think he isn’t using much strength, but in reality, it’s far more than you expect!”

“And honestly,” he continued, “I’ve stayed in China before. Chiropractic is an officially recognized form of practice in New Zealand. Effectiveness varies by person. If you compare it statistically to TCM massage, I’d bet old-school Chinese bone-setting is still more reliable—and much cheaper.”

Li Bo continued working on Kidd, moving from the waist to the shoulders, then the cervical spine, slowly moving downward. Twenty minutes passed, and he still hadn’t finished.

Kidd trembled and asked, “Boss, is it really serious? Why does it take so long?”

Wang Bo snapped, “Be patient. Why are you asking me? Ask the doctor!”

After another ten minutes, a total of half an hour, Li Bo clapped his hands. “Okay, young man, get up.”

Elizabeth went to help Kidd, but it wasn’t needed. He carefully got up, wiggled his hips, and his face lit up in disbelief. “Sh*t! My God, it feels exactly like before!”

“No more pain? That’s amazing!” Elizabeth asked.

Kidd jumped and said, “Not only is it not painful, but my muscles feel relaxed. It’s actually quite comfortable.”

Wang Bo realized that Li Bo had given him a full back massage. No wonder it took so long—simply adjusting the waist should have been easy.

“Pay the bill, buddy.”

Hearing this, Zheng Hongmei waved and laughed: “No need, no need, Mayor. What bill? This is just a neighborly favor in the town. As long as people don’t mind my husband’s skills, that’s enough.”

Wang Bo said, “Mr. Li, you’ve been practicing massage for some time, right? You can organize your information and reports for me to review. If it’s okay, I’ll allow you to set up a massage room in the hospital.”

Li Bo quickly said, “Mayor, thank you for your kindness. I don’t have a license, and I think it’s hard for me to get one anyway.”

“Don’t worry. That’s for a medical practice license. You’re not practicing medicine; you’re doing wellness and relaxation. That doesn’t require a license. Even if it did, so what? I’m the town sheriff. As long as I don’t check, you’re fine,” Wang Bo said confidently.