This is a long post. It’s to document my experience with a chiropractor in case other people around Vancouver, BC search for him on the Internet for more information.

I was going to wait until my chiropractic therapy was over before posting my review on the chiropractor I’ve been seeing, but I really can’t wait any longer. I’ve been seeing Dr. Yeoman of Everest Chiropractic at the Electra Health Floor in downtown Vancouver for almost 4 weeks.

The only good thing about this clinic is that their Web site posts their rates, and you can book your appointments online. Yesterday, while I was checking my chiropractor’s availability, I noticed his rates had changed from $45 for 15 minutes to $45 for 10 minutes. I was never notified of the change in any way – neither verbally or electronically. I have been seeing this chiropractor for 3 – 4 weeks now, so it wasn’t like there was no time to give me notice. Is it legal to change rates without notice when they have no disclaimers anywhere?

This chiropractor has been unpleasant to deal with, and the only reason why I haven’t stopped seeing him is because I ordered some orthotics through him, and I don’t want to endure his wrath about his chiropractic prowess and that he will make me all better.

I originally found him by Googling for downtown Vancouver chiropractors. I wanted something close to work. And the only reason why I sought a chiropractor in the first place was for my knee. It wasn’t chronic knee pain I was suffering, but I felt like I had some sort of kink as a result of running for the bus one evening. I’ve had another chiropractor adjust my knee successfully. That is all I wanted from Dr. Yeoman.

His clinic’s policy requires you to go for an assessment for the first visit – fair enough. I told him I was there for my knee problem, but based on my assessment, he determined he should adjust my neck and upper body. He did not address my knee problem, and instead, he guaranteed my knee problem would go away with orthotics. In fact had has never addressed my knee issues again. For some reason, he thinks I am suffering from headaches and neck pain. I do have a stiff neck, but I do a lot of stretching, and I am not bothered by my neck. “I’m surprised you don’t headaches more often.”

I’ve left his clinic a couple of times with headaches, and another time, my neck and shoulder were in so much pain a couple of hours later that I could barely turn my head. (I hadn’t experienced that kind of pain since I slept on my side funny a couple of years ago. I got massage therapy to resolve that problem.). Thankfully, the pain went away, but one time he tried to adjust that kink and he said he couldn’t get it. “Sometimes these things happen. We’ll get it next time.”

He’s been nothing but pushy in terms of buying orthotics and some chiroflow water-based pillow. He doesn’t ask if you want any of this stuff. He just thinks you should have it, and if you don’t say no, he will assume you are getting this stuff from him. The pillow he tries to hawk costs about $110 CAD from the clinic, but you can find it online for $50+ USD.

I think he is a Leo or a Virgo because the appointments turn out to be about him in some way. He has no bedside manner, or maybe it’s just that he doesn’t listen to his patients (clients?) or find out more about their history, health-wise. He attributed my “pain” to my workstation at work. He gave me a couple of tips on workstation ergonomics even though I told him I already knew about that stuff. His tips were not extensive either. I have received instructions from the Workers’ Compensation Board and my personal trainer that had diagrams and documentation. At my second appointment, he asked me if I changed my workstation, and I told him no. His response was, “no! Your work is wrong! Do things my way!”

I was told that my orthotics would take 1 – 2 weeks to arrive, and it’s been over 3 weeks. He said they were unusually late and that he would call the next day to check on them for me. I asked him, “will you give me an update when you find out?” He replied, “yeah, I’m going to call them tomorrow.” Listen much?

He was pushy for me to visit his Web site. “Go to my Web site for more information about what I am doing to you.” “Go to my Web site for more information about the exercises you’re doing.”

During a session, he makes his adjustments, and he watches me do a couple of exercises. There is one that requires a BOSU ball, and while I was getting into position (it requires a bit of balance, especially when you do these exercises in frickin’ heels), he said, “no! that’s not how you do it!” I told him I was still getting into position, and he took it like I was making some poor excuse. Nodding, “well, okay. I’ll take your word for it.” Another time, while I was doing some neck exercise, he asked me some question, but since I was concentrating on holding my head up, it didn’t register for me to answer. Instead of repeating his question, he said, “I just asked you a question. Well?” While I was doing that BOSU ball exercise another time, he thought he would test me by asking me what muscle I was working. Since I didn’t know the exact name of it, I told him it was the one by my armpit. “Well, okay. I’ll give you partial points. Go to my Web site. It will explain everything.”

He is generally quite unpleasant to deal with. Maybe it’s because I don’t really believe in chiropractors anyway, and I’ve gone in with that attitude. But he knew I was a skeptic from our first appointment, and he said he was going to change my mind. But he seems like I should be very thankful for all he’s done for me. At first he said he’d need to see me 4 times, but I have seen him 6 times now, and he has not mentioned how many more sessions I need. On top of that, after the kink in my shoulder incident, he told me to book an appointment with one of the massage therapists in the clinic. At this clinic, you have to go for an assessment for your first appointment with the massage therapist.

Another reason why I think he might be a Leo or a Virgo is based on how he was talking down to the new (?) receptionist. She was getting some sort of training. I thought it was strange that he told me to see her to book my next appointment when he usually books me right away. He told her to ask clients what time they would like to come in instead of what day. “People like to come in at the same time usually, so just ask them what time they’d like their appointment.” He turned to me, and said, “you want to come in at the same time next week, don’t you. Right?” Personally, I don’t have a preference, and that day I came on a non-usual day at a non-usual time. I said,” actually, I don’t usually come in at this time.”

So my final thoughts on Dr. Yeoman is that he is pushy and unpleasant to deal with. I went to see him for a knee issue, and he’s been “fixing” something else that I don’t think needs fixing. Yes, my neck is less stiff now, but I think stretching and massage therapy would have been just as effective (and less traumatic for the body). I have left his clinic with headaches and pain that were not there before I saw him. I would not recommend him to anyone.