For many years, Dale Thompson has been one of our most loyal commentators, often defending the indefensible, or willfully misleading us, or deliberately distracting us from the topic at hand. He has made his comments under several names or pseudomyms, sometimes with and sometines without using the doctor-title, sometimes disclosing that he is a chiropractor and someimes not disclosing either this information or his most obvious conflicts of interest.
Recently, several readers became more interested in Dale and his activities. I therefore thought it would be relevant to find out how he is being presented on the Internet. Here are the mentions I found that include some relevant information about Dale:
- Dr. Dale Thompson. Over 20 years of delivering a conservative approach to muscle and joint issues. Trained in approaches that don’t require the typical adjustment but it is available when needed. Use a whole body approach and consider other factors that may be contributing to problems such as diet, ergonomics, lifestyles, etc.
- Dr. Dale Thompson is a Stratford, Iowa based male chiropractor with 22 years of experience in General Chiropractor. He completed his graduation from Logan College Of Chiropractic in 2002. He accepts the Medicare-approved amount. Patients will not be billed for any more than the Medicare deductible and coinsurance. Active license number of Dr. Dale Thompson as General Chiropractor is 06631 in Iowa. Dr. Dale Thompson is qualified as a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.), licensed by the State and who practices chiropractic medicine -that discipline within the healing arts which deals with the nervous system and its relationship to the spinal column and its interrelationship with other body systems.
- Dr. Thompson graduated from the Logan College of Chiropractic in 2002. He works in Stratford, IA and specializes in Chiropractor.
- DALE THOMPSON, D.C. practices at 813 SHAKESPEARE AVE, STRATFORD, IA 50249. Chiropractors diagnose and treat common spinal misalignments that can occur from lifestyle or injuries causing pain, discomfort and degenerative conditions. DALE THOMPSON, D.C. may be able to treat; back pain, sciatica, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, sports injuries, and auto accident injuries.
- Dr. Dale Thompson – Why I Like Being An Evidence-Based Chiropractor. Today we’re going to talk about being an evidence-based chiropractor. What does it mean to be practicing evidence-based chiropractic and we’re going to be talking about with Dr. Dale Thompson from Iowa. USA.
As we see, these texts are not always entirely clear about the fact that Dale has no medical degree. Dale recently posted: “Here in the USA it would be a board violation to ‘conceal’ that one is a doctor of chiropractic.” And in August 2021, he made this comment: “There are several professions that use the title doctor which aren’t earned from a medical college: dentists, optometrists, physical therapists. Within chiropractic, when we advertise, at least in the USA, we are required to identify that we are a doctor of chiropractic. Of course the word doctor originally was used by a religious sect but the medical profession decided they wanted it … “Several authors have recently lamented the continued chiropractic inclination to use outdated and anatomically incorrect language to describe the nature of the manipulable lesion (“subluxation”) and the method of treatment (“adjustment”).2,3,11 J Chiropr Educ. 2020 Oct; 34(2): 172–176.”
Next, I looked on Medline to find out wether Dale has ever published any research on his subject. I failed to find a single article in his name. This is remarkable because, all too often, he presents himself as THE expert in research.
Subsequently, I looked at some of the claims made by Dale. Here are a few of them:
- I can go to a conference and know if the speaker is generally telling the truth or is trying to sell a lie.
- I can read a research paper and know if it’s good or bad and how it may apply to what I do.
- I can take the best evidence and apply it and yet also have the freedom to find novel ways to approach a problem.
- I can take a seemly complex problem and find a simple solution as well as understand the complexity of an apparently simple problem.
- I know my clinical strengths and limitations as well as the strengths and limitations of other healthcare professionals.
- I do not have to jump on board the latest health fad but I can, and may, scrutinize it using logic, reasoning and supporting evidence.
- I can respect my colleagues desire to practice different than me but I still demand they do so in an evidence-based chiropractor and ethical manner.
- My patients come first, my profession second and I am last.
So, what should we conclude about Dale Thompson?
I don’t know about you, but I get the impression that Dale lacks the ability to be critical of his own abilities and of the value of chiropractic. He likes to post comments that are aimed at misleading us. He might not be a ‘straight chiropractor‘ in the usual sense of the term, but in my view he also is still far from straight. Personally, I have not taken much notice of his deeply biased, often pompous and smug comments for some time. I suggest you consider doing the same.
But Dale is just one chiro!
He hardly has any wider significance.
So, why even bother and write a whole blog post about him?
I certainly agree that such a man does not deserve the attention we have been giving him. But Dale stand for so many of his colleagues. In fact, he is a prime example of a chiro victim of the ‘Dunning Kruger Effect‘. These people have a thin veneer of respectability which allows them to pretend to be veritable ‘know alls’. They remain entirely oblivious to the fact that they have been brain-washed at chiro school and have become a life-time members of a cult unable to see how deluded they truly are. As such they are dangerous, and I feel that the public needs to be aware of the danger.
And here you have the true reason why I am writing these lines.
40 Responses to Dale Thompson, an example of a straight chiropractor?
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Well done Prof Ernst. And to think that here in Australia the govt subsidises private health insurance that includes chiroquackery.
You have way too much free time and the evidance regarding chiropractic stacks against you big time… I understand your frustration
thanks for your empathy
“As we see, these texts are not always entirely clear about the fact that Dale has no medical degree.”
What are you on about, professor?
Each example you listed clearly identifies this individual as a chiropractor. Yet, you imply that he is somehow misleading the public? When did it become a requirement to list all of the credentials or qualifications one does NOT have??
very clear indeed:
“Dr. Dale Thompson. Over 20 years of delivering a conservative approach to muscle and joint issues. Trained in approaches that don’t require the typical adjustment but it is available when needed. Use a whole body approach and consider other factors that may be contributing to problems such as diet, ergonomics, lifestyles, etc”
If you use the doctor-title in a healthcare context, you ought to make clear that it’s not a medical one.
I modified the page as I certainly would not want someone booking a chiropractic treatment on a page called Thompson Chiropractic to think they were seeing a dentist, for example.
“Use a whole body approach and consider other factors that may be contributing to problems such as diet, ergonomics, lifestyles, etc”
What are some of the whole body approaches you use? Are you a registered dietician as well?
I focus on the neuromuscular system. Key word, system.
“The neuromuscular system is composed of a neural circuit including motor neurons, sensory neurons, and skeletal muscle fibers. The system is essential to movements of the body, the control of posture, and breathing.” C.-P. Ko, in International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001.
Knowing that one part can (and often does) affect other parts and can be associated with distal symptoms/complaints. For example
“We identified a positive association between persistent LBP and primary headache disorders.” The Journal of Headache and Pain volume 20, Article number: 82 (2019)
Are you a registered dietician as well?
No. But note that I use the word “consider”
Consider: to spend time thinking about a possibility or making a decision (Cambridge)
For example:
“Previous reports showed that there is a higher prevalence rate (27.5%) of shoulder disorders in patients with diabetes as compared with the rate of 5.0% found in general medical patients.” J Diabetes Investig. 2016 Sep; 7(5): 649–651.
Did you miss the “Thompson Chiropractic” in large, bright blue letters at the top of the page? A page that you don’t just stumble upon but get to by clicking the booking link from his website that has “D.C.” and “chiropractic” everywhere?”
How disingenuous can you get?
you are dimmer than I thought.
I am not talking about the type of therapy he uses [chiropractic] but about the nature of his Dr.-title.
“Here in the USA it would be a board violation to ‘conceal’ that one is a doctor of chiropractic”, Dale stated.
One can have a doctor in medicine and practice chiropractic, you know!
Actually, if a MD had that page he or she would be in violation of state regulations.
just like you?
No. Because a MD advertising to provide chiropractic treatments is a different matter.
But nice try.
MD advertising to provide chiropractic treatments is surely ok, if he also is a chiro [like Scot Haldeman (https://www.worldspinecare.org/scott-haldeman/), for instance]
In that scenario they would be advertising chiropractic treatment under their DC license, not their medical license.
So what?
for the consumer, this is irrelevant
For the regulatory boards it’s relevant.
funny, and I thought that advertising was for consumers.
Under some jurisdictions, the title of ‘chiropractor’ is protected by law. E.g,:
“The title of ‘chiropractor’ is protected by law and it is a criminal offence for anyone to describe themselves as a chiropractor without being registered with the General Chiropractic Council“
Statutory regulators, such as the GCC, do not specify what a chiropractor actually does therefore ‘chiropractic services’ is an utterly meaningless compound noun. Well, perhaps not utterly meaningless: it provides a crystal clear warning message that quacks and quackery may be involved.
In both these meanings of “may be”:
• expressing possibility
• has been granted permission
And what the hell is “Thompson Chiropractic”, precisely.
I do know the title is protected!
But the point of my post is that the nature Dale’s doctor title is unclear; a naive consumer might think he is a ‘real doctor’, someone who has studied medicine, while in fact he and his pompous title just come from a chiro school.
Edzard wrote: “I do know the title is protected!”
Of course you and I have known this fact for a very long time. I introduced it to set the context of what followed.
Is there anything specific to chiropractic that is protected, other than the title of ‘chiropractor’?
naivety combined with greed and stupidity?
And egotism.
“Egotism is closely related to an egocentric love for one’s imagined self or narcissism“.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egotism
Throw in matching lamps, a complimentary set of end tables and I’ll consider it.
Thanks for the blog. It has made me reflect on the research aspect. True, I have not published any papers in a peer-reviewed journal. I have only presented poster and platform. I think my time would be better spent working on trying to get two of my papers published instead of spending my time here.
FWIW, the topics:
1. Anthropometrics of 102 cadaver pelves with their radiographic projection of asymmetry.
2. Are estrogen levels a factor in the increased association of VAD with cervical neck manipulation? (hypothesis)
I’ll check back later to this particular blog as it relates specifically to me and try to answer any questions that aren’t too personal. Otherwise, best wishes to all.
Psst: I am not a straight chiropractor.
indeed you are not straight at all!
good luck with your science.
The straights don’t like me.
Nov 16,2106
“ I recently had a “discussion” on the Logan Doctors page regarding Logan allowing DeMoss on campus to speak to chiropractors and students. He was speaking under the vote of the Missouri State Chiropractic Association, District 1, Aaron Wahl current president.
i have since been banned from the Logan Doctors FB group.
My main objection was due to DeMoss claim that vaccinations are part of a conspiracy by the medical establishment, or some group, to perform genocide. He also claims that there is suppression of cures for some cancers due to financial gain.
A couple on people on that page agree with this conspiracy. I made several attempts for hard evidence, none was given.
I stated that it is up to the MSCA as to whom they which to address their members but it is up to Logan as to whom they allow on campus to address their students.
recently I read that Aaron Wahl wrote, in response to the discussion on the Logan Doctors page, that the MSCA “…supports all aspects of the profession.” Apparently this includes DeMoss and his conspiracy theories.
i conceded that if this was at least presented in a debate format, with DeMoss and say an immunologist from Washington University, that this would at least been a learning environment for students.”
Sept 28, 2106
“So some here want to be mentored…which means that those with more experience give advice to those with less experience. Ok. Lets take these two recent statements:
1. I will check for misalignments of the vertebrae that block normal signals to the organs.
2. That signal will allow the body to heal and repair in those areas at 100 percent.
Now I assume someone told this person that these statements are true and she apparently believed them.
So my mentor advice: when someone tells you this: RUN AWAY…it’s a trap.”
(A small sample of my posts on my view of straight chiropractic)
But yah, I’m the bad guy.
PS
I would not have thought that bullshitting the way you do here takes all that much time.
DC, do you do offer maintenance care to your patients?
If yes, what does it include? Based on what evidence?
If you don’t offer it, how do you justify it? Based on what evidence.
Second time asking these questions: https://edzardernst.com/2024/06/maintenance-care-is-very-good-for-chiropractic-economics-but-not-for-anything-else/#comment-151995
Talker: DC, do you do offer maintenance care to your patients?
Occasionally when I release a patient from acute care they will inquire about maintenance care. So one can say I ”offer” it as an option to those who ask about it.
Talker: If yes, what does it include? Based on what evidence?
It varies based on the patient. But typically it involves a review and exam of their original chief complaint/s, if there are any new complaints, any other changes since last visit. History and exam findings will dictate any care and recommendations.
The research is mixed on maintenance care. Thus I may “offer” it to those who first inquire about it and had a good response to acute care.
https://chiromt.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12998-019-0283-6
Patient preference: they inquire about it
Clinical experience: appears to reduce reoccurrence
Research evidence: may be beneficial to those who responded positively to acute care.
Mr Thompson’s sock puppet ‘DC’ stated above: “I focus on the neuromuscular system. Key word, system.” Followed by a list of some of its component parts.
A succinct example of that which makes SCAM quackery without utility; as opposed to medicine.
If a quack claimed instead to “focus on” and treat the individual component parts of the system, e.g., motor neurons, then this quack would be: wholly unskilled; practising medicine without a licence; and exceedingly dangerous.
That
commentsteaming pile of BS is yet another deployment of the fallacy of illicit transference. In this instance, it is misdirection by arguing from the unstated specificwhat I do as a chiropractor
to a general
I focus on the neuromuscular system
then back to the entirely different specific
the system’s individual component parts
Also deployed is reification: the fallacy of treating the abstract “system” as if it was a real concrete entity.
Indeed, the system is not its bodily parts.
Dr. Ernst,
I do not know Dr. Thompson well, but I find him to be a well-meaning and thoughtful individual who knows more about cervical spine manipulation, cervical artery dissection, and stroke than the average chiropractic physician. Far from pompous and smug, he seems very polite in my opinion.
I do my best to avoid your site, but people keep sending me links to your literary escapades here.
I was actually thinking that YOU have a thin veneer of respectability which allows you to pretend to be a veritable ‘know all’. Your ignorance of the literature on manipulation, dissection, and stroke is alarming. And unfortunate. Many of your followers actually believe that you are an authority on the topic. You aren’t.
Dr. Ephraim Church is an authority on this topic. He states: “In spite of the very weak data supporting an association between chiropractic neck manipulation and CAD, and even more modest data supporting a causal association, such a relationship is assumed by many clinicians. In fact, this idea seems to enjoy the status of medical dogma. Excellent peer reviewed publications frequently contain statements asserting a causal relationship between cervical manipulation and CAD. We suggest that physicians should exercise caution in ascribing causation to associations in the absence of adequate and reliable data. Medical history offers many examples of relationships that were initially falsely assumed to be causal, and the relationship between CAD and chiropractic neck manipulation may need to be added to this list.”
Church EW, Sieg EP, Zalatimo O, Hussain NS, Glantz M, Harbaugh RE. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Chiropractic Care and Cervical Artery Dissection: No Evidence for Causation. Cureus. 2016 Feb 16;8(2):e498. doi: 10.7759/cureus.498. PMID: 27014532; PMCID: PMC4794386.
Steven, please step aside and let the adults talk.
@ Steven Brown
Science Based Medicine published this critical piece about Church:
https://edzardernst.com/2016/02/another-serious-complication-after-neck-manipulation-a-reminder-of-the-importance-of-informed-consent/#comment-76430
It’s worth a read.
“Blue Wode”,
Of course I’ve read it. It’s unimpressive.
As are you. It is cowardly to post anonymously. You too should step aside.
My 2024 study makes two simple claims:
1. There is no convincing evidence that CSM can cause CAD in a healthy cervical artery. (2016 Church, 2014 Biller)
2. It is plausible that CSM can cause thromboembolic or thrombotic stroke when performed in the presence of existing CAD. (12 studies, 2024 Brown)
Here’s a summary of the reactions to the study:
Chiropractors & Defense Attorneys: “No way! CSM can’t cause stroke!”
Neurologists & Plaintiff Attorneys (and Ernst): “No way! CSM can cause CAD!”
Physical Therapists (and other sane people): “Makes sense.”
Perhaps if we all had the common sense of physical therapists, it would be a merrier world.
Brown SP. Plausible Mechanisms of Causation of Immediate Stroke by Cervical Spine Manipulation: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2024 Mar 20;16(3):e56565. doi: 10.7759/cureus.56565. PMID: 38510520; PMCID: PMC10954208.
Biller J, Sacco RL, Albuquerque FC, Demaerschalk BM, Fayad P, Long PH, Noorollah LD, Panagos PD, Schievink WI, Schwartz NE, Shuaib A, Thaler DE, Tirschwell DL; American Heart Association Stroke Council. Cervical arterial dissections and association with cervical manipulative therapy: a statement for healthcare professionals from the american heart association/american stroke association. Stroke. 2014 Oct;45(10):3155-74. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000016. Epub 2014 Aug 7. Erratum in: Stroke. 2016 Nov;47(11):e261. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000112. PMID: 25104849.
Church EW, Sieg EP, Zalatimo O, Hussain NS, Glantz M, Harbaugh RE. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Chiropractic Care and Cervical Artery Dissection: No Evidence for Causation. Cureus. 2016 Feb 16;8(2):e498. doi: 10.7759/cureus.498. PMID: 27014532; PMCID: PMC4794386.
it seems that you don’t even know what a ‘STUDY’ is!
your paper is NOT a study, it is at best a non-systematic review.
Brown: “1. There is no convincing evidence that CSM can cause CAD in a healthy cervical artery. (2016 Church, 2014 Biller)”
Lying by omission, also known as a continuing misrepresentation or quote mining, occurs when an important fact is left out in order to foster a misconception.
Lying by omission includes the failure to correct pre-existing misconceptions.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie
See also:
https://edzardernst.com/2024/06/cervical-spine-manipulation-and-cervical-artery-dissection-an-embarrassingly-daft-attempt-of-a-white-wash/#comment-152187
https://edzardernst.com/2024/06/cervical-spine-manipulation-and-cervical-artery-dissection-an-embarrassingly-daft-attempt-of-a-white-wash/#comment-152194
Pete, I am talking. You should step aside.
Steven Brown wrote [my emphasis]:
I simply copied and pasted Thompson’s words to me — just one example from hundreds of his insults posted to this blog since 2016.
Steven,
This review paper just came out this week but I have yet to read it.
“The prevalence of tortuosity in dissected cervical arteries was reported to be around 22%-65% while it is only around 8%-22% in non-dissected arteries.”
Salih M, Taussky P, Ogilvy CS. Association between cervicocerebral artery dissection and tortuosity – a review on quantitative and qualitative assessment. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2024 Jul 8;166(1):285.
Papers which may not may not be included in the above review.
“Fisher’s exact test showed a statistically significant association between the ICAD and kinking (p = 0.0089) and coiling (p = 0.0251) whereas no statistically significant difference was found with arterial vessel elongation (p = 0.444).”
Association between internal carotid artery dissection and arterial tortuosity
October 2014Neuroradiology 57(2)
Increased Internal Carotid Artery Tortuosity is a Risk Factor for Spontaneous Cervicocerebral Artery Dissection
Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (2021) 61, 542e549
“VA tortuosity (odds ratio, 1.175; P=0.001) was independently associated with the presence of CerAD. In subgroup analysis, VA tortuosity was significantly higher in 57 patients with VA dissection than in controls (P<0.001),”
Vascular Tortuosity May Be Associated With Cervical Artery Dissection
August 2016Stroke 47(10):STROKEAHA
Association between carotid artery tortuosity and carotid dissection: a case-control study
Journal of Neurosurgical sciences 2018 august;62(4):413-7
Which raises some questions re cSMT but it seems my comments aren’t welcome here as I’m the bad guy. So be it.