Chiropractors: Science or scam?

So with this recent neck/arm/shoulder/numbness excitement, I decided to go to a chiropractor and see if they might be able to help.  Buddy of mine is one, is very intelligent, well studied, etc.  Went to see him.  He told me that it was a muscle spasm – definitely not a subluxation – and that we need to do an adjustment (back, neck, elbow), some shock treatment, and the apply moist heat – ABSOLUTELY NO ICE – to relax it and make it go away.  Next day it was worse.  He told me to come back.  Performed the same procedures on me.  Went home to heat.  Worse the next day.

Decided I would try another chiropractor I knew.  This guy is a bodybuilder, and seems to really understand how things work.  He x-rayed my spine.  Showed me things on the x-ray (might as well been an x-ray of a brontosaurus – no idea what I was looking at), – told me that it was a subluxation, not a muscle spasm.  Did an adjustment (exactly the same as before – back, neck, elbow), and told me to go home and ice it – ABSOLUTELY NO HEAT.   Guess what?  Yep – worse the next day – in fact, now I was getting numbness in my arm.

II went to my regular doctor and told him the deal.  Got me the MRI, turns out it is a bulging disc.  Needs rest, possibly rehab.  An answer.  Thank you.