Do I tip at the chiropractor's?

[Kate]

I have been going to a chiropractor's office 3x week for the last 6 weeks to get calf/foot and neck massages.  I had been experiencing very severe foot/heel pain (plantar f-something, I'm awful with medical words and spelling) and some stiffness in my neck.  The massages have helped wonderfully and I'll hopefully only need to go a few more weeks.  All this time I have not been tipping the masseuse because, quite frankly, it didn't occur to me - this is a medical office.  Suddenly it popped in my head that if I was getting a massage in a spa I would tip.  Is this situation different?  If I should have been tipping then 1) how much and 2) how do I make up for the past?  There are 3 different women giving massages and I've had each of them at different times.  At the same time I have the massage I also have an adjustment done.  I'd never been to a chiropractor's before and I figured since I was there anyway to also have the adjustments.  It is done by a chiropractor and I'm sure no tip is expected so that makes me think no tip is expected for the other treatments.

Thank you for whatever insight you can provide.

My son is a registered massage therapist and he doesnt get tips that I know of...its 60-70 dollars an hour for therepeutic massage, and its considered a medical treatment..as in
you dont tip a physical therapst or a doctor. My husband has regular massage therapy and he does not tip. So in the same sense one doesn ttip the chiropractor.

Usually, in a spa its relaxational massage,not therapeutic, the masseuse is only getting part of the price..so thats more like a hairdresser, and tipping would be more expected.

[Raintree]

I'm a chiropractor and no, you wouldn't tip the chiropractor or the massage therapist. I think most massage therapists are working for themselves, not "for" the chiropractor.  The clients pay them and then they pay their rent and other expenses.

In any case, it's a therapeutic massage by a registered massage therapist in a medical setting, so you wouldn't tip.

I'm told it's different if you have a relaxation massage at a spa or something, or have a massage therapist come to your hotel room. Then you tip.

Nobody's ever tried to tip at our office, although some people have brought in chocolate, baked goods, and other tokens of appreciation. We love that, and especially the thought that someone appreciated our service enough to think of that. But I would never expect it. I'm just happy if they pay their bills on time.