Neck & Back Pain - What Doctor to see?

mel1977

well, I disliked the ortho doc I saw too. I opted for a neurosurgeon and like him MUCH better. You will need MRI's done though. You can in the interum see your PCP for meds and that dr can even refer you to another doc as well. I understand. I too have severe neck and back pain. I have a disc bulging in my neck as well as two in my low back. I am having an EMG done tomorrow and three ESI's done on Wed. We are trying to find out what is affected, how severe, and what kinds of treatment will work. It is not unusual however for the md's to give you anti-inflammitories or to send you to PT. They have to rule out minor stuff first. I went to PT for my back and neck, tried steroids and anti-infl. meds and none worked. I am now taking Lortabs for pain. You will like I said need an MRI though, and possibly quite a few x-rays. Your PCP can order these for you or send you to a new doc to be seen. They usually require you have xrays and the MRI though on your consult. Good luck to you!

injured betty

Bienkie:

They have a protocol that they have to follow in order for the insurance program to allow and pay for your care. Somewhere on the net you can find the steps all laid out.

First they give you a quick exam, then anti-inflammatories, and send you on to PT. They hope that PT, combined with time, works to relieve your pain. If you come back then they send you for X-Rays and/or an MRI. Once they have that in hand, which takes awhile while they again, hope that you will go away, they figure out which direction to go. With neck pain, my husband went though all of this and then we picked a Neurologist. The Neurologist, in turn, did all of this again. When he realized that the pain was there to stay, he sent my husband to a Neurosurgen. He had an EMG. He had X-Rays. He had an MRI and PT. He was prescribed pain pills, anti-inflamatory drugs as well as Neurontin. None of it worked as the herniated disc were inpinging in the nerve that runs down his arm.

He wanted to wait for the ADR or try to get in on the trials but it was taking too long. He is sceduled for fusion in two weeks time. They were pretty honest with him, 80% success rate, but they did give it a higher rate of success than the lumbar fusion. We are not pumped about this.

The reason that I answered your post is that I believe that the doctors have one objective, surgery. If you can, at all costs, avoid it. Notice that he did not opt for the injection at any time. The injections will weaken the tendons and muscles that are so crutial to holding your back and neck in place.

Try to avoid the shots as well as the surgery. I hope that PT works for you. Do you have any idea what is causing the pain? It could just be stress. Wait for your MRI before freaking out. Most of the time, unless you have had a serious injury to the neck, as my husband did when a cage fell on his neck at work, the neck isn't injured like the back is. Usually, it is just stress, which can be worked out with massage. It is harder to get a doctor to believe that you have neck pain, than it is to get them to believe that you have back pain.

good luck,

Bienkie

Thank you Mel for your reply!!

lynns

hey mel1977
i have a large compressed spinal cord and the neuro cant see me until oct. 1st.
im in alot of and dont know if can wait til october. i also have scoliosis in my neck as well in back thorasic and lumbar. im just wanted to know how would they deal with this?

mel1977

your welcome bienkie-lynns, it is hard to say. I honestly don't know much about scoliosis-but as far as your spinal cord, I would assume they will do all the normal tests like the xrays, MRI, maybe a CT. They may do the same as they are for me and do a EMG. Honestly, I wish I could tell ya more. MY cord isn't really compressed, though impinged slightly. I am having my EMG today (scared to death ) All I can suggest is try to stay stress free as possible while waiting. I found the hardest part is the waiting game. It sucks, it took me a month to see the first doc for my neck, and that started in July. It is now Sept and we are still testing and going through the steps. Get to your PCP if the pain is bad, and try to get him/her to prescribe you something stronger for pain. I wish you both well, it is tough-but if I can do it you two can, what does the famous kitten poster say? "hang in there-baby!"