The Truth About Back Surgery
As Catherine Johnson found after going through the Dartmouth Spine Center program, even excruciating, life-limiting pain can be overcome. You may have to develop a mantra — "the pain will go away," "moving will make me feel better, not worse" — and you may have to try a number of approaches before you find the one that works. Most of all, you have to keep your skepticism meter set on high, so you won't be derailed by promises that can't be kept — and treatments that won't help.
Finding Dr. Right
With some doctors eager to do surgery you may not need — and that may well not help — it's not always easy to find a competent and caring physician who will do his or her best by you. Some guidelines, starting with two key "don'ts":
Don't trust the Internet.
The doctor ads you see on patient-education sites may have been placed there by publicity agents for hospitals or spine centers, says Dr. Rosen. Often, their real agenda is to promote surgery.
Don't be wowed by big names.
Some prominent surgeons have been implicated in questionable consulting practices. They may be highly skilled, but you want to be sure that whatever treatment is suggested will be best for you, not for a company that's researching a product.
Think local.
Your own family doctor sees back patients before, during, and after treatment. He or she knows which specialists are doing the best jobs in your area. Worried your doc will simply refer you to his golfing buddy? Ask for more than one name, and ask why he likes these physicians best.
Check your state's Website.
Type the name of your state followed by ".gov" and then look for links to "physician licensing" to confirm that the doctor has a current license.
Then check ethicaldoctor.org.
This site, run by the Association for Medical Ethics, tells whether a surgeon is a paid consultant or distributor for products. If he is, you may not want to shun him, but you should ask about the connection and be comfortable with the answer.
The Truth About Back Surgery
So What Does Help? continued...
As Catherine Johnson found after going through the Dartmouth Spine Center program, even excruciating, life-limiting pain can be overcome. You may have to develop a mantra — "the pain will go away," "moving will make me feel better, not worse" — and you may have to try a number of approaches before you find the one that works. Most of all, you have to keep your skepticism meter set on high, so you won't be derailed by promises that can't be kept — and treatments that won't help.
Finding Dr. Right
With some doctors eager to do surgery you may not need — and that may well not help — it's not always easy to find a competent and caring physician who will do his or her best by you. Some guidelines, starting with two key "don'ts":
Don't trust the Internet.
The doctor ads you see on patient-education sites may have been placed there by publicity agents for hospitals or spine centers, says Dr. Rosen. Often, their real agenda is to promote surgery.
Don't be wowed by big names.
Some prominent surgeons have been implicated in questionable consulting practices. They may be highly skilled, but you want to be sure that whatever treatment is suggested will be best for you, not for a company that's researching a product.
Think local.
Your own family doctor sees back patients before, during, and after treatment. He or she knows which specialists are doing the best jobs in your area. Worried your doc will simply refer you to his golfing buddy? Ask for more than one name, and ask why he likes these physicians best.
Check your state's Website.
Type the name of your state followed by ".gov" and then look for links to "physician licensing" to confirm that the doctor has a current license.
Then check ethicaldoctor.org.
This site, run by the Association for Medical Ethics, tells whether a surgeon is a paid consultant or distributor for products. If he is, you may not want to shun him, but you should ask about the connection and be comfortable with the answer.
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