You have obviously seen the commercial asking, “What’s in your wallet?”. This is an interesting question if you are researching your doctor or your healthcare provider. So, what’s in my Bag?
We are going to find out the best course of action between all healthcare providers when presented with the idea that we have some sort of muscle or joint pain, let’s say we have low back pain.
Let’s see, let’s ask your primary care doctor what’s in their bag. The answer, is…are you ready for this, a script pad. Yep, about all we get from this line of defense is a script for further tests, more meds or maybe even physical therapy. Will any of this help. Let’s dive deeper. More test, for what reason? To make your wallet lighter. How about medications. Sure these may hide the pain but the problem still exists and the meds usually make you sleepy. Physical therapy, good referral, however, the PT profession is overworked now and is it really necessary to send someone with tennis elbow, or running injuries or even low back pain. Don’t get me wrong, someone has to be able to direct the flow of health care and who better than the doctor with many years of education and of course, a script pad.
- Let’s say you get a script for more tests. It’s your low back. 80% of the adult population will at some point experience low back pain. What test, initially, will tell you exactly what’s wrong. All tests will be inconclusive at this time.
How about medications? These may work in reducing the level of pain; however, they will not repair or make movement any easier. Typically, you will get anti-inflammatories and/or muscle relaxers. Short term results along with drowsiness.
You get a script for orthopedic or physical therapy to help decide why your back hurts. Well, not a totally bad suggestion, but you have to ask yourself, self, do I really need to go to an orthopedist for my back? The only thing he has in his tool box is maybe a scalpel. Let’s look at the physical therapist, they are the busiest of all healthcare providers. Do we really need to tie up their time with low back issues that may clear up in several days?
So, who do we go see? It has to be someone who has a bag of stuff. A bag full of things that have been used successfully time and time again. A chiropractor. No. They just crack your bones and hope the muscles listen. But you are told your vertebrae is out of alignment. What took it out of alignment, if it can truly be out of alignment? The muscles. Great answer. So why see a chiro for a muscle issue. You don’t! You go see the guy who has the big bag.
When I got started in muscle therapy, I realized early on, that one modality does not make me successful, and in order for me to be successful I have to have answers to your pain. So, I set out to discover all the things that assist me every day in all musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. I hope you understand what I am trying to say here today, that, educating yourself of all healthcare types and professions will help you make a better decision when you need it. I will finish with the things we do at AMT. You will be glad you called us to help with muscle and joint pain. I told you I have a “Big Bag”.
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