In-depth information about different types of spine specialists who can diagnose and/or treat back problems and back pain
Should I see a doctor for back pain?
August 14, 2007
Back pain symptoms can vary greatly and the severity of the pain is not necessarily a useful guide for when to see a a physician. This article outlines symptoms that sometimes accompany back pain and indicate a need for urgent or near term medical attention. Read more...
By: Charles D. Ray, MD
Preparing
for your consultation with a spine doctor
December 11, 2001
The better prepared you are for your doctor's visit the more productive it will
be for you and for your physician. This article includes a comprehensive list
of questions you can expect your doctor to ask you. Read
more...
By: Charles D. Ray, MD
Specialists
who treat back pain
November 14, 2000
There are many types of health practitioners that care for patients with spinal
conditions, and each has a slightly different role. The practitioner a patient
chooses largely depends on the condition, diagnosis, or symptoms. Read
more...
By: Philip R. Shalen, MD
The
integrated approach to back pain treatment
September 5, 2000 (updated November 2000)
Before choosing which type of specialist should treat your back pain, you should
know that each kind of specialist has different training and interests, and that
no one type of physician treats all types of back pain, neck pain or other musculoskeletal
conditions. Read
more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Procedural
skills in spinal manipulation: do prerequisites
matter?
March 4, 2004
Training to perform spinal manipulation procedures for back pain ranges from
full professional degree programs to weekend seminars. This study looks at the
impact that preparation for performing spinal manipulation procedures can have
on patient care. Read
more...
By: John J. Triano, DC, PhD, FCCS
Manipulation
under anesthesia
October 23, 2002
It is theorized that a past or present back injury can cause adhesions and
scar tissue to build up around spinal joints and within the surrounding muscles,
causing pain. Manipulation under anesthesia is a non-invasive procedure offered
to treat this type of acute and chronic neck pain, back pain and joint pain. Read
more...
By: Richard Reid, MD, Rosie Desimone, DC, Ben Eubank, DC
All
about chiropractic treatments
September 12, 1999 (Updated June 21, 2001)
Read all about chiropractics, the role of the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.),
what happens when the spine is "adjusted", different therapies, and
chiropractic education. Read
more...
By: Steven G. Yeomans, DC
Chiropractic
treatments of the sacroiliac joint
May 7, 2000 (Updated December 27, 2000)
Today, patients with sacroiliac joint pain have a variety of first-line chiropractic
treatment procedures available to them. Read
more...
By: Steven G. Yeomans, DC
Chiropractic
treatments for whiplash
August 22, 2000
Chiropractors use a systematic approach to help patients overcome the pain
that comes with whiplash. Read
more...
By: Donald Murphy, DC
What
to expect at your first chiropractic visit
May 22, 2000
At your first appointment, a chiropractor typically completes a thorough consultation
that includes your patient history, a physical examination, a review of diagnostic
studies (when indicated), diagnosis, and a treatment plan tailored for you. Read
more...
By: Peter J. Schubbe, DC
Overview
of chiropractic
September 8, 1999
An overall philosophy of chiropractic is that dysfunction in the lower spine
can lead to low back pain. Read
more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Non-surgical
spinal arthritis treatments
May 25, 2005
It is important to get an accurate diagnosis and find the best treatments for
pain from spinal arthritis. Most patients find pain relief from a combination
of conservative care treatments, including heat/cold therapy, gentle exercise,
and medications, and may require treatment by a multi-disciplinary team of medical
professionals. Only the most severe cases tend to require surgery.Read
more...
By: Vert Mooney, MD
The
osteopathic medical visit
February 9, 2001
There are a number of things a back pain patient can expect from a medical
examination by a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.). This article focuses on treatment
options a D.O. can offer. Read
more...
By: Wolfgang Gilliar, DO
Osteopathic
medicine and back pain
February 9, 2001
Osteopathic Physicians, also known as Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine or Doctors
of Osteopathy (D.O.), diagnose and treat all illnesses and injuries and many
specialize in treating back pain. This feature looks at the role of the D.O.
and how they can help back pain patients. Read
more...
By: Wolfgang Gilliar, DO
Pain management for chronic back pain
October 24, 2001
Pain used to be something many patients simply had to learn to "live" with.
Recently, researchers have learned a great deal about pain and its physiological
and psychological basis, leading to treatments that can provide complete or partial
pain relief. Read
more...
By: John P. Revord, MD
Pain
management specialists
October 24, 2001
Health professionals in many fields
have completed specialized training in pain management.
Currently, there is no single field of medicine or
health care that represents the preferred approach
to pain management. Read
more...
By: John Revord, MD
Treatment
options for neuropathic pain
June 27, 2001
Currently there is no proven treatment to prevent or cure neuropathic pain
(neuropathy or nerve pain). Instead, the primary goals of treatment are to
reduce the pain as much as possible, balance the negative side effects of the
treatment, and help patients manage any unresolved pain. Read
more...
By: Ralph F. Rashbaum, MD
Prolotherapy
and chronic back pain
January 25, 2001
Prolotherapy is a non-surgical injection procedure used to treat connective
tissue injuries of the musculoskeletal system that have not healed by either
rest or conservative therapy. This article provides an overview on this procedure
and addresses potential risks. Read
more...
By: Vert Mooney, MD and Bjorn Eek, MD
What
is physiatry?
December 15, 1999
Physiatry—also called physical medicine and rehabilitation—is a branch
of medicine that specializes in diagnosis, treatment and management of disease
primarily using "physical" means (such as physical therapy and medications). Read
more...
By: Rick Staehler, MD
Rehabilitation
following spine surgery
September 4, 2002
Rehabilitation or physical therapy can help patients recover from spine surgery
as quickly and completely as possible. It is important in helping the body heal
from the original injury and the surgery, and in preventing future episodes of
pain. Read
more...
By Carol M. McFarland, MS, PT, OCS
How
a physical therapist can help with exercise
June 16, 2000
Back pain sufferers are often referred to a physical therapist, whose role is
to provide pain relief, rehabilitate, and educate patients. Read
more...
By: Carol M. McFarland, MS, PT, OCS
Overview
of physical therapy
September 8, 1999
After an episode of low back pain has lasted more than 2 to 6 weeks, or if there
are frequent episodes, physical therapy may be recommended. This article provides
an overview of passive and active physical therapy approaches. Read
more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Who should treat your back pain?- Spine-health.com Newsletter
Many different specialists treat back pain, and each has different training, skills and interests. For many people, it may take more than one type of specialist to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate their back condition. This newsletter explains how to evaluate different specialists. Read more...
Finding the right spine specialist - Spine-health.com Newsletter
When you’re dealing with chronic or ongoing episodes of back pain or neck pain, sometimes it seems that half the battle is just finding the right kind of spine specialist. This newsletter is intended to help you navigate through the array of health care professionals who specialize in spine medicine to help you find a practitioner and/or treatment that works best for you. Read more…
Getting an accurate back pain diagnosis - Spine-health.com Newsletter
Getting an accurate diagnosis for your back pain is critical because different diagnoses will require very different treatment approaches for pain relief. This newsletter helps patients understand confusing terminology, different diagnostic tests and the option of working with an integrated spine clinic for a diagnosis and treatment program. Read more…
Please note that these additional patient resources(such asThe Back-to-Back Forum and Newsletters)on Spine-health.com are not peer-reviewed by the Spine-health.com Medical Advisory Board. They are provided as additional resources for patients to learn from the experiences of others and to gain information from our popular newsletters.
