“Why Medical Doctor (M.D.) instead of other discipline such as chiropractor or physical therapist?”
Motor Vehicle Accidents
There are Many Instances of Varied and Serious Complications Arising from Motor Vehicle Accidents. In addition to Neck or Back Pain, a variety of complications can occur including traumatic brain injuries, balance problems due to inner ear damage, traumatic headache, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, TMJ injuries, certain types of bone fractures easily undetected in the emergency room, traumatic stress disorder, etc. These complications can only be diagnosed by a medical doctor (M.D.) with specialized knowledge. Only early diagnosis and proper treatment can minimize the aftereffects which can continue for several years.
There are motor vehicle accident cases where a doctor must go to court to testify as to a patient’s condition. The court usually gives much more weight to the expert witness testimony of a medical doctor (M.D.) than that of a chiropractor (D.C.). A chiropractor cannot give testimony with regards to his or her opinion on an MRI or neurological examination. Physical therapist seldom being called to be an expert witness. The opinion of the treating physician is extremely important in litigation.
Medication and Injections
Medication and injections to alleviate pain are necessary in many cases. Optimum treatment at an early stage is important for pain, just as it is for other illnesses. Pain which is not treated properly at an early stage can develop into chronic pain, from which a person may suffer for the rest of his or her life. Appropriate medication and injections can dramatically relieve pain. Prescription of medications and injections can only be administered by a medical doctor (M.D.). Neither chiropractors (D.C.) nor physical therapists (P.T) have the right to administer medication or injections.
Neck or Back Pain
Neck or back pain is often caused by herniated intervertebral disks, spinal stenosis, facet joint arthritis, etc. A spinal disk or stenosis can cause sciatic neuralgia, tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms or legs. However, this kind of paresthesia can be a sign of stroke, or in rare cases, a symptom of cancer. Furthermore, there are various other causes of tingling and numbness in the arms or legs, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, hypothyroidism, etc. In these cases, just treating the back of the neck will be completely ineffective.
These various symptoms of severe diseases can be diagnosed and treated by a medical doctor (M.D.) with specialized medical knowledge, who has graduated from medical school and undergone a residency program.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain lasting longer than six months should be treated in a comprehensive way. Various modalities such as exercise, physical therapy, mechanical traction, injections, medication, psychotherapy, acupuncture, etc. must be used appropriately. Chronic pain frequently accompanied by medical conditions such as metabolic diseases, traumatic stress disorder or depression, etc. Such pain seldom completely is eliminated with one or two modalities such as DRX. Such complex treatment can be best administered by a pain specialist who has graduated from medical school and completed a specialized program. When it comes to pain treatment, please make sure that the treating physician is an M.D, especially in the beginning.
Shoulder or Knee Pain
The causes of shoulder and knee pain and their treatments are as diverse and complex as those of neck and back pain. Furthermore, shoulder and knee pain can be confused with the origin of the pain coming from the neck and back.