How Do I Choose the Best Doctor for My Neck or Back Pain?

Types of doctors who treat back pain:

1. Primary Care Doctor
2. Pain Management Doctor
3. Orthopedic Surgeon
4. Neurosurgeon
5. Neurologist
6. Chiropractor
7. Physical Therapist
8. Emergency Room Doctor
9. Primary Spine Care Provider

That’s a lot of options. You have one problem, your pain; and there are at least nine different directions for you to turn. In order to figure out where to go, make sure you know what each one of these providers can do for you.

Precision Spinal Care is a Primary Spine Care Provider. We can evaluate your pain, provide a diagnosis, and counsel you on treatment options. If we can help you, we will. If we determine that you need another specialist, we can help you figure out which providers are best suited to treat your pain.

Primary care doctors

Primary care doctors usually are trained in family and internal medicine. They would typically do an initial intake of your history and pain. They are typically first contact providers who can prescribe pain medication and/or refer you to a specialist. They can also order imaging. However, spine pain is usually not their area of specialty.

Pain management doctors

Pain management doctors specialize in a wide range of pain management techniques. One typically needs a referral and/or an MRI to see a pain management doctor. For back pain, they might suggest and provide steroid injections to the spine. Typically they will not give a steroid injection without an MRI or a CT scan. Some pain management specialists will offer a course of opioids or narcotics to help you manage your pain, while others will only give steroid injections.

Orthopedic surgeons

Orthopedic surgeons are trained in surgical procedures on the spine. Typically orthopedic surgeons specialize in anatomical procedures such as disc herniation, spinal stenosis, nerve compression, and structural problems associated with the spine. If you are choosing an orthopedic surgeon for neck or back pain, we typically recommend seeing an orthopedic surgeon with a fellowship in spine.

Neurosurgeons

Neurosurgeons specialize in disorders of the brain and spine. A neurosurgeon will deal with the anatomical procedures concerning the brain and the spine.

Neurologist

A neurologist specializes in injuries, diseases and disorders of the nervous system. They typically run a series of medical tests and will treat your pain with medications. They do not perform surgery.

Chiropractors

Chiropractors specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical spine pain. They are fully licensed to diagnose the causes of spinal pain, order imaging, treat, and refer out to a specialist. They are not licensed to prescribe drugs or perform surgery. When choosing a chiropractor, it is best to find one who is a credentialed primary spine care provider.

Physical Therapists

Physical therapists typically focus on strength and rehabilitation of the spinal muscles. They do not diagnose spinal problems and they typically require a referral from a doctor. They can be helpful for rehabilitation for specific functional activities.

Emergency Room Doctors

ER doctors are seen typically for acute pain, after hours. They largely treat patients the same way a primary care doctor would for pain management. Since they are associated with a hospital, they can do MRIs, CTs, or other tests to check for fractures and trauma. Sometimes they can treat the pain above and beyond what a PCP can do for you.

Primary Spine Care Provider

A primary spine practitioner (PSP) is specially trained to care for patients with mechanical spine pain. A PSP looks at your body as a whole to provide differential diagnosis (looks for multiple causes for symptoms) to rule out serious pathology (such as infection, fracture, cancer, inflammatory joint disease) and provides evidence-based management for patients with spinal pain.

Evidence-based treatment methods include chiropractic, physical therapy, rehabilitative exercises, and patient education. A PSP is trained to determine the necessity of tests (x-rays, MRIs) and/or procedures, such as steroid injections or surgery. They can provide counseling and explain the different sorts of doctors and procedures available to treat your pain. They can also help you make the most appropriate choice of treatment for your care.