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Backache is a common ailment both in people who perform heavy physical work and in those who spend the entire day working in front of the computer. Back pain often causes fear and uncertainty. Because which doctor should be chosen for the diagnosis of spine diseases? The answer is not the easiest one, and you will find out why in a moment.
Spine doctor – family doctor first
The medical care system in Poland has been designed in such a way that specialist treatment is preceded by a visit to a primary care physician, a family medicine specialist. Therefore, any pains or other ailments in the area of the spine should first be reported to your GP. The primary care physician will conduct a detailed medical interview, including inquiries about past diseases, injuries, recent treatments, the nature of the work, etc. Then, he will perform basic examinations and, on this basis, make a decision about a referral to an orthopedist, neurologist or neurosurgeon. A primary health care physician may also recommend appropriate tests, such as X-rays of the spine, which will significantly speed up the next stages of treatment. In the case of spine diseases, one can most often expect a referral to an orthopedist, neurologist or neurosurgeon.
Spine doctor – orthopedist
One of the possible treatment options for spine diseases is consultation with an orthopedic doctor. The help of an orthopedist is especially recommended in cases of spine injuries. In addition, the orthopedist diagnoses and treats posture defects, degenerative changes, inflammations and infections. More specifically, the orthopedic doctor deals with spine diseases such as: degenerative changes in the spine, discopathies, disc hernias, spinal canal stenosis or Scheuermann’s disease. People with posture defects, such as kyphosis, lordosis or scoliosis, can be referred to an orthopedist. In case of any doubts, the orthopedist will order further diagnostics, i.e. X-ray, computed tomography, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. Orthopedic treatment is usually based on pharmacology, surgery or conservative methods. Very often, orthopedists recommend physiotherapy or rehabilitation to their patients. However, it is worth remembering that correct posture is important in all daily activities, e.g. sitting. Curble corrective seats can be useful here, which will help maintain proper posture. You can order the Curble correction seat at medonetmarket.pl now.
Spine doctor – neurologist
A neurologist specializes in diseases occurring within the peripheral and central nervous system. Patients with back pain are very often referred to a neurologist, especially when the ailment is associated with symptoms from the nervous system. The neurologist is usually the third physician in the patient’s pathological path. He often accepts patients referred from a physiotherapist or orthopedist. Spine diseases diagnosed and treated by a neurologist are most often orthopedic diseases which, due to their specificity, cause neurological diseases. An example is discopathy, in the course of which damage to the intervertebral disc may cause pressure on the nerve structures. Symptomatic diseases appear in the limbs, such as sciatica or shoulder pain. The neurologist’s job is to find out if a nerve has been damaged and what type of treatment needs to be given to regenerate the damaged nerve. Pharmacotherapy, which may be ordered by a neurologist, is based on painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, neuromodulators and antidepressants. The patient’s further treatment depends on how severely the nerve is damaged. The neurologist may refer the patient to a physiotherapist or rehabilitator. However, more serious cases require consultation with a surgeon, especially a neurosurgeon. You can find a specialist in your city in the clinics.pl database.
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