What doc makes the best diagnostician???

[fortitudine]

Paindoc made an interesting comment on Mark's thread about Diane: "...surgeons keep me in business because of their carelessness or lack of knowledge beyond performing the actual procedure itself."

This is one of the reasons I got on the internet after I saw my NS. He could offer nothing other than fusion. My GP is wonderful but I don't think she knows enough about alternative treatments.

As it happens, my previously pain-free neck which has cord compression at c3/4/5 is now giving me grief. I'm getting a new MRI next week.

If it doesn't show dramatic change from the previous ones, I can probably technically continue with "watchful waiting" as suggested by Dr. Fenk-Mayer. In that case - what do I do? Do I ask my GP for a referral to a pain management doc? Or do I just get it over with and go get the surgery?

[Maria]

Can you go and see Dr.Baumbach in Germany? Just throwing out this thought re deciding between surgery and PM ...

I don't know how bad your symptoms are or how limiting and if you should get by with PM vs. surgery so I cannot answer that question however I think w/my neck if my symptoms and my clinical picture matched and surgery was recommended, I'd probably go for it ~ then again, I've not had any cervical surgery so it's virgin territory (unlike my low back). The other thing is I hate when my neck is bothering me as I cannot even stand to read or watch TV.. just have to take drugs and lie down and hope the pain goes away.

I think my neck pain is part and parcel of my migraine symptoms but for a while recently it was a solo deal pretty much w/neck pain and I took the Firoricet because of the Butalbital in terms of relaxation. Did a half arse job ...

This is reminding me to call my OSS now re scheduling an appt. for my cervical spine and hopefully new MRI since it's been about 3 years since my last one. Last time he said it was part of the normal aging process but I think I'm on some advanced schedule!!

Good luck with your decison. Perhaps you could line up a referral for PM, try it out meanwhile and make up your mind as you go?

[fortitudine]

Thanks, Maria. I wish Dr. Baumbach wasn't a 15-hour trip away. As for aging spines, Dr. B told me mine looked like that of a 70-year-old - and I was 55!

[Maria]

Yes, the only way I can fly is with 3 seats lying down tho I'm willing to try!
Was having neck and back pain yesterday after working at computer, went out and took a walk and it went away mostly.. guess much of mine is muscular and has to do with poor positioning at computer or wherever I'm trying to hang out and NOT SIT!!! Time for an antigravity chair and suspended computer station!