The Missing Link

Today I want to focus your attention on something that I think the medical profession is missing when evaluating and treating patients. Other than regular scheduled office visits, the main reason people will visit a healthcare provider is pain or sickness. If your tooth hurts, you see a dentist. If your back hurts, you see a chiropractor. If you have a fever, you see your MD. That's generally the cycle, and in most cases, medical professionals are very adept at dealing with these acute conditions. But, generally there is a reason these acute conditions arise in the first place. Your backache didn't just happen because your back decided you didn't want to go to work today. There is something else in the way that medical professionals have done a poor job of locating, so we're treating a symptom, not the cause.

Before I go on, I want to clarify that I am guilty of the same things I reference above. When a patient comes into my office, 95% of the time it is because they are in some sort of pain that they want me to help them get rid of. So, it's natural that my patient's focus, and mine for that matter, is the source of pain. But my question has always been, "What are we missing here?". 

Focusing on pain has its merit, but does it really tell us what's going on? Think about it this way: a runner comes into my office complaining of low back pain that occurs after a long run. I check the patient's low back and notice that range of motion is normal, though painful on forward flexion (bending over and touching the toes). Now, if I stop at pain, I'm treating an area at the doesn't need treatment. What this pain is showing me is that the low back is taking up the slack for another region of the body that isn't moving properly. Upon examination, I realize that the patient has very restricted left ankle motion. I could treat the low back pain, but would that change anything for this person in the long-term? They might feel a little relief, but once they run again, the low back pain is front and center. However, treating the lack of ankle motion allows for the patient to have proper running mechanics, decreasing the load that the low back has to take during a run.

I reference this story because the person I wrote about is me. I, and anyone that treated me, focused on my low back pain without taking into account how the rest of my body was affecting my low back. After locating the missing link in the chain, understanding how to properly address my issues have helped relieve my symptoms and let me get back to what I like to do.

Locating the actual cause of pain is key to relieving pain. Treating the painful area when it is not the actual pain generator is like putting electrical tape over the check engine light in your car. You won't see it, but it doesn't mean it's not there.  I encourage you to check out practitioners that help you understand the cause of your pain, not just throw treatment at the pain. 

If you'd like to understand the cause of your pain, I would love to help. Currently, I am the only Chiropractor in Madison with SFMA training that drills down to find the cause of your pain. Give me a call today and I can help you get to the bottom of your issue.

Stay healthy,

Dr. Jason Phipps

608-233-7750