<p>Sports medicine doesn’t mean they only treat sports injuries - it means they specialize in muscle and bone issues. I’d try a sports medicine doctor first, and he/she may do some tests before referring you to a physical therapist (PT). I also have many friends who swear by good chiropractors, although I have never used one myself.</p>
<p>BTW, you’re not alone. My D plays volleyball, and several of her teammates have had back trouble. My son has been dealing with back spasms for several months, he’s at college now and buried under 3 papers and a project so he’s living in the library - I’m praying all that time sitting doesn’t re-aggravate his back. He was on percocet for the pain over spring break. So you are not alone being young and healthy and having back pain! If my son’s pain returns I’m going to tell him to see a chiropractor, luckily our insurance will pay for a chiropractor with no referral and I see online that there are several near his college who are on our insurance plan.</p>
<p>If you’re still in high school, see if your high school is one of the lucky 42% of high schools in the nation who have a certified athletic trainer. He or she may be able to help you greatly! Athletic Trainers are trained in evaluating injuries in active people. They may be able to save you a lot of frustration and a lot of money by helping you with some exercises and treatment.</p>
<p>I’d suggest getting a referral to a sports medicine or orthopedic physician (many sports medicine physicians are orthopods, but not all) for an evaluation. They can then refer you to PT if they feel it is appropriate or make other recommendations. Both sports medicine physicians and orthopods deal with musculo-skeletal issues. Are you with Kaiser or HMSA or another plan on Oahu? I would expect that the par physician panels for any significant insurance plan will have general orthopods and likely will also have sports medicine physicians.</p>
<p>I’m a health care attorney (almost all my clients are providers) who has been a hospital administrator. I’ve also had back issues that, after a number of years, PT and steroid injections, were finally fixed through surgery. So, been there done that. You don’t want a physical medicine and rehab physician - PM&R is really more medical rehab oriented (post stroke, head trauma, accident, etc.). An osteopath could be helpful if he or she does manipulation as part of his or her practice, but many do not. My wife is an osteopath, but she is a specialist and does no manipulation. A pain physician more typically is involved in the medical and pharmaceutical management of chronic pain. Also probably not what you want. Again, I’d get a referral to a sports medicine physician or orthopod. Your primary care physician should be able to help you select someone as she, like most physicians, has professional relationships with a number of specialists and probably has some preferences as to who she likes. You can then see if they are participating physicians with your insurance. In any event you should see your primary again and discuss the issue with her.</p>
<p>My favorite physician for back pain management is a D.O. orthopedic surgeon. Even if a D.O. does not do manipulation in his/her own practice, they know some one who does, and can rule out serious problems first and then refer. I hope you will find the help you need.</p>
<p>I officially love the people on college confidential. What other site can get you through the stress of college and also have great advice on personal pain?</p>
<p>So I seem to be getting a reoccuring theme that I should go back to my first not-so helpfuly doctor and getting a referral to a sports medicine or orthopedic physician.
I am basing everything on what I find from my insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield,'s doctor finder thing on their website.
It says there are no “doctors in Sports Medicine”, but I HAVE found a few “doctors in Orthopedic Surgery”, but I don’t know if that is an orthopedic physician. Question: is an orthopaedic physician the same thing as Orthopedic Surgeon?
I know, it sounds stupid and obvious, but you guys are saying Orthopod but I don’t know if that falls in with what my insurance website is saying. Through the website I also found a D.O specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.</p>
<p>I suppose I should just go back to my doctor and ask her to point me to an orthopod or sports medicine. I just think I will have troubles finding one that is under my insurance, considering I can’t find any on the site.
Should I specifically ask for a D.O.? Not sure what they are other than what google said, but a lot of people say they are good…?</p>
<p>I still cannot believe that I woke up with back pain suddenly. It just doesn’t make sense…blah if only there was a magic pill that fixed everything!</p>
<p>Yes, an orthopedic physician is an orthopedic surgeon, sometimes referred to as an orthopod for short. If you have BC (HMSA I assume), you ought to have a pretty wide choice of physicians available to you unless you are in a plan with a restricted panel. The web site doctor finder is not necessarily accurate either. Get a referral from your primary care physician. You should be able to call her office and ask. Her office may know which orthopedic physicians are also participating providers in your plan. You can also call your insurer and ask for names of orthopedic physicians on your panel. Also keep in mind that orthopods subspecialize so you will either want a general orthopod or a back specialist (as opposed to, for example, a hand or shoulder specialist).</p>
<p>You could, but do not need to use a D.O. I expect there are relatively few D.O.s in Hawaii, and even fewer, if any at all, that are orthopods. Osteopaths are essentially physicians trained in a parallel system of medical training that also trains them in Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy. Some use it in their practices, some do not. It is more typically primary care DOs, rather than specialists, who use manipulation in their practices, although the PM&R physician that you noted may use it in his or her practice. However, physical medicine and rehab is geared towards treating people who are recovering from relatively severe injuries, such as strokes, major trauma, head trauma and the like – not your situation. There are many fewer DOs than MDs, so while it is possible that you could find one that does manipulation and also practices in a specialty suitable to addressing your injury, I’d say that the odds are not good. </p>
<p>Ok, update!
I was really hoping that in a month it would be better…but now I’ve hit the 4 month mark and it is the exact same…if not worse. I’ve gained weight from not exercising, and now I am just really depressed.</p>
<p>I spoke with my doctor last month and asked if I should be referred to a spinal surgeon, or orthopedic physician, or sports med. She recommended the sports medicine doctor and it took me 3 weeks to get an appt but I had one today. </p>
<p>He basically said that there are so many vast causes for back pain, and he can’t pinpoint mine especially since I hurt it w/o a cause. He said that it is strange, especially in someone so young, to have 4 month backpain with no relief, especially when it starts down so low (mid pelvis) and radiates up to my lungs, and when it only hurts AFTER exercise and stretching. He said my family’s history w/ IBS and and crohn’s may have something to do with it, but he doubts it. He did have me take further blood tests (which I am sure were pointless) and gave me the ol ‘follow up in 4 weeks’ thing. In the meantime he prescribed physical therapy and hopes that will make a difference by the time I see him. </p>
<p>Again, doubtful. I am the person that always needs to know “why”, and not knowing why my back is hurting is just killing me in itself. He also said the pain could last for years, and the thought of that makes me even more depressed. I can’t even sit without pain…how will I survive college or ANYTHING in life?</p>
<p>I’m sorry about your back pain, raindrops. I recommend you try acupuncture. I had terrible chronic sinus infections, and acupuncture is what finally got it under control and stopped the useless cycle of antibiotics and recurring infections.</p>
<p>Acupuncture is good for any physical problem, and often works for “mysterious” issues that are not addressed well by standard Western medicine. Acupuncturists are licensed by each state. I suggest you look for someone who is from China. My acupuncturist was a doctor in China and then trained for acupuncture here in the U.S. If you got started with treatments now, you should be feeling better in time for college, and then you could possibly find an acupuncturist there to continue treatment if needed. </p>
<p>You can do this in conjuction with the PT. It is something different to try, and that should give you hope. I was an invalid with my chronic infections, and I am now in much better health. I did everything Western medicine had to offer and it is Chinese traditional medicine that helped me. Some acupunturists will also have traditional Chinese herbs you can try which may also help. (Chinese medicine has a history going back 2,000 years.)</p>
<p>Good luck to you…there will be sunshine on the roses someday. Have faith. You are young and your body will heal.</p>
<p>Once I started to change my posture (the most important element, IMO) and gently exercise the muscles involved, my pain began to decrease dramatically and now, while I get an occasional twinge (usually because I’ve failed to exercise or sat for too long in front of the computer) I’m essentially pain-free.</p>
<p>I second the acupuncture. I have the exact same pain and had it since high school. (now 52) I tried meds, I tried orthopedic people, i tried PT, I had mri and xrays I tried yoga and began getting a tiny bit of relief and mentioned it to the yoga instructor who recommended acupuncture. It took several different visits to different acupunturist, because not all are good. I tried a acupuncturist who was also a medical doctor but she was bad, I found a Russian, trained in China who did wonders. I get to 6 treatments then the pain goes away for 6 months, then I go in for tune up. If i go in for tune up before pain, I need less treatments. Treatments cost $25.00 at the school of acupuncture and $60 to 70 at my Russian Acupuncturist.
When I had surgery last year to remove benign tumors the western doctors “nicked” a nerve and my leg was numb and tingly. The acupuncture treatments eliminated that tingly burning on the thigh. So leave it to eastern medicine to fix up what western medicine messes up.
I was told by western doctors to take celebrex. Celebrex can kill and cause serious strokes. Acupuncture as far as i know has not killed anyone in thousands of years.
And best of all you dont have to worry about those pesty insurance approvals and EOB because acupuncture is not covered by insurance.
Try the acupunture and you will see how it helps improve the circulation of your nerves, something is just clogged in your system.</p>
<p>Oh dear, I am so sorry. Back pain is the worst, and it is a national epidemic. I suffered greatly from back pain for several years. I could not exercise. I spent a few days in bed (twice). I was crawling on the floor to the bathroom. My wife offered to bring me a bedpan but I just couldn’t bear the indignity so I crawled to the bathroom with my back in spasms. I only give you these gory details to let you know my back pain was severe and it affected my life. I have been virtually pain free for over 15 years now and the solution to my problem is counter to the medical establishment who mainly wants to sell their services or drugs or surgery. </p>
<p>So please please do yourself a favor and read one of the books by Dr John Sarno. Try “Mind Over Back” or any of his titles. Worst case you are out $3.99 or whatever and you can still pay $$ for doctors or drugs or surgery if it doesn’t help you. Worst case also is you get another opinion on what might be ailing you. Best case, like me, you are cured in live happily ever after. </p>
<p>I have mostly stopped proselytizing about this after trying unsuccessfully to share my happy result with other people. It still totally amazes me how widespread back problems are and how many people could be helped by this. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose your problem from an internet posting, but you did mention…
That can introduce a huge amount of stress into your life whether you realize it or not. My back pain first started while I was attending my sister's wedding (LOL) and I was in the process of making a career change, all of which was very stressful.</p>
<p>I absolutely second Dr. Sarno’s “Mind over Back”, as well as yoga, which has been proven to be one of the most effective treatments for back problems. The expense is minimal and is definitely worth trying before trying other more invasive treatments.</p>
<p>Raindrops, all of the above suggestions are good ones. However, I do not think the sports medicine doctor is off base. You need to give the PT a chance. Go, do as they recommend. She or he will work on the muscle tension that is part of what probably hurts so much right now. There may be ultra sound, massage, exercise, stretching. I know you want to know the ‘reason’ for all the pain. The PT will help you find that reason, and if she or he doesn’t, can appropriately refer you back to the Dr. for other testing. </p>
<p>Realize that disc problems as found in medical imaging tests sometimes are related to pain, sometimes are not. The muscular tone surrounding back and joint structures are what tend to relate more to symptoms. You are going through all this senior year, with all sorts of stresses. And you are scared, of what this pain means, and of moving. Lots of reasons to have incredible muscle tension, and now weakness, as you have not been able to exercise.</p>
<p>I have been to PTs twice, once for neck problems, once for hip pain. I use chiropractic, and that can provide some relief. But what I’ve learned from the PT about core strength, and how to work on my posture and alignment have given me far better tools for living than anything else. I’ve seen amazing results from accupuncture for back pain. But the Chinese Dr. that did accupuncture on my ex H did him an even better service by showing him how to move and strengthen weak areas. A good PT can do this for you.</p>