What do you do when your Doctor ignores your pain

Hi,

It sounds like you not only need to switch doctors, but you may need to see a osteopathic doctor (DO) instead of a medical doctor (MD).

Keep in mind, DOs and MDs are alike in many ways:

• Applicants to both DO and MD colleges typically have a four-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on science courses.
• Both DOs and MDs complete four years of basic medical education.
• After medical school, both DOs and MDs can choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine—such as psychiatry, surgery, obstetrics, or sports medicine—after completing a residency program (typically two to six years of additional training).
• Both DOs and MDs must pass comparable state licensing examinations.
• DOs and MDs both practice in fully accredited and licensed hospitals and medical centers.
• 
  Both are medical doctors; MD is specifically Doctor of Medicine and DO is Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

So now you ask why I am suggesting a DO. Here's why:

• DOs can perform surgery, child delivery, treat patients, and prescribe medications in hospitals and clinic settings.
• DOs look at the "total person." Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive care. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they look at the whole body.
• DOs receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system, which is comprised of the nerves, muscles, and bones. This training gives DOs a better understanding of how an injury or illness in one part of the body can affect another part of the body; therefore, DOs have a therapeutic and diagnostic advantage.
• DOs use what is called osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). OMT is a technique in which the DOs use their hands to diagnose injury and illness, giving special attention to the joints, bones, muscles, and nerves. Manipulations improve circulation, which in turn, creates a normal nerve and blood supply, enabling the body to heal itself.

If you need help finding a DO in your local area, let me know. I'd be more than happy to help.

I can relate.  I have had chronic health problems since I was 18 and my experience has been that I have to rely on my own research in order to help myself.  Doctors generally are trained to treat symptoms and are heavily influenced by drug companies.  I realize that you can't avoid them completely but I have found many solutions in alternative medicine and the Lord.  The good thing is that you don't need a prescription to go to the health food store.  I can guarantee you that if I had depended soley on doctors for my treatment I would not be typing this message now.  I don't exactly know what your problem is but I can tell you that I have had much success in treating migraine headaches just by avoiding certain foods and treating arthritis with Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate.  You obviously know how to use the internet so find out what your condition is and start doing some research.  There are many answers to be found.  Your doctor won't do it for you.  If you have any reservations about taking supplements or trying alternative practitioners I will say that you still need to be careful but I can experiment with these treatments with many fewer side effects than if I had tried to mix different prescription drugs.  I have also found that yoga exercises are effective for treating muscle pain.-Hope this helps.

You're very lucky that he gives you pain medication. My dad is suffering due to a botched neck surgery and the doctor has completely ignored his pain post surgery as well as new pain in his shoulder. You should talk to your doc and ask him to explain the cause/outlook etc. You can also educate yourself online at webmd.com based on your diagnosis. You may be in a situation like myself, where there is no surgery to help, no physical therapy and pain medication is the only thing that works.

Find some holistic doctor or get a second opinion from another MD. I see a lot of people these days getting acupuncture. I would try that. Pain meds all the time are no good because you run the risk of getting addicted.

A doctor who is not supportive or who blames, ignores or criticizes the patient does not support healing.At times patients do better when doctors are encouraging and supportive.

If a person with good communication skills has a couple of off days, they may deserve some feedback. If someone is consistently bad, you should go with your gut instinct and go with another doctor.

If you really are with a doctor who makes you feel badly about yourself, if you’re in pain and the doctor says you should be better and you’re not, and you feel blamed, that is not promoting healing. I think that is a circumstance when a patient should leave.

There are a lot of smart doctors out there. Get one who’s also nice.