Did you know that 16 million adults experience persistent back pain? In fact, back pain is such an issue that it’s one of the biggest causes of work-loss days.
If you’re ready to do something about that annoying pain in your back, you’ve come to the right place. This article will teach you four critical factors to consider when choosing back pain doctors, so make sure to keep reading!
Contents
1. Is It Better to See a Physician?
You feel a muscle twinge in your lower back or an ache near your shoulder blades. It’s definitely a good idea to get it checked out, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll want to rush to a back pain specialist.
Instead, you’ll want to pay a visit to your general practitioner. They’ll assess the severity of the situation, and if needed, provide references and reviews should you need to see a doctor about serious or ongoing pain.
That last bit is particularly important, as many orthopedic specialists won’t see a patient unless they come with a referral.
2. Patient Reviews
Once you have a referral, you can start checking out your potential back doctor online. The best way to do so is by reading up on reviews from previous patients.
Often, orthopedists post these reviews on the front page of their website. However, this only tells part of the story.
To get a more comprehensive understanding of how a practice treats its patients, gather reviews from multiple sources. Google is a great start. You can also check out sites that specialize in medical specialist reviews.
3. Areas of Expertise
Once you’ve found a list of orthopedists with favorable reviews, it’s time to start reaching out to see if they’re a good fit. Thankfully, this part should be pretty short if you have a recommendation from your general practitioner.
If you didn’t see your GP first, you’ll need to narrow your search to doctors who have a track record of treating your specific type of back pain.
Though it might seem like all orthopedists can treat the same issues, some doctors specialize in less common injuries or work with certain patients, like athletes.
4. Insurance Acceptance
Treating back pain is important, but if you choose the wrong doctor, you could end up with medical debt.
This is why comparing doctor fees is so important. Not only should you assess their general costs, but be sure to double-check that they accept your type of insurance.
If you don’t have insurance, you’re not quite out of options. Talk to your doctor about working out a payment plan so you can continue treatment without having to drain your savings.
Though payment plans are rarely a doctor’s first choice, many are happy to come to an agreement if it means keeping a patient.
Your Guide to Choosing Back Pain Doctors
As we wrap things up, let’s recap what we’ve learned about choosing back pain doctors.
A physician may be a better (and more affordable) choice, especially if you need a referral anyway. You can also rely on reviews to check on a doctor’s reputation and see if they have the right area of expertise. Finally, don’t forget to ask about insurance or payment plans.
Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more money-saving health tips!
