Not too long ago, I had a post (link here) about the fact that much of what is published in the medical literature are very poor quality studies, and the symbiotic relationship between academia and the media that hypes these studies up, thus sewing fear and confusion into the average person.
I really can’t stress this point enough. It’s not that most medical studies are good, with a few poor ones thrown in. It’s that a large percentage of what is published and reported on in the news sheds absolutely no light at all on how you can live a healthier life, and is often frankly misleading. So it’s a point worth revisiting over and over.
I just returned from vacation, and after an eight hour flight home, my lower back has been a little sore this week (thank you Lufthansa for the cramped seats!) Which got me thinking about the topic of low back pain, and that I have yet to comment on it on this blog.
Back pain is one of the most common conditions we see in adult primary care. It is also one in which the western model of medicine really falls down. To explain what I mean by this, let’s consider two other common diseases, and then consider back pain:
We will be closed for summer vacation from now until August 20th. Please note the following:
We will be traveling without perfect internet connection, so we will not be able to respond to messages on an urgent basis. If you are a current patient and are having an urgent issue, go to the nearest emergency room or to an urgent care center. You can leave us a message later telling us about it so that we can arrange any needed follow up as soon as we return.
If you have an issue that can’t wait for our return but isn’t an emergency (for example you need prescription refilled or you have a minor medical issue that you need assistance with), call or text the office and leave a message, and we will get back to you within 1-2 days. We also do have a trusted colleague who can see our patients for an in person visit for non-emergency issues, and if you indicate the need for such in your message, we can connect you to him.
If you are not currently a patient of ours but are interested in learning more about the practice, setting up a free “meet and greet” for after our return, or enrolling as a patient, you can still call the office and select the appropriate phone option. We have an outside business consultant who assists us with new patient inquiries, and she can field these calls on our behalf and assist you even in our absence.
Thank you for your understanding while we travel, recharge, and spend some time with our kids. We hope you are enjoying a happy and healthy summer.
