Healthy Living
What Should I Tell My Doctor?
G Traitses
Don’t Minimize Your Symptoms
The first step in securing the correct treatment plan for
your pain and discomfort is to tell your doctor about all
your symptoms and any changes in those symptoms
as the treatment progresses. Do not minimize symptoms:
even if you feel that they are not related to your
condition, your doctor needs to know about them. You
should also be completely honest about your lifestyle.
For example, if you use tobacco, alcohol, or illicit
drugs, tell your doctor. This information will be held in
the strictest confidence and will only help to guide
your doctor toward the most appropriate plan of care.
Tell your doctor:
• When your symptoms started,
• What they feel like,
• How they are affecting your life,
• What makes the symptoms better and worse, and
• Be specific. The more specific your explanation,
the more helpful it is.
There are myriad causes for spine and joint pain. The
most common is a simple biomechanical problem: a
joint is injured and is not functioning correctly. On the
other hand, serious diseases of the heart, blood vessels,
abdominal organs, and even infections can also
result in spine and extremity (arm or leg) pain.
Any change in your condition, positive or negative, can
impact your health. Talk to your doctor if you feel that
you should be progressing faster than you are.
Knowing this will help him or her plan an appropriate
treatment program—to optimize your health as quickly
and safely as possible.
What Are the Warning Signs
of a Potentially Serious Problem?
The following signs or symptoms can indicate a more
serious problem. Be sure to tell your doctor of chiropractic
as soon as you start experiencing them, even if
it means calling after office hours.
Your pain extends into your arm, leg, chest or
abdomen. Pain extending beyond the spine can represent
a simple mechanical problem—or a serious condition.
For example, pain extending into your arm(s) may
be secondary to a heart problem. The sooner your
doctor knows this, the sooner the problem can be
addressed.
You have progressive severe pain. Under the care of
any doctor, you should begin to feel some relief within
a reasonable period of time. If, at any point, your
health begins to deteriorate, inform your doctor immediately.
Pain is a warning sign that something is wrong
with your body. Progressive pain often signifies a condition
that should be investigated by your doctor as
soon as possible.
You develop neurological signs or symptoms.
Numbness and tingling, although not always, are typically
signs that a nerve is being compressed. This
compression can occur secondary to problems with
the discs in your spine, osteophytes (bone spurs) that
are compressing nerves, or even from diseases like
diabetes.
Your pain becomes worse when you rest, or awakens
you at night. Night pain is generally an indication
that a more serious condition is present. Generally,
though not always, this occurs in older patients and
should NEVER be ignored.
You cannot find a comfortable position. Most people
with musculoskeletal problems can find a position
where they feel relatively comfortable. If you cannot
find such a position, it may indicate a disease of the
organs in your abdomen, chest or skull. For example,
abnormal expansion of the abdominal aorta (the large
blood vessel in your abdomen that supplies blood to
your legs) can result in back pain that is unrelieved by
positional changes. Such symptoms need to be investigated
quickly.
You develop a fever. Fever can be a sign of infection
or it can be associated with other conditions, such as
arthritis. You should notify your doctor immediately if
you develop a fever.
You should also inform your doctor of chiropractic if
you start receiving any other treatments from a medical
doctor, physical therapist, massage therapist, or other
health care provider. In addition, any self-treatment
with vitamins, supplements, herbal medicines, or overthe-
counter medications should be reported.
What Is Considered an Emergency?
If you experience any of the following, you should
seek help immediately, particularly if any of these
symptoms were not present during your initial
examination, or if they have worsened:
• Paralysis
• Loss of bowel and/or bladder control
• Loss of vision
• Slurred speech
• Chest pain under your breast bone
• Shortness of breath
• A severe unrelenting headache that is worse
than any you have ever had.
All information shared with your doctor will be held in
the strictest confidence and will only help to guide your
doctor toward the most appropriate plan of care.
