Neck and Back Pain Are Symptoms, Not Diagnoses

You need someone who can make the actual diagnosis and provide a management plan that addresses it.

Possibilities include

Discogenic pain

Disc herniation with radiculopathy

Spinal stenosis with radiculopathy

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction

Lumbar facet joint dysfunction

Cervical myelopathy

Other more ominous pathologies

And there are others. Each requires a different treatment approach.

The 3 Questions of Diagnosis

Are there "red flags"?

Where is the pain coming from?

What factors are causing it to persist?

You need someone who can take a meticulous history and exam and give you a clear diagnosis and a diagnosis-specific plan.

Have a patient in mind?

Your patient needs a clear diagnosis and a diagnosis-specific plan.

Dr. Ed Johnnie starts with a meticulous history and exam, then builds the plan around the diagnosis.

In this series