Low back pain is one of the most common complaints amongst patients. Because of this, family doctors handle a lot of back pain patients. However, if four to six weeks of taking painkillers and doing exercise does not seem to work, it may be time to see a specialist. However, with all these doctors around claiming that they are the best, choosing the right doctor can be such a big problem. Below are tips to help you identify the best pain doctors in Toledo Ohio.
As usual, the best approach when looking for any service provider, including physicians is to ask for referrals. If any of your relatives has been attended to by such a physician, you can ask them for their experiences. Of course those who had a good time will be very fast to refer you to their physician. On the contrary, those who did not like the services they got from the doctor will also warn you against them.
Before you make a choice, you also need to research the physicians credentials. Board certification should be one of the most important decisions to consider when choosing any management doctor. If possible, you should find a doctor who has completed his/her fellowship, this will go a long way to show that he/she has all the necessary skills, qualifications and experience to handle your condition.
Experience also matters a lot when dealing with chronic or painful conditions. The more experience the doctor has with your condition, the better your results is likely to be. As such, you should ask your prospective doctor the number of similar conditions he/she has treated before. Likewise, if you need a special procedure like nerve block, you should also look for a doctor with experience in that.
Another factor to consider is the medical approach. Every doctor has a unique approach of managing pain. While some doctors put more emphasis on natural remedies, others focus on narcotics and many others offer a blend of the two. It is thus important that you consider both long term and short term effects of both before making a choice.
Unless you have insurance cover that caters for pain management, you should also compare charges from at least three doctors. This way, you will be in a position to choose one that is affordable. You should however be very careful with physicians whose charges are extremely low. This could be a sign that they substandard drugs for managing the pain.
You and your doctor should also be able to get along well. Pain management is a very specialized area in healthcare and there are not many physicians who specialize in it. It is important to look for a doctor whom you feel comfortable dealing with.
In the end, the final decision on which doctor to choose is completely up to you. By considering all the above factors, you should be able to make an informed decision. It is however important to start the search early as well.
As usual, the best approach when looking for any service provider, including physicians is to ask for referrals. If any of your relatives has been attended to by such a physician, you can ask them for their experiences. Of course those who had a good time will be very fast to refer you to their physician. On the contrary, those who did not like the services they got from the doctor will also warn you against them.
Before you make a choice, you also need to research the physicians credentials. Board certification should be one of the most important decisions to consider when choosing any management doctor. If possible, you should find a doctor who has completed his/her fellowship, this will go a long way to show that he/she has all the necessary skills, qualifications and experience to handle your condition.
Experience also matters a lot when dealing with chronic or painful conditions. The more experience the doctor has with your condition, the better your results is likely to be. As such, you should ask your prospective doctor the number of similar conditions he/she has treated before. Likewise, if you need a special procedure like nerve block, you should also look for a doctor with experience in that.
Another factor to consider is the medical approach. Every doctor has a unique approach of managing pain. While some doctors put more emphasis on natural remedies, others focus on narcotics and many others offer a blend of the two. It is thus important that you consider both long term and short term effects of both before making a choice.
Unless you have insurance cover that caters for pain management, you should also compare charges from at least three doctors. This way, you will be in a position to choose one that is affordable. You should however be very careful with physicians whose charges are extremely low. This could be a sign that they substandard drugs for managing the pain.
You and your doctor should also be able to get along well. Pain management is a very specialized area in healthcare and there are not many physicians who specialize in it. It is important to look for a doctor whom you feel comfortable dealing with.
In the end, the final decision on which doctor to choose is completely up to you. By considering all the above factors, you should be able to make an informed decision. It is however important to start the search early as well.
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