Assessment and Diagnosis - Our Most VALUABLE Service!

 

Perhaps more important than treatment or exercise recommendations is the ability to perform the most accurate assessment possible and therefore be able to diagnose (to the best of our ability) the source of pain and the factors that may be playing a factor in the development and persistence of pain.

 

Without a proper assessment and diagnosis, it is very easy to miss the true pain generator. If that occurs, your provider won't be able to recommend the most effective treatment for that particular subgroup of back or neck pain. Assessment by a Primary Spine Practitioner (PSP) involves finding the answers to the following 3 questions:

 

1) Do the presenting symptoms reflect a visceral disorder, or a serious or potentially life-threatening illness?

 

• Some more serious pathologies can present as back pain, neck pain or headaches. Identification of the history facts and exam findings can lead to a speedy diagnosis and immediate referral for appropriate care.

• On the bright side, only 3-7% of spine-related disorders require further investigation with specialist referrals, blood work or imaging.

 

2) Where is the pain coming from?

 

3) What is happening with this person as a whole that would cause this pain experience to develop and persist?