I have recently been dealing with a persistent back issue. My decision initally was to go “alternative” seeking the help of acupuncturists, chiropractors, therapeutic massage. This decision came from 2 distinct desires; one was to back my belief that eastern medicine has tremendous merit (although I’m no longer sure that chiro and acupuncture can still be considered eastern) and, to avoid an MRI and EMG at all costs……horrible claustrophob that I am.
Well, in this quest I found it absolutely fascinating that as evolved as I had hoped the helping professions had become, it was not….at all….. collaborative. The acupuncturists were suspicious of the chiropractors, the chiropractors were mutually suspicious of the acupuncturists, both had STRONG disdain for the medical profession. And, when I finally had to break down and see a medical doctor, he had nothing good to say about them either, unless it was a Doctor providing the chiropractic or acupuncture… Now, in this quest of mine, I wound up seeing A LOT of people and it was the same, no matter where I went. Each specialty was highly suspect of the next. Each specialty was convinced that the other was desparate to hold on to their patient, at all costs. Each specialty accused the other of either stealing patients or being terrified of losing patients if they were more open to working in conjunction with another specialist. Frankly, it’s been pretty appalling and disappointing. I had mistakenly hoped that we had evolved further.
I’m a well informed patient able to navigate lots of different systems to get my needs met and I had a very daunting time finding who to entrust to my goal of getting me better.
The irony is that if all the specialties that are involved in helping people in pain could openly and honestly work together, there’s really plenty of work to go around. It would be mutually profitable and it would offer patients the best choices available. When you’re dealing with illness or pain, the LAST thing you want to do is deal with “drama” and the “politics” of getting better.
Well, in this quest I found it absolutely fascinating that as evolved as I had hoped the helping professions had become, it was not….at all….. collaborative. The acupuncturists were suspicious of the chiropractors, the chiropractors were mutually suspicious of the acupuncturists, both had STRONG disdain for the medical profession. And, when I finally had to break down and see a medical doctor, he had nothing good to say about them either, unless it was a Doctor providing the chiropractic or acupuncture… Now, in this quest of mine, I wound up seeing A LOT of people and it was the same, no matter where I went. Each specialty was highly suspect of the next. Each specialty was convinced that the other was desparate to hold on to their patient, at all costs. Each specialty accused the other of either stealing patients or being terrified of losing patients if they were more open to working in conjunction with another specialist. Frankly, it’s been pretty appalling and disappointing. I had mistakenly hoped that we had evolved further.
I’m a well informed patient able to navigate lots of different systems to get my needs met and I had a very daunting time finding who to entrust to my goal of getting me better.
The irony is that if all the specialties that are involved in helping people in pain could openly and honestly work together, there’s really plenty of work to go around. It would be mutually profitable and it would offer patients the best choices available. When you’re dealing with illness or pain, the LAST thing you want to do is deal with “drama” and the “politics” of getting better.