How To Choose The Best Back Doctor
Category: Surgeons | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
Most of us are comfortable with our primary care physician, but it can be difficult to know where to turn when you are dealing with a specific condition. Your primary care doctor can help treat a sprained ankle or a back spasm, but you’d probably receive better treatment for a condition like a fractured ankle or a herniated disc from a specialist. Asking your doctor is one way to be referred to a specialist, but sometimes doctors will refer to friends or specialists in the same network, instead of to who might actually provide you with the best care. In an effort to help you find the best spine specialist for your condition, we’ve compiled four ways to determine if that specialist would be a good fit.
Check The Reviews
You will want to find a spine specialist who has earned glowing reviews from their past patients. The best way to do this is to perform a google search that includes the surgeon’s name and “Facebook” or “Google Plus.” This will bring you to some of the doctor’s social media profiles, which cannot be manipulated by the doctor. Read what former patients are saying, and look to see if the doctor is responding to any complaints. Great reviews tell a story, but so does the doctor’s response when a patient reports a question or concern.
Know Where Testimonials Are Coming From
Testimonials are a great way to see what former patients are saying, and while we pride ourselves on having a number of glowing reviews from patients on our website, you have to be careful about taking everything that is published on the doctor’s site at face value. When doctors can control what is published, they obviously aren’t going to share negative press or bad reviews. Testimonials are helpful for learning about past procedures, but testimonials on social media sites or medical review sites hold more water than the ones on personal sites because they are inherently more transparent.
Check Their Specialties
A spine surgeon will typically list a number of their specialties on their site. Back pain can be caused from a wide variety of conditions, and depending on your initial diagnosis, you’ll want to find a back doctor who has plenty of experience handling your specific condition. If you haven’t received an official diagnosis, simply look to see if the surgeon is versed in a number of different treatment techniques.
Knowledge and Certification
Dr. Sinicropi lists his credentials and previous work experience on his About Page because he wants his patients to know just how experienced he is in his field. Knowing you’re in good hands can go a long way when it comes to being mentally prepared to treat your back pain, so always do your research on a spine surgeon’s medical background.
Meet With Them
If everything else checks out, set up a consultation with the spine specialist. Remember, you are under no obligation to receive treatment or undergo surgery from a specific surgeon if it just doesn’t feel right. A good spine specialist will ask about your symptoms, take their time conducting a physical and imaging tests, analyze the findings, make sure they have a correct diagnosis, walk you through your conservative and surgical options, answer any questions you may have and put you at ease through the whole process. If the surgeon checks all the boxes, then he or she is probably a good fit for your situation.
For more information about finding the right spine specialist, contact Dr. Sinicropi today.
