| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Back2-It |
Posted - 12/13/2011 : 07:28:29
This article is interesting for all the wrong reasons.
Doctors are challenging the reliability of MRI's in dealing with back problems, according to the article, and that they drive up the cost of treatments. True.
But the solution offered -- steroid injections-- completely misses the point.
Probably this is just as piece to serve as a warning about the impending increases in health care costs in the US due to ObamaCare, and that suddenly many different tests, once so necessary, can be "skipped", such as MRI's and mammograms. While I don't disagree with skipping many of the tests--and I won't get into politics --if many people with back problems had skipped tests they would have had no chance for a very powerful nocebo to be planted. Had I not gone for an MRI I wouldn't have that image of that protruding disc seared into my brain. 
I find it ironic, too, that the article is in a section called "mind body". This reporter obviously didn't ask any questions but cut and pasted the press release.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/12/13/some-back-pain-patients-can-skip-mri/
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| 1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 12/13/2011 : 09:13:08
quote:
Originally posted by Back2-It
...This article is interesting for all the wrong reasons.
...Probably this is just as piece to serve as a warning about the impending increases in health care costs in the US due to ObamaCare, and that suddenly many different tests, once so necessary, can be "skipped", such as MRI's and mammograms. ...
...if many people with back problems had skipped tests they would have had no chance for a very powerful nocebo to be planted. Had I not gone for an MRI I wouldn't have that image of that protruding disc seared into my brain.
...I find it ironic, too, that the article is in a section called "mind body". This reporter obviously didn't ask any questions but cut and pasted the press release.
X2, Back-2-It, modern journalism, hand in the press release for a story and you can get on the bar-stool quicker. For a real story, they could chat with the Good Doctor who is probably just a few blocks from their studio--but he doesn't hand out press releases.
The MRI is not at fault, but the diagnosis is. The nerve is likely not pinched but experiencing TMS mild oxygen deprivation, resulting in excruciating TMS pain. I've had sciatic/TMS pain and it went away in due course without an epidural or surgery. It was so bad, I had to rig a winch and pulley contraption above my bed to stretch it out so I could get some sleep at night. It's now a distant memory. Anyone considering back surgery based on an MRI image should google "failed back surgery" first.
Our health care costs could be cut appreciably if the estimated 80% of ailments that are TMS in origin were treated as such. Not to get political either  but our nation needs it's mindbody afflictions as a distraction from what is really going on across the empire.
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