What To Do If Your Primary Care Doctor Ignores Your Chronic Pain

Did you know that chronic muscle and joint pain affects at least 116 million adults in the United States alone? That's a lot of pain sufferers needing competent professional help. So why is it that so many primary care doctors ignore complaints of chronic pain? Why is the treatment that people with chronic pain receive from their doctor(s)  so grossly inadequate?

One reason is that (as with any profession) a doctor is only as knowledgeable and equipped to handle your health issues as the medical training that he receives.

An article in Pain Medicine News, entitled Pain Education Lacking in Medical Schools, states that pain education in North American medical schools is limited and fragmentary and that vital curricular pain content is presently going unaddressed. In fact, a large number of U.S. medical schools don't teach pain courses at all and an equally large number commit fewer than five hours to pain education over four years. 

Do you find this unsettling?  I certainly do.

On this subject, Dr. Steven D. Passik, PhD, professor of psychiatry and anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center states:  "It is lacking in almost every respect – not enough time spent, not enough breadth of the psychological and other complications of pain, not nearly enough case based understanding. Generally it is an hour on opioid pharmacology and little else.  Given that pain is the most common reason people go to the doctor, it is a travesty that more time is not spent on it."

This is indeed a sad statement about our medical universities and a sadder statement about the 'competency' of the doctors we will be turning to and putting our trust in when we have pain.

Up to this point, we have been talking about the current state of affairs regarding the understanding of 'pain', in general, but what about chronic pain and specifically chronic muscle and joint pain?

The somber reality is that many doctors view chronic muscle and joint pain as serving no physiological function because they are only trained to treat acute pain, such as a torn Achilles tendon or a fracture of the hip joint.  So if you have chronic pain, this condition is totally out of their realm of understanding and they believe your pain must be psychosomatic – all in your head.

So how can a doctor who doesn't even acknowledge the existence of chronic pain successfully treat it?
 

What Can You Do When Your Primary Care Doctor Ignores Your Chronic Pain

When all is said and done, isn't it pretty useless to be treated by doctors who have little training on the subject of 'pain' and no training or interest on the subject of chronic pain? If you want to get rid of your chronic pain, you must find a doctor specifically trained in the area of chronic musculoskeletal pain problems.  That is, chronic muscle and joint pain.

Just remember – when your doctor ignores your chronic pain, this is not a reflection of you, but of your doctor not understanding what's going on in your body.  Keep looking until you find a professional who has the training and ability to take your concerns seriously.

For help on how to find a doctor who will listen to you, read: Spend Your Healthcare Dollars Wisely By Choosing The Right Healthcare Provider

and How To Find A Credible And Qualified Doctor On The Internet – Part 1 

To find out if you may have one of two common inherited, abnormal foot structures that cause chronic muscle and joint pain, take the Rothbarts Foot Questionnaire. 

As you learn more about my innovative therapy, you may find that addressing and effectively treating your foot structure may be the missing link to ending your long time battle with unrelenting muscle and joint pain.

If you have questions about what's involved in being treated with Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy, see our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Page by clicking here.

If you would like to contact me regarding an appointment to resolve your pain, click here.

Professor/Dr. Brian A. Rothbart
Chronic Pain Elimination Specialist
Discovered the Rothbarts Foot and PreClinical Clubfoot Deformity
Developer of Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy
Designer of Rothbart Proprioceptive Insoles
Founder of International Academy of Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy
Author of Forever Free From Chronic Pain