Disclaimer: In this post, I mean no disrespect to other practitioners, as they are able to help many people that I cannot, this is just an attempt to expose my frustration with the current status of health care as it relates to a certain subset of people who are suffering with chronic illness.
I just got off the phone with someone interested in our functional neurology care. This happens daily, and normally it’s nothing much to write about. But something in particular seems to be happening more and more frequently, so I felt compelled to write about it.
But first, a little background…
(most) Medical doctors use ONE method of treatment: throw a pill at it or inject it.
(most) Surgeons use ONE method of treatment: cut something out or fuse something together.
(many) Chiropractors use ONE method of treatment: pop it or crack it.
(many) Physical Therapists use ONE method of treatment: stretch it or exercise it.
Now, if you have suffered with an injury or illness and these therapies solved the problem for you, then I’m glad. In fact, it’s wonderful, because you were able to get back to a normal life in a fairly quick and efficient manner.
But if you are reading this, chances are you’ve tried all those options and you’re still suffering.
Which brings me to my original story:
I’m a fairly laid-back type of personality. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. But what does it every time is when I hear that someone is told by their doctor “You’ll just have to learn to live with it”, or “there’s nothing that can be done”, or ”just try to get by the best you can”, or the most horrific statement of disrespect and de-humanization: “you’re faking it”.
So yes, there have been cases where these statements may apply. But I would venture to guess that it represents a vast minority of cases. Especially when it comes to headaches, fibromyalgia, vertigo, depression and many, many more.
And here’s what I’ve been hearing a lot of lately:
My doctors keep referring me around in a circle with no answers.
The big, fancy hospitals just gave me the same diagnosis as the local one.
The bigger, fancier hospital just gave me the same diagnosis as the less big, less fancy one.
And the biggest, fanciest hospital just said there’s nothing that can be done, go to your local fancy hospital.
Now, here’s what this really means in terms of the services that you get:
My doctors keep putting me on more and more medications (because that is their only treatment).
When my doctor ran out of meds to put me on, they referred me to someone who uses a different list of meds (because that is their only treatment).
I’ve tried therapists and ‘alternative’ therapies which helped, but didn’t fix it (because stretching and popping is as limited as only using meds).
When I went to the big, fancy hospital, they gave me more meds, and I got a surgical consult.
The surgeon told me that they have to cut it out or fuse it together (because that is their only treatment).
When I went for a second opinion at the biggest, fanciest hospital, the doctors told me that the new meds AND the surgery won’t fix it (at least they were forthcoming about that), just go home and live with it (because if meds or surgery won’t fix it, nothing can).
Can you see how crazy this cycle is?
Could you envision a facility that has a cutting-edge understanding of chronic health conditions, a place that has hundreds of treatment options to choose from, a place that has caring, considerate staff and doctors who treat you like a real person and not a number, a place that has one vision in mind: FIX THE CAUSE, a place that supports your journey, with people who want to see you THRIVE.
You don’t have to imagine it, it’s already here. And your road back to health could start with just one simple phone call.
You should know a few other things first:
We cannot fix everything. If you have a condition or illness that we cannot improve, we will be honest and tell you that.
For the things we can fix, we get WONDERFUL results. If you have a condition that we can improve, get ready for a new life.
This is the most advanced care in the treatment of chronic illness. You’ve not seen anything like it yet.
This care means investing in yourself. Insurance pays for services to help you to ‘cope’, investing in yourself means moving on to a new life. When you’re ready to do that, call 717-697-0589 and we’ll help you get there.