Misdiagnosed Sciatica

Misdiagnosed sciatica is a real problem in the back pain industry. Generally, back pain is one of the least accurately diagnosed conditions and the diagnostic errors of physicians and chiropractors often cost patients (such as myself) vast sums of time, money and suffering.

Misdiagnosed Sciatica Causes

It is always possible for a doctor to make a diagnostic error in a physical back pain syndrome. The back and spine are complicated structures and might demonstrate more than one possible cause of pain. However, with advanced diagnostic tools, such as X-rays, CT scans and MRI available, misdiagnosis of structural back pain is rare.

The far more common cause of misdiagnosed back pain is the medical establishment’s vehement denial of the psychosomatic process, as it relates to sciatica. Most doctors are simply not trained to diagnose mind/body conditions and feel uncomfortable even discussing this unfamiliar territory with an inquisitive patient. The medical system has long embraced the Cartesian philosophy that the body and mind are separate entities, even though this theory has proven to be completely false. The list of mind/body reactions is extensive and we are just learning to appreciate the full extent of how the mind can enact anatomical change. Research has shown that the majority of sciatica pain syndromes are indeed psychosomatic; either in causation or perpetuation, yet the back pain industry continues to blame the symptoms on innocent and coincidental spinal scapegoat conditions which are known to rarely cause chronic pain.

Misdiagnosed Sciatica Concern

An accurate diagnosis is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of the sciatica treatment process. If the diagnosis is not correct, subsequent treatment options will not be directed at the actual cause of pain. If these treatments are not targeted correctly, then they have ZERO hope of succeeding. The common misdiagnosis of lower back and leg pain is the main underlying cause for the abysmal curative statistics offered by traditional therapies. Unfortunately, it takes most patients many years of trying everything, before they finally get some clue that something in their diagnosis is amiss. Typically, patients try different care providers and various treatments, but will continue to hang on to that mistaken diagnosis… It is a real shame to be sure and certainly reflects my own experiences battling sciatica unsuccessfully for 18 long years.

Misdiagnosed Sciatica Advice

You must trust in your doctor and give them the benefit of the doubt. This is common sense. However, you can not just lie back, switch to autopilot and take no responsibility for your own health and sciatica care. Be a learned patient. Be informed and make wise choices based on considerable independent research. There are many great sciatica articles out there. Take the time and read them…

Knowledge therapy is far more than the actual cure for psychosomatic sciatica. It is also a wonderful tool to discover if your diagnosis is actually sound or might be full of proverbial holes. This is precisely why I recommend this approach to all suffering back pain patients, since it can do no harm and can mean the difference between lasting pain and a permanent cure.

Misdiagnosed Sciatica to Sciatica Home
7/10/08 Revised 12/14/09