The Issue with the Medical Industrial Complex

This new video and article delve deeply into patients’ challenges with doctors when seeking relief for lower back pain. It offers an insightful critique of the medical-industrial complex, particularly the role of doctors within it. It’s important to note that this isn’t a critique aimed at doctors but rather an exploration of how the system prioritizes profit over patient care. This systemic issue often results in time constraints for doctors and limits their ability to gather comprehensive information about your injury. Consequently, doctors may not always be the best option for addressing lower back pain. I’ll go even further: in most cases in my experience and those whom I work with,  I can say they are pretty useless other than having them refer you for an MRI, PT, pain management, and at least (hopefully) screen red flags, i.e., cauda equina syndrome. 

Before you slam your fist on the keyboard, hear me out. Doctors are not pathetic losers who know nothing. That’s not at all what I’m saying. General practitioners with minimal time capacity can’t possibly understand your injury’s complexities or prescribe effective treatments to help you resume your daily activities. Their role typically involves identifying broad issues (like non-specific back pain – what about non-specific stomach pain?), referring you to a specialist, or providing a basic, one-size-fits-all treatment plan like stretches, yoga, or pilates. However, these generic approaches typically fail to address the specific root cause of your pain, leading to ongoing issues and potential relapses and your being escalated to bill insurance. 

Moreover, communication gaps between general practitioners and specialists (i.e., Radiologists, Pain Management, sports MD, etc.) further hinder effective treatment. Achieving lasting relief from back pain requires seamless coordination and collaboration between these medical professionals to ensure a unified approach. Stay tuned for more on this, as I will cover PT, Chiropractic, and other methods and why they fail as we work through the industrial complex.

Back to Today’s Topic: Why am I telling you this?

Many of my clients have experienced this firsthand. About 99% of them have, as I don’t consult people who get back pain, then seek me out. Most clients/patients I see have been bounced from clinician to clinician until the client/patient understands the system is insufficient. They seek help from their GP for lower back pain and receive generic advice, exercises, and sometimes painkillers without a thorough examination or understanding of the underlying causes of their pain. This approach often fails to deliver long-term relief and may exacerbate existing issues. Referral to a specialist usually results in a series of treatments, such as injections or surgeries, without addressing the root cause of the pain. 

Most clients are exhausted and downtrodden with frustration by the time they get to me. However, if I can get the client to read Back Mechanic and Gift of Injury, reading the books can fix many of their problems if they are open to it. Many clients are wholly flabbergasted after finishing the consultation once they realize they have the power to resolve their symptoms themselves, in most cases, while learning why everything they have tried has failed them. We empower people to be their own back pain advocates. 

I endured this frustrating cycle when dealing with my back injury from 09-2013, as I wrote about in ‘Gift of Injury.’ Like many, I received generic advice and was passed from specialist to specialist without any coordinated effort or comprehensive understanding of my condition. It wasn’t until I consulted with Dr. McGill, who took the time to analyze my medical images, goals, limitations,  movement patterns, and pain triggers, that I finally received a personalized program aimed at restoring my ability to power lift without surgery. Thanks to his approach, my back became pain-free and robust again, allowing me to achieve multiple world records in squatting—an outcome that eluded me under the care of numerous GPs and specialists. 

For those to whom this article speaks, don’t give up. Try some of the ideas on this website and video. Read Back Mechanic and Gift of Injury, and if that isn’t enough, book a consultation with me. I can’t make any promises other than I will do my best to help you. I have been where you are; I have lived it, and I work with desperate people every day, dealing with failed back pain care. There is hope!

BRIAN DOES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON COACHING!

Back Injured Average Mary or Joe who wants their life back

Back Injured Athlete Wanting to Return to Sport

Lift and exercise coaching & cueing to troubleshoot form

Program adherence & accountability coaching