There are a multitude of qualified and trained practitioners who treat back pain. Here is a brief over view of the medical professionals that treat spinal pain.
- Primary care physicians: These are doctors that serve as general practitioners or family practitioners. They can screen you for more serious causes of back pain, can order x-rays, MRI’s and can prescribe medications to treat back pain.
- Anesthesiologists: An anesthesiologist is a doctor who is skilled at providing anesthesia for surgery. Some anesthesiologists undergo specialized additional training in pain management and become skilled in treating spinal pain by the use of medications or x-ray guided needle procedures.
- Physiatrists: A physiatrist is a doctor that specializes in supervising patient rehabilitation and therapy. Some physiatrists undergo specialized additional training in pain management and become skilled in treating spinal pain by the use of medications or x-ray guided needle procedures.
- Radiologists and interventional radiologists: A radiologist is a doctor who is an expert at interpreting medical imaging and is trained in performing image guided procedures. Some radiologists undergo additional training in spinal procedures and spinal imaging. An Interventional radiologist is a radiologist who specializes in performing image guided procedures.
- Orthopedic surgeons: An orthopedic surgeon specializes in treating musculoskeletal problems. All orthopedists can evaluate spinal problems. To become a spine surgeon an orthopedist has to undergo at least a year of additional specialized training.
- Neurosurgeons: A neurosurgeon operates on the brain and spine. All neurosurgeons can treat and evaluate spinal conditions and can do spine surgery.
- Neurointerventional surgeons: A neurointerventional surgeon is a neuroradiologist, neurosurgeon or neurologist who has undergone 1-2 additional years of training in very specialized and minimally invasive procedures of the brain and spine.
