Our experiences of various coping strategies for pain, treatment types, both personal observations and researched findings.

Interestingly, one large difference appears, to me, that of the cultural differences between countries; in the US it seems that the cultural approach to the use of patient / outcome statistics and data is more methodical than in the UK and medicine/treatment/remedy is based, to a greater extent, on a more open use of; interpretation of and perception of data, relative risk and outcome. As an aside, here’s an interesting survey of phrases associated with probabilities.

This may be due in part to the UK’s NHS vs the greater use (i.e. the necessesity of) Private Health Insurance in the US. For example: my experience is that (certainly in the South West of England) surgery waiting lists (including disgnosis and consultation etc) are a minimum of 9 months away, unless one chooses the private option. In the US it may be that you are offered surgery within a month. Certainly both approaches have their merits; if successful, surgery may precipitate a faster recovery and return to work (then again, it may not). In my part of the world, even an MRI scan may take 3 months+ from first seeing your doctor.

Misunderstandings/Malpractice/Litiginous society?

There’s a large list below – I understand that many people have differing symptoms and respond to different treatments. Preference also plays a part.

• Exercise
• Physio
• osteopathic
• acupuncture
• Chiropractic
• Medicine
• Epidural Injection
• Decompression / Surgery
• Decompression Therapy