Tug O'War

So, the medical journey continues this week, but it feels more like a tug o'war.  After my doctor's rejection of my PT's diagnosis, the PT today rejected more forcefully his theory of discogenic pain.  She had more than one good point, but my favorite was that I should choose the path that actually had some options, somewhere to go (which, really, my doctor doesn't).  But she also admitted that my case is more complicated and that medical back-up is necessary, in the form of some specialists in, of course, NYC.  This time a gynecologist, perhaps the rheumatologist, and, if I wanted, a pain psychologist.  Beyond the muscle/ligament issue, she wondered about underlying causes of systemic inflammation and hormonal fluctuation (if that's what I have!)--virus?  disease?  hormone imblance?  Yep.  More things to consider and worry about.  And all the while, an insistence on continuing the therapy techniques she's using which are, well, painful (TMI: internal manipulation of my coccyx.  'Nuff said).  


After the appointment, which was both reassuring (because I think she's partially on the right track with the causes of pain) and disconcerting (because it hurts), I finally got in touch with my much-beloved previous physical therapist, who's been out of the country for the last six plus weeks.  And she had even more good points:  therapy shouldn't hurt like that and there should have been some improvement in four visits.  But best of all, she observed that my new PT is trying very hard to release muscles that don't want to release without addressing the underlying cause.  Which encapsulates my fear in a nutshell:  I'm afraid these visits are going to cause more harm, in addition to the pain and discomfort that follow each visit.  So my old PT suggested her own therapist, who is magical and, in her words, fifty times more intuitive than she is.  Wow.  


Sure, it's more appointments and evaluations, and new decisions about whether to see PT #1 and her specialists or PT#2 who comes highly recommended.  Or meet the second while continuing with the first?  More confusion.  More decisions.  But at least it's something.


Though, it's not much of the break I'd hoped for.