Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, The Liberal, Copyright November 25, 1987

This column will consist of a response to a Letter to the Editor which was published in the Nov. 18 edition of The Liberal.

A few weeks before, I wrote a column answering a question about the different types of health professionals and how each group treats a typical sore back.

I explained that there really isn’t any such thing as a ‘typical’ sore back.
I also explained that I was not going to compare each specialty to see which was better because each problem is different. I then reviewed very briefly some of the practitioners one might see when suffering from back pain.

I also explained briefly a little bit of what each of these groups would probably do for that ‘typical’ back case.

The letter to the editor from Diane Gasner (assistant director of a physical medicine department) complains that I didn’t mention that physiotherapists treat stiffness and muscular imbalances associated with back problems.

Among other things, I mentioned that a physiotherapist might suggest their patient with back pain take a hot bath, use hot towels, and might apply  ultrasound, muscle stimulators or do some massage. All of these would be in an effort to restore proper strength and flexibility to the person’s spine and surrounding muscles.

NOT BELITTLING

That certainly doesn’t sound belittling to me! As a matter of fact I think I did a good job of capsulizing the role of a physiotherapist in the treatment of back pain, without belittling anyone.

Perhaps MsGasner failed to read the relevent parts of my article, and she therefore felt that comments to the editor were in order. She claims that my belittling other professionals results in a loss of my own professional image.

I must say that the great majority of comments I receive are to the contrary. I am constantly praised for my objectivity, and my non-biased views toward health care. If I sound like I am blowing my own horn, I am. I work hard to maintain that objectivity and I am proud of it.

Ms. Gasner is way off base and should think twice before she again attacks something that isn’t there to attack!

Allan Horowitz, D.C., is a chiropractor and writes this public service column.He will attempt to answer readers’ questions on a variety of topics in¬cluding headaches, backpain, nutri¬tion, sport injuries and preventive medicine.

Address your questions to Allan Horowitz, care of The Liberal, Box 390. Richmond Hill, L4C4Y6.