Juli: Psychological assessment serves a useful and helpful purpose in helping patients prepare for and rehabilitate from surgery. It is used for all types of surgeries, including but not limited to gastric bypass and plastic surgeries. In fact, the Texas Back Institute has a staff of psychologists who are apparently actively involved in assessment and treatment and have published a book entitled, "The Psychology of Spine Surgery." Unfortunately, some psychologists are less knowledgeable than others in this area--as with any profession.
I don't know why it was the insurance company who insisted on a psych assessment for cervie queen--again, I find that quite interesting and wonder if the other members who underwent psych assessments were referred by their surgeons or by their insurance companies.
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2001 MVA; C5-C6 disk extruded
ongoing physical therapy, exercise and massage
ESI's, oral prednisone, trigger point injections
foraminal and central stenosis C5/C6 and c6/C7
2007 EMG/nerve conduction shows pattern of chronic radiculopathy
January, 2008: Prestige ST Artificial Disk Replacement, C5/6
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