Instant relief is a problem with patients and doctors: Dr Rajat Chauhan

Sports Medicine MD, Dr Rajat Chauhan has made a name for himself for going against the grain of conventional medical practices, and instead focus on exercise to ease pain. He talks to DNA on what drove him to write his first book The Pain Hand Book, on non-surgical way to manage back, neck and knee pain.

In your book, and at various events, you've been scathing in your criticism on overuse of MRIs?

If a patient has been in pain for over 10 years, it's not too much to hear them out before picking up the pen to write a prescription for MRI and pain killers. Medical colleges seriously need to focus on three fundamentals lacking in most doctors today, that is listening, touching and treating patients as equals. Medical students don't get a good understanding on back pain, as it's unlikely to feature in exams. They miss out on the most common cause for back pain, which is lifestyle-related, and not a disease. You'll be surprised that a lot of patients think of X-rays and MRIs as therapeutic. Instant gratification is a problem with patients and doctors. There is no quick fix for a back pain that has come into being. Once patients appreciate that pro-active management is the only way to address their pain, will things change.

How has your grounding in sports medicine influenced the course of treatment you prescribe to patients?

Both Sports-Exercise Medicine along with Osteopathic Medicine have helped to make more patients responsible for their own pain. If the patients want passive treatment, the medical fraternity is happy to take them for a ride. During my time at the Kieser Training, a Swiss-German strength training facility chain, we saw that our results with exercise for back pain were better than 'mainstream' treatments.

You have stressed on exercise as a panacea for pain. How is the larger medical community responding to your methods?

Many of my clients are from the medical fraternity. They've experienced the results. I need them on my side to make a bigger difference, but I'm done trying to change their minds. I have a reputation of being invited to medical conferences just once and never again. That's because I call a spade a spade. That doesn't work for pharmaceutical funded conferences. I have actually decided not to attend medical conferences as I'm simply done explaining myself. I want to reach out to patients directly.

How do we ensure that people are doing their exercises the right way? How can the book help?

Without qualified physiotherapists and physical trainers that's a problem. I have come up with very basic exercises and tips based on my experience that I have seen work well. And it's not a belief. Belief is when you are not sure; or don't know. I am sure.