[Peter B]

What is it with doctors and their preference for recommending only drugs, when there are many other vital things to consider, and also many other health professionals with proven treatments, that are not considered or suggested to the patient?

Now I know that drugs are the best treatment in many cases, but I don't believe that every illness can be treated successfully with drugs, to the exclusion of other treatments.

For instance, my GP has never mentioned the treatments that have been the most effective for me. There is never any consideration for diet, exercise, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, massage, physiotherapy and so on.

For my chronic headaches, my pain doctor (not my GP) suggested remedial massage and an exercise/ stretching routine for life. The massage was immediately effective, as it turns out my tight back muscles were pulling on my neck muscles, hence the headaches.
So I was able to get to the cause and stop it. Mind you, that was after 25 years of awful head and neck pains.
I found that I needed a massage every week, but stretched it to 2 or 3 weeks because of the cost. The pains always returned, but I had a lot of relief.

My daughter has severe M.E. and researches the illness plus any treatments that may help. As a result she suggested magnesium oil and vitamin D, both in large doses, for my tight muscles.

And guess what? I don't need regular massages as the muscles are now soft again and not tight. It's been 3 months now that I have been headache free.
And...none of the treatment came from any of my medical people.

In an ironic twist, just as I became headache free, my lower spine became permanently sore.
My physio examined me and concluded that my butt or glute muscles were very weak, and my back was taking the strain, compromising the spine.
So I have added some special muscle strengthening exercises and spine bends to my routine.
I didn't bother with the GP as he would have just said my spine is worn out, nothing can fix it. That is what he said about my neck/ headaches.

So....get some more opinions from different medical branches, and specifically ask about the effects of weak muscles on your pain.

And, have a read about the benefits of large doses of magnesium oil and Vit D. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Deficiencies (very common) of these 2 alone can be the cause of a lot of medical problems, and the benefits of restoring them can be enormous, as in my case.
Quite astonishing really.