Yes, very, very very very very very important. I completely failed to manage the situation with my initial primary care physician regarding my spine. We would argue about me needing diagnostics. ARGUE?! My physiotherapist requested them herself as well as through me after my first appointment with her, he STILL declined that I required them. Why the hell did I not go to another doctor instantly and demand diagnostics, well I had previously never had a problem with this doctor, he had made several sound judgement calls in the past and I trusted his word. I trusted his word over the chiropractor and physiotherapist who were both informing me to temporarily QUIT all stressful and unstable activities. I tried to stay with that doctor even as he declined diagnostics, referrals and finally when he dismissed my chiropractors diagnosis of thoracic spondylolisthesis. He would say that he had seen much worse with the patient dealing much better and that I needed to stop exagerating symptoms or risk having 'drug seeking behaviour' on my medical file; which I did end up with when I went for a second opinion with another doctor in the same clinic even though I specifically stated to her that I was not looking for pain management from her, just a second opinion and hopefully a talk with my primary physician [she still gave me a script for sleeping pills after I said I could not sleep due to the pain and was looking for another opinion i.e. diagnosis not looking for more prescriptions. Shortly thereafter I switched physicians and now have a properly managed pain regimen with the minimal amount of prescriptions possible [60mg codeine/2mg nabilone daily] which he stated are also compatible with the herbal supplements I take daily for pain. A doctor who is open to speaking with any and all alternative health practitioners which I see, chiropractor, physiotherapist, osteopath, ectera. Thank god.