The BACK is the most important part of the body
When I was a PA student back in the old days, I attended a lecture on back pain. Like the young, diligent medical students we were, we wrote down every word as the elderly (80 years plus) physician shared the wisdom of the ages.
"The back is the most important part of our body," he said. "If it wasn't for our backs, our heads would be sitting on our butts." I have never forgotten those inspiring words, especially now...when I am sitting at home with recurrent back pain.
In the early '70's, I took a sudden and unexpected trip through the front windshield of my car when I was rear-ended in freeway traffic. Years later, I thought that I could commute a few hundred miles per day (about five hours or more in SF/Oakland time) for a teaching position. And, more recently, after moving to a more rural area, I dug over a mile of ditches in order to irrigate my property. These events, and probably more back abuses than I can't recall, has left my head sitting on my butt.
Perhaps I am being punished for not believing all of those drug-seekers, screaming and hunched over coming into my Urgent Care facility. But like most medical providers, it often takes some personal experience to truly appreciate the pure, honest-to-God misery of back pain.
I hate missing work. I think of all of those patients that will be inconvenienced if I stay home to take care of myself. Sure, they may understand on the surface, but deep down, they may be ticked. I think (a little) about my colleagues that will have to see some of my patients that didn't get the phone call in time to cancel their appointments.
I am treating myself, mostly because I know there is not much else that can be done medically. If I whine too much about it, some neurosurgeon will want to take out those degenerative disks that showed up several years ago on an MRI. I do have some radicular pain down my leg and my left big toe is numb, but I am going to try and wait it out...again. Some pain medications, some anti-inflammatories, hot/cold compresses, a few sets in my beloved massage chair, and some Tincture of Time should get me back on my feet in a few more days. When I am not medically sedated, I am terribly bored. My youngest son, an RN, just had back surgery a month ago, so at least I can call him and commiserate.
Related Links: What to Do For Back Pain, Low Back Pain Shouldn't Sideline You
"The back is the most important part of our body," he said. "If it wasn't for our backs, our heads would be sitting on our butts." I have never forgotten those inspiring words, especially now...when I am sitting at home with recurrent back pain.
In the early '70's, I took a sudden and unexpected trip through the front windshield of my car when I was rear-ended in freeway traffic. Years later, I thought that I could commute a few hundred miles per day (about five hours or more in SF/Oakland time) for a teaching position. And, more recently, after moving to a more rural area, I dug over a mile of ditches in order to irrigate my property. These events, and probably more back abuses than I can't recall, has left my head sitting on my butt.
Perhaps I am being punished for not believing all of those drug-seekers, screaming and hunched over coming into my Urgent Care facility. But like most medical providers, it often takes some personal experience to truly appreciate the pure, honest-to-God misery of back pain.
I hate missing work. I think of all of those patients that will be inconvenienced if I stay home to take care of myself. Sure, they may understand on the surface, but deep down, they may be ticked. I think (a little) about my colleagues that will have to see some of my patients that didn't get the phone call in time to cancel their appointments.
I am treating myself, mostly because I know there is not much else that can be done medically. If I whine too much about it, some neurosurgeon will want to take out those degenerative disks that showed up several years ago on an MRI. I do have some radicular pain down my leg and my left big toe is numb, but I am going to try and wait it out...again. Some pain medications, some anti-inflammatories, hot/cold compresses, a few sets in my beloved massage chair, and some Tincture of Time should get me back on my feet in a few more days. When I am not medically sedated, I am terribly bored. My youngest son, an RN, just had back surgery a month ago, so at least I can call him and commiserate.
Related Links: What to Do For Back Pain, Low Back Pain Shouldn't Sideline You
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