Case:
Back Pain - Lumbar Disc Herniation The patient is a 58-year-old retiree who used to be a marine police officer, specializing in the maritime anti-smuggling team. Back then, the anti-smuggling team chased the smugglers in the sea under high winds and waves. It was dangerous and the spine were all hurt due to the continuous shocks.
In the summer, it is sun and rain, and in winter, it is cold with the north wind. I could withstand it while I was young and I even felt so refreshing and exciting. The retirement age of the disciplined forces is 55 years old. After I retired, all the health problems came and I continuous see doctors for two years. I suffered from neck pain, back pain, low back pain, and finally numbness of my feet. I went to the hospital and take MRI, it was diagnosed that I had sciatica, lumbar disc herniation, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine degeneration, bone spurs. I need to do surgeries but I was not sure which problem to be treated first as there were so many problems in all places. The patient was afraid of surgery, so his ex-colleague introduced him to acupuncture treatment. When the patient talked about the symptoms, he was emotional, complaining he was in pain and numbness that were unbearable. He wanted to die but he was reluctant to leave his wife, because the wife never gave up and accompanied him everywhere for treatment.
It turns out that the patient does not only have lower back and leg pain, but also has anxiety and depression. Please note that 71% of chronic pain patients in Hong Kong have anxiety disorder or Depression or both, 38% of them have their work affected or need to apply for sick leaves. To solve anxiety disorder or depression, the first thing to do is to solve the pain. If there is no pain, the mood will be better. I came up with a treatment plan immediately after the diagnosis. I told the patient: "If you don’t want to have surgery, acupuncture treatment plus massage is the best way. My expertise is refrain from having surgery.” After a few treatments, the patient recovered a lot, and he actively cooperated with the treatment, swimming frequently and applying heat compression to the affected area. The symptoms gradually relieved and he recovered quickly. I reminded the patients must get something to do or study retiring, such as do part-time job, or volunteer, or else he will see doctor regularly. A man at 58 years old is at the golden age!
Treatment Method
1. Tuina: Manipulations relax the strain and stiffness of the waist and buttocks.
2. Bone Setting: The reduction technique relieves the dislocation of the facet joints and the deviation of the lumbar disc, and reduces the compressed nerves.
3. Acupuncture: acupoints for tenderness in the waist and buttocks. The acupoints open the meridians, improve blood circulation, repair the damaged parts, and have the effect of relieving pain and reducing edema.
4. Take Chinese medicine: Qi stagnation and blood stasis type: Invigorate blood and relax muscles
Cold-dampness-blocking type: Dispel dampness and cold, relieve numbness and meridians ƒ
Liver and kidney deficiency type: Nourish the liver and stomach, promote blood circulation and clear collaterals.
The effect of acupuncture and moxibustion is the best, followed by external application of Dieda ointment, and internal use of Blood Invigorating Anti-stasis Pain Relieve Pill and Spleen Invigorating and Liver Relief Pill.
TIPS
If the lumbar disc herniation is more severe, the condyle joints of the affected limb will not be able to extended backward. It may affect the incontinence of the urine and the bowel, and the muscles of the affected limb will be severely atrophy. If there are such symptoms, surgery must be done. Normal disc herniation does not require surgery. Conservative treatment is acupuncture and internal decoctions, and do not require surgery. What the patient can do is to apply heat compression. Use a warm water bag or an electric towel to apply the affected waist area . Should avoid spicy food, alcohol, deep fried, damp and poison food. it is advisable to strengthen swimming. If you don’t know swimming, kick or walk in the water.
Pay attention to keep warm. Patients with this disease are easily affected by rainy days, humid weather or cold air. During the period of pain and edema, they should rest in bed more to reduce the compression of the lumbar spine. They cannot carry heavy objects, run, jump, cannot sit on sofa that are too soft, or sleep on mattress that are too soft. The patient should wear a waistband to protect the waist when they work, but do not need when they sleep. If the patient is willing to follow the instructions and cooperate, they will recover much faster. Let me talk something more. The key to the effective of acupuncture is to have the acupoint stimulated accurately with enough depth. Acupuncture can stimulate the transmission of information to the brain, which can induce endocrine and brain morphine in the brain and produce pain relief, and stimulate immune cells, lymphocytes, white blood cells, and phagocytes directly reach the affected area to reduce inflammation, reduce swelling, and repair the damaged area, so that the intervertebral disc is contracted and no longer compresses the nerves. Therefore, it is a good treatment method without side effects. The most important thing is the psychological fear of needles. Of course, it will depends on the doctor’s experience and proficiency.