Hurgent Care Delivered!

A 20 year old college student went to a local urgent care clinic with severe back pain and numbness going down into his thigh. In the Before Times, he had taken regular walks in between his studies. However, since the Shelter in place, he had stopped walking and spending most of his time in doors, studying on a computer with bad posture. Then, a few weeks ago, he went to sit in his chair, and his back spasmed. At first he started stretching and took some painkillers, but it got progressively worse over the following weeks. He also started having burning nerve pain down into his thighs. 

Finally, out of desperation for relief, he went to a local urgent care. Unfortunately, they had nothing to offer him. He wasn’t severe enough for stronger medicines like cortisone injection or surgery, and the other alternatives they had to offer - heat, stretching, over-the-counter painkillers - he had already tried without success. Fortunately, they sent him to us for Hurgent Care. 

A quick examination (straight leg raise) showed he did have mild sciatica, but at his age he should have recovered faster. He likely got caught in a cycle of inflammation from his lack of usual activities, that built up over time until it became too painful.  But improving circulation and reducing inflammation is what acupuncture does best. A needle behind his knee (UB 40) relieved the pain in his lower back (L4 Jia ji), a needle in his mid-calf (UB 57) relieved the pain in his sacrum (UB 54), and a point on the side of his calf (GB 34) relieved his hip pain (GB 30). A few more points to promote circulation and reduce pain, and I was ready to let him rest.  

At first he was worried he wouldn’t be able to lay down for the full 30 minutes without his back starting to hurt. I checked on him after 10 minutes, and he said he had relaxed enough he was now fine, and I could try again in 10 minutes. When I checked again after 20 minutes, he had fallen asleep! At the start of his treatment, this 20 year old had had to crawl onto the bed like an old man, after the treatment he leaped off like a young, healthy man should. After just this one treatment, he was out of pain. 

The shelter in place is putting a toll on all of use. Be sure that you wear a mask, wash your hands, and clean surfaces regularly. Also make sure that you take care of yourself and your body. Continue to get regular exercise, eat well, and stretch regularly, especially if you do a lot of computer work. But if things do go wrong, we are here to help, for regular office visits, and Hurgent care.

Hurgent Care is now mobile! We now have a dedicated Sprinter van that can treat you anywhere, at your office, home, sports field, or anywhere else you need us! For non-life threatening emergencies, instead of Urgent Care, think of Hurgent care, we can give you better options, at a fraction of the price.

David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM