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When this patient encounter concluded the other day I thought of RustedFox's recent post(s).
Some healthy middle aged guy came in with low back pain for a few days. He's lying on the gurney. I test the strength in all his major muscles in both legs - very brisk and strong. I ask a few more general questions. Then I ask him to get up so I can see him walk. I see him quickly try to curl/yank himself up and he promptly plops back down on the gurney, yelping in pain.
"AAAHHHHHHH!! See I try to get up and it's killing me doc!!"
Me: "You really tried to get up quickly. Why don't you take your time? What's the hurry? Try this instead...." and I ask him to very slowly roll and maneuver himself to an upright position.
It takes about 30 seconds for the patient to put himself in a seated position on the gurney.
Then he stands up.
Walks around easily.
He has a big smile on his face.
"So how do you feel?"
"Doc this is so much better. I could barely do this the last two days. I was screaming just trying to get up to go pee. Now with what you showed me, that wasn't really painful at all."
Me: "Just go slow. What's the hurry? I'll give you a work note for a few days. Take some tylenol and motrin every 6 hours. Soak in a hot tub if you have one. You'll get better."
Just amazed at what it takes to make some people happy in medicine.
You have back pain? The try doing things that don't make your pain worse.
Some healthy middle aged guy came in with low back pain for a few days. He's lying on the gurney. I test the strength in all his major muscles in both legs - very brisk and strong. I ask a few more general questions. Then I ask him to get up so I can see him walk. I see him quickly try to curl/yank himself up and he promptly plops back down on the gurney, yelping in pain.
"AAAHHHHHHH!! See I try to get up and it's killing me doc!!"
Me: "You really tried to get up quickly. Why don't you take your time? What's the hurry? Try this instead...." and I ask him to very slowly roll and maneuver himself to an upright position.
It takes about 30 seconds for the patient to put himself in a seated position on the gurney.
Then he stands up.
Walks around easily.
He has a big smile on his face.
"So how do you feel?"
"Doc this is so much better. I could barely do this the last two days. I was screaming just trying to get up to go pee. Now with what you showed me, that wasn't really painful at all."
Me: "Just go slow. What's the hurry? I'll give you a work note for a few days. Take some tylenol and motrin every 6 hours. Soak in a hot tub if you have one. You'll get better."
Just amazed at what it takes to make some people happy in medicine.
You have back pain? The try doing things that don't make your pain worse.
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