[img]560|left|Nicholas D. Pollak||no_popup[/img]As much as I help others with their pain issues, I also have mine. I am lucky to have a lot of the skills necessary to deal with my back pain with minimum, if any, pain meds. Usually a single Tylenol in the morning. And that is rare.
Recently, however, I had a bad flare up and went to an orthopedist.
After an MRI, the surgeon said my back condition would require surgery.
I was offered two alternatives. One was an artificial disc and the other was a fusion of two vertebrae. I opted for the replacement disc. A day later, the surgeon told me my insurance company would not authorize a disk replacement. Further, they were putting up stiff resistance to the spinal fusion. The insurance company claimed conservative methods of pain medication, chiropractic care or acupuncture should be sufficient.
The surgeon said he would be arguing with the insurance company to get the surgery as quickly as possible. More than two months have passed with no resolution.
We hear a lot about socialized medicine in Europe and Canada, the supposed horror stories of people waiting up to two years for a surgery. Even though a wait may be required, should the situation become worse and require immediate attention, the attention is given, the issue resolved.
A few years ago when my mother was alive, she fell and broke her ankle. With what we have heard, one would have thought she would have been told to come back later when they could fix the break. However, they took her to the hospital and immediately put her ankle in a cast.
This small illustration is enough for us to know that when a medical emergency occurs, resources available and the problem is addressed.
Time for Sympathy
I don’t mean to rail against our medical system, but rather as a sympathy statement to all of us who quickly need medical care but must endure pain while the professionals make up their minds.
While awaiting the orthopedist, I read in a brochure in the waiting room about a blind study of conservative methods (chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy in combination with pain medication). Their outcomes are as successful most of the time. This is in line with what I have written before regarding people suffering ongoing pain.
Those who took pain medication found themselves increasing the dosage with no relief. Persons who underwent hypnosis training found that their pain levels reduced significantly. Within five years, they had reduced levels of pain with no pain medication of any kind.
I spoke with a friend in Las Vegas who had injured his back and, through Worker’s Compensation, he was able to have a disk replacement. After surgery he was still in extreme pain and the surgeon had to re-operate because a screw used in the surgery had penetrated his sciatic nerve, causing great distress. After the second surgery, his life improved to the point where he now experiences little pain.
I, on the other hand, had surgery 20 years ago in the same location as my current discomfort. The surgeon then had said that the beneficial effects of the surgery would last 10 years. I have used some of the conservative methods such as chiropractic and the occasional minor pain medication. To date, I have managed my back pain with minimal discomfort.
Pay Now or Pay Later
It seems to me medical insurance companies are not thinking far enough ahead in terms of cost reduction. At almost 60 years of age, one would think that having a surgery now would be appropriate while I still am young enough to heal quickly. By waiting, as the insurance company is trying to suggest, it would mean that they would save money now, but, in the future when the need for the surgery arises yet again, that it will cost the insurance company more and that I will be so much older that my healing time may take much longer.
I want to emphasize to anyone requiring surgery to maintain a positive attitude. I have lived with back pain now for 30 years. Minimal pain meds and constant exercise are the means of living with my back. Even the surgeon was saying that it was important for me to maintain my regimen of physical fitness. Obviously it has been beneficial for me, giving me better results than most people.
To anyone awaiting surgery, I encourage you to visit a hypnotherapist who will help you with your preparation. A hypnotherapist will give you relaxation and visualization techniques to prepare for your surgery and post-operative suggestions for a recovery that is as pain-free and fast as possible. Hypnosis will help you to be more relaxed, keep your blood pressure in the normal range, lower your heart rate and reduce your blood loss during the surgery as well as promoting a stronger immune system and a quicker healing time.
Always think positively as to your outcome. Stay away from the news last thing at night and watch shows or movies that are uplifting and positive. Keep a positive mental attitude and remember that what you are experiencing as a result of the surgery is only temporary. If you look at it in terms of your overall life span, a few days or weeks of discomfort is a blip in the grand scheme. of your life. Pain soon is forgotten but the benefits of your surgery will remain for years to come.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me by telephone, 310.204.3321 or by email at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net. See my website at www.hypnotherapy4you.net
