There is an elderly gentleman in his seventies who has been my loyal patient ever since I established the pain clinic. He visits consistently every week.
He has been suffering from chronic low back pain.
Even walking a short distance (about 200 meters) causes numbness in his legs.
X-rays revealed multiple lumbar spine compression fractures.
Since he lives alone and his financial situation is not good, relying only on occasional financial support from relatives to cover basic living expenses each month, he is unable to and afraid to undergo surgery.
As a result, he used to rely heavily on strong painkillers, such as opioids, which caused dizziness when taken for extended periods.
However, since he learned about my pain clinic, he has been receiving treatments like ultrasound-guided regenerative therapy and interventional pain management.
While these treatments cannot completely cure his disease, they have significantly improved his pain.
Not only has he been able to reduce the dosage of pain medication substantially (only taking it occasionally), he can even walk longer distances than before.
Due to the severity of his spinal issues, he is required to visit the clinic every week to maintain control over his pain.
Due to the inherent limitations of the clinic's facilities and the patients' financial situations, I am compelled to perform treatments through challenging means.
The ultrasound imaging quality at the clinic is also suboptimal (as shown in the image below, even those with expertise can discern that administering injections under these conditions is indeed challenging).
Nevertheless, even in these circumstances, patients remain appreciative and confident.
They express gratitude and happiness after each treatment, and this brings me a sense of accomplishment.
Even though the diseases cannot be completely cured, being able to control the pain through various methods and improve the quality of life is a source of fulfillment.
"To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always."
This statement perfectly embodies the essence of Pain Medicine, and it's the reason I chose to pursue a career in this field.
