You’re being ridiculous. I have no reason to be arrogant... I just happen to know a few things, and I make sure not to make the same mistakes others do. Besides, I work with patients every single day trying to hammer home the importance of prevention, which is incredibly tough work... so sharing advice here isn't about feeding my ego at all. 😈
Physical therapists are trained to handle spinal issues, so you should trust their expertise... but physical therapy alone won't cut it. You have to keep up with the exercises at home and stay consistent. If the pain gets intense, taking an anti-inflammatory occasionally can help... but again, the key is patience and making lifestyle changes. The more time you spend outdoors in the fresh air, the better... For instance, I spent today picking asparagus and then we had a BBQ... and I don't feel a bit of pain. If I try to take a nap after work, I wake up feeling completely wiped out... It really just comes down to habit. 🙄
Video footage and diagnostic data allow for pinpointing the issue and ensuring the right treatment plan is followed...
Here is what I would do in your shoes: First off, I wouldn't let myself get into a position like that in the first place. 😁 My job keeps me on my feet constantly, so I know how easy it is to neglect things... If I were you, I’d follow this plan: minimize screen time as much as possible, start swimming, and sign up for some yoga classes. 👍
Kimberly Davis52 said:Where on earth did she get the idea that it’s 5,000 years more than 1,500?🙂
Don't twist my words!!! I am not questioning how old Chinese medicine is—I haven't said a single word about that. I was commenting on the sheer stupidity of the claim that medicine in Europe didn't exist during the Middle Ages and only started developing in the 13th century.
If you really want to be the person who corrects everyone, maybe try actually understanding what's being said first.😈
Kate Baker76 said:I’m no expert, so I have no idea what the long-term effects are... that's why I'm asking you... 😉>
So, what am I supposed to do now?!... (besides wearing those orthopedic inserts... wherever I can manage to cram them in!😛)
👋
Don't just rush out and buy any old inserts immediately!
In my opinion, you should follow this path: 1. X-ray of the lumbosacral spine 2. EMG of the lower extremities (an electromyography test to check the motor and sensory nerve potentials in your legs and determine the extent of the damage) 3. A consultation with a physiatrist and an orthopedist 4. Physical therapy to start, followed by 5. Low-impact physical activity tailored to your injury (sports, aerobics, Pilates—whatever works for you, though swimming is usually the best starting point) 6. If your physiatrist and/or orthopedist actually recommend inserts, they should be custom-made—ideally based on a computerized template that defines exact pressure points and load distribution...
And most importantly, you'll need plenty of patience and discipline. 😎
Kate Baker76 said:- Believe it or not, I understood everything!😁 But what does a sudden outburst have to do with my feet?!😕
Well, you just contradicted yourself—it’s pretty obvious you didn't understand everything. 😈
Where else would you think the nerve supply for the foot (both sensory and motor) comes from if not the spine? If there is an issue at a sensory root, specifically at the L5 or S1 level, you're going to feel pain and restlessness in your foot...
When the spine undergoes deformation, the spaces between the vertebrae narrow, putting direct pressure on the spinal nerve roots. This leads to segmental nerve failure within its specific innervation area...
Sandra Hayes88 said:So, there's this idea that Western medicine is newer than people think, supposedly starting to develop in the 13th century because it was banned during the Middle Ages. [
Where did you get that from? 😈
Have you ever heard of monastic medicine? For instance, back in the late 9th century, a medical school led by Benedictines was established in Salerno. Even earlier, in the 6th century, a man named Cassiodorus founded a scriptorium at the Vivarium monastery that focused heavily on copying medical texts. Then, throughout the 11th and 12th centuries, numerous medical works were produced that laid the groundwork for anatomy, surgery, and ophthalmology—things like the anonymous *De aegritudinum curatione*, Plautius's *Practica-e braevis*, *De mulierum passionubus*, and *Practica ocularum*. You also overlooked Arabic medicine, which served as a cornerstone for classical medicine and acted as the bridge between ancient practices and the medicine used in Europe during the Middle Ages. By the way, that wasn't "banned" at any point. 🙂
Pharmacy, wound care, and general healing have been part of the human experience since we first stood up on two legs.
Sandra Hayes88 said:Refined sugar comes from sugarcane, and while it’s still in the cane, it isn't harmful. Therefore, people who consume sugarcane don't deal with cavities or diabetes.
That’s incorrect. The term "refined" refers to the additives used during processing, not just the sugar molecule itself—specifically the disaccharide that the body breaks down into two glucose molecules.
People with diabetes absolutely have to watch their intake of so-called "natural" sugars, like the fructose found in fruit. A diabetic shouldn't even eat an entire Granny Smith apple unless their specific diet allows for it. This primarily applies to Type II or adult-onset diabetes, which is managed through diet and oral antidiabetic medication.
I think we're all operating under a massive misconception here. I have a friend who works as a food technologist for a local municipal inspection agency; he monitors everything from commercial bakeries to those companies selling "whole grain" bread and other marketing gimmicks (labeled as high-fiber or bran-enriched, etc.). Just so you know, there are plenty of additives and chemicals hiding in what is marketed as "healthy food." The real question is: WHAT COUNTS AS HEALTHY FOOD AND WHERE DO YOU ACTUALLY FIND IT? For instance, I grow tomatoes on my balcony every year because the stems release a substance that naturally repels mosquitoes (it's a proven effect). But do you really believe those tomatoes are healthy just because I don't use chemical growth stimulants? They're growing right in the middle of the city. Then there are the various toxins and heavy metals in our air, water, and soil. Do you honestly think avoiding white bread is going to neutralize all of that? Every single breath we take introduces toxins into our systems. How do we avoid them? Move to a mountaintop? Stop breathing? 😈
Some people naturally produce more earwax than others. Using a cotton swab doesn't actually clean anything; it just pushes thick wax deeper against the eardrum. If you're too aggressive with it, you risk causing actual damage, like a ruptured eardrum. If you happen to be someone with heavier secretion, you should have your ears flushed periodically by your primary care physician using lukewarm water (usually a nurse handles this), or you can simply put a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the ear at home. It’s an easy way to dissolve the oils and clear out the buildup. For everyone else, standard cleaning during your shower is plenty.
As for those other "inquisitorial" methods—the kind that even Torquemada would find too extreme to endorse—those are only recommended for masochists or anyone with a BDSM fetish.😈
Look, we aren't trying to be difficult, but based on the very limited information your cousin shared with you—which you've relayed here—anything we say is just guesswork.
Parenteral nutrition involves delivering fluids and nutrients directly into the bloodstream. However, direct access to the bloodstream is also necessary for administering medications, such as antibiotics or anesthesia during surgery...
Try to find out what the working diagnosis actually is.
If there’s a suspicion of megacolon or a congenital lack of myenteric nerve endings, doctors will perform a bowel biopsy to determine if that deficiency is present.
Now, I might say something here that upsets you, but even though I know you mean well, please respect the parents' right to decide what they want to tell you and how much they share... Some people prefer to keep both illness and joy to themselves. There's no need to lecture or judge them; just try to understand and offer help if they ask for it. 🙂
frozencobra37 said:I simply don't have enough information to go on...
That’s really the bottom line here—without more details, there isn't much we can conclude.
However, there are a few facts to keep in mind:
1. In any case where bowel movements are obstructed, whether due to a mechanical issue or a neurological condition, parenteral nutrition is necessary.
2. For patients in this situation, all medications are administered parenterally.
3. Bringing up the doctors' strike is completely irrelevant here and feels a bit pretentious, so I won't even bother addressing it.
I am confident that the child is in good hands and that everything will turn out fine, but I have to mention something that seems totally disconnected from this post. Essentially, the parent or the patient themselves is REQUIRED to stay informed about their health and the upcoming treatment plan. Likewise, the doctor is obligated to provide that information, giving the patient the chance to decide if they accept the plan or if they want to seek a second opinion.
Without that transparency, any further discussion is pointless.
In any case, wishing the little one the best of luck, and my advice to the parents is this: ask questions, and they will give you answers. 👋
It’s possible there were issues with the catheter—maybe it punctured the subclavian artery, which would explain why such a small area required surgery. It's hard to say for sure without more info, but operations that run that long usually imply something complicated was happening.
Unfortunately, I can't provide medical advice through a message board... we can't do anything without reviewing the actual labs and seeing the patient in person. I simply can't diagnose anyone remotely.🙂 ...just like any other surgeon wouldn't be able to.
It’s likely a case of megacolon, specifically Hirschsprung's disease. Regarding the "tube" you mentioned, that’s a central venous catheter. It’s standard procedure to place one during any major surgery. They insert it into the subclavian vein, which is only about 2 cm from the heart at this age. It allows the medical team to monitor blood pressure and manage fluid, electrolytes, and medication delivery.
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure which diagnosis we're looking at here... there's a possibility of anal atresia, since megacolon surgery usually happens a bit later in development.
As for that comment about why no doctors have weighed in yet... I wasn't aware there was an organized medical on-call rotation for this forum.😈
On average, I’m only getting about 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night. When I actually manage to get a free weekend—which, unfortunately, doesn't happen nearly enough—I try to make up for it by sleeping in a bit longer 🙂 I got used to pulling short shifts during my medical residency, and now even when I head to bed early, I just can't drift off. Honestly, I’d much rather sleep in late in the morning than go to bed early at night.
I rarely take an hour-long nap after work because it usually does more harm than good: I typically wake up feeling groggy, with a racing heart and a bad mood... it just ruins my entire day. It seems like my circadian rhythm is pretty broken. Some friends have suggested I try melatonin, but I’m on the fence about it. A friend of mine took it to prevent jet lag, but she said it didn't really do anything for her.
A PET scan is a modern diagnostic tool used to identify tumors (including recurrences and metastases), certain brain conditions like Alzheimer’s or MS, and various heart issues. The process works by detecting molecular abnormalities at the cellular level within the affected organs. This allows doctors to diagnose diseases much earlier than they could using standard CT or MRI scans.
As far as I know, getting a PET scan isn't really an option here in the States; our closest options would be in Canada or Mexico, where this method is gradually being integrated into mainstream clinical practice, though even there, it's still mostly reserved for specific, complex cases...
You can find more detailed information about PET scans online, such as on www.petscan.org
By the way, Edward Green, try looking into something that's a bit closer and easier to access. 🙂
Look, before anyone starts lecturing me about how patient welfare should be the only priority... sure, obviously. But medicine is a JOB. Even Hippocrates acknowledges working for compensation. It isn't just some selfless vocation—though, granted, seeing positive results from your work is incredibly rewarding. 😈
Carol Grant33, I think your response is a bit off-topic, but I’ll answer you regardless.
My questions were aimed at systemic issues, not specific individuals. Unfortunately, whether it’s a hospital doctor in a real case or a specialist being treated like a celebrity, many are just unrefined. Often, they are actually the patients' own fault... as you mentioned, the patient treats him as if he were God, which is fantastic, academic, and wonderful—all on an Extra Extra Extra Large scale. Because patients treat him like God, the poor guy starts thinking he actually is one. Sadly, IQ levels and basic manners aren't exactly checked during medical school admissions.
Actually, you reminded me of something... scheduling is a constant headache. For instance, when my shift ends at 2:00 PM, the assumption is that I’m locking the clinic door right at 2:00 sharp. But if a patient walks in at 1:59 PM with a laceration on their forehead, and I try to refer them elsewhere, I’m suddenly the inhuman one. People will start throwing Hippocrates and his entire family tree at me. Nobody cares that if I take in that patient, I’m losing over an hour of my own time at the expense of my family—especially since overtime isn't compensated.
That brings us to a topic that’s been coming up far too often lately: the actual value of our work. Everyone expects a specialist to be perpetually cheerful, ready to listen, perform their expertise, explain everything, and answer every single follow-up question. On top of that, you're expected to be a Stoic when a patient is rude, aggressive, or frustrated about something completely unrelated. You have to handle roughly 70 exams or procedures a day, feeling genuine joy when a patient recovers and genuine sadness when things go wrong (and we really do feel those emotions, even if nobody believes us)... all for $12 specialist reimbursement rates. What are your thoughts on this?
Just one quick clarification: the patient I mentioned had already seen his primary care physician, who bandaged his arm, gave Anne some medication, and wrote him a referral for a surgeon. He then headed over to the emergency surgical clinic—which actually consists of two units, general surgery and orthopedics, sharing a single waiting room—but since he couldn't bear the wait, he decided to start looking around...
Anyway, your replies on another thread got me thinking: what do you all believe should be the actual role of a family doctor? According to the WHO, primary care should focus on prevention and health education. In fact, based on what we know about more advanced Western healthcare systems, they are supposed to handle about 70% of all cases... In our system, at the FBI level, there’s this growing trend where just writing referrals and prescriptions has become the core job. It seems like doctors are either taking the path of least resistance or just trying to cover their bases legally against any potential issues.
So, is educating and talking to a patient the responsibility of the primary care doctor, who knows the patient best—or at least should—or is it the specialist's job, even though specialists deal with such high patient volume that they can't afford to spend time on it even if they wanted to?
One more thing: why do you think there are such long waits for specialist appointments and procedures in our hospitals, and who is really to blame? Is it a systemic issue where patients are told they have an immediate right to everything they want, while hospitals are strictly limited by the number of doctors they can hire or the services they can provide daily or monthly (since Medicare simply won't pay the hospital for exceeding certain quotas)? Or is it just doctors refusing to work and nurses being too busy grabbing coffee? 🙂