Case Study – Lower Back Pain

Mr. Steve Wein, was born in Boynton Beach in 1954. He started playing tennis when he was 5 years old when his parents took him to a tennis school in Coral Springs. He was a very serious player during the high school year at the Boca Raton High school and got the tennis scholarship to attend Boston University in Massachusetts. He played 3 to 4 hours every day in Boston and continued to play when he went to MIT Business School in Boston. With his tenacity, he started his career in a company in Delray Beach. As a financial planner, he started his daily routine sitting in front of a computer to work on some financial issues for more than 8 hours a day. His wealth gradually increased and he bought a house in Boca Raton where his kids could go to a good school.

Everything seemed very successful for Mr. Wein until back pain struck when he turned 50. His primary care doctor recommended an MRI at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Numerous tests were conducted and he was even subjected to a “do I have scoliosis quiz” to rule out certain medical conditions. He was told that he had developed spinal stenosis and herniated discs at L4 and L5. The back pain radiated down to his left hip. Initially, he had a hard time sitting on a regular chair. He had to carry a special cushion with him when he was driving.

Also Read: How Acupuncture works with Back Pain

For a few months, he went to do PT, chiropractic treatment and massage therapy. He felt better for a day, then the pain would come back. He had to stop playing tennis at his club in Delray Beach, which contributed to his feeling depressed and slowly he began to gain weight. He hated the thought of acupuncture needles, but was told it might help him avoid surgery; he went to see a Chinese acupuncturist in Boca Raton, close to his home.

After the first 24 treatments, twice a week, his hip and lower back pain reduced for 5 days from level 5 to level 1. He started playing tennis in Delray Beach and was able to sit for a few hours and watch a tennis game in Pompano Beach. After playing tennis for two hours, his lower back pain came back for a few days. He had to resume the acupuncture treatments twice a week for 2 to 3 weeks.

He visited the orthopedic surgeon in Coral Spring and was told he needed surgery to cut out part of his disc. His acupuncturist in Boca Raton recommended that he remain patient with his acupuncture treatments and also find out which positions made his back pain worse. He figured out that if he avoided bending down to pick up tennis balls and use a hand basket to pick up the ball, his back pain was reduced. Now he can play tennis for 2 to 3 hours once a week with acupuncture treatments every 2 to 3 weeks. He has no back or hip pain anymore.