Looking for recommendations for a doctor at Chang gung on Dunhua Rd Taipei. Honestly have no idea which type of specialist should see to this lower back problem, so even a lead on what type of doctor would be appreciated. Main symptoms are restricted movement and stiffness on waking. Pain when moving from sitting to standing, reaching for things. Warms up and improves as the day progresses.
Thanks in advance.
Sounds like a herniated disc. I went for that to Chang Gung Dunhua, but they told me to go to another hospital as I remember, close by:
Taiwan Adventist Hospital
I do not remember what doctor I saw there. Maybe internal medicine? Maybe surgery? I think the doctor told me could get surgery or could wait and see, so maybe it was surgery.
Thanks. Were you happy with the service you got at Adventist? What did they suggest you do during the waiting period, in terms of managing it and making sure it heals?
I did not follow up with the hospital as I did not want surgery at that time.
I went to a couple of 復健科 or 骨科 types of places. These are therapy places and they usually have a doctor too. They are all over the place.
The doctor will see you and diagnose you and it probably helps if you have been to a hospital first as those places may not all have X-ray (but some do). They will determine you are a case needing therapy and allow you to use their facilities X times (maybe 6 or 8 or 10). After you use their facilities that many times you come back and see the doctor again and they give you another X times if you are not much better. I think it can go on forever basically.
At the clinic they let you 熱敷 (hot water bag) and give you electro-stimulation and then stretch your back or do other therapy, depending on the affliction you have. It takes like 40 minutes and you go 2-3 times per week. It is a huge time sink but it definitely does not hurt. I eventually stopped going even though my back never got completely better because it wastes so much time.
Doctors also prescribed diclofenac 50mg one or two pills per day as I remember or even 100mg (not sure it has been a while). I took those for a couple of months. You can buy those pills at most pharmacies pretty cheap, but they come with risks for heart disease, so they are not for long-term use.
In short, I have learned to live with minor chronic back pain. It really is not very bad most days and I hardly notice, except I cannot do serious weightlifting anymore. I have actually had a flare-up these last several weeks (preparing to move, so have been carrying stuff and bending over a lot). I have been self-medicating using topical (cream) diclofenac that you can buy at Watsons or Cosmed.
Oh, what also helps a lot is doing light exercises like walking or biking. Do not overdo it but move around several hours per day.
Hi!
This is an old post, but just wondering if you were successfully treated for your back problems.
If not, it might be worthwhile to look into potential ankylosing spondylitis with a rheumatologist (or with dr google)
Basic imaging and blood test for inflammatory markers or HLA-b27 gene to at least rule it out.
Thanks, doctor at Chang gung said, without any eye contact, didn’t need an operation. It has calmed down since, definitely something of the inflammatory variety.