TABLE LESSONS
best practices
Can We Cut the Charade?
By Douglas Nelson
"So painful," he complained. "My back pain is so frustrating. It can get worse
and then somewhat better, but it never completely goes away. I have tried so many
different things and still, it hasn't really changed."
Sitting across from my new client, I observed his posture, breathing, and general
presentation. His frustration was evident, as was an air of impatience.
"How long has your back been an issue?" I asked.
"It's been almost three years. I really thought it would be resolved by now, but it isn't. It
started when I was stepping off the stage after a gig. I started to slip and caught myself before I
actually fell. Within three days, the pain began and hasn't relented since."
"Have you seen other practitioners about this?"
As soon as I asked the question, I could sense his unease. What he described was essentially
Noah's Ark for health care; he had seen about two practitioners of every discipline imaginable.
Recapping his experience, it was difficult to witness someone so frustrated and hardened by the
process of seeking help. And yet, here he was in my office, ready to begin the journey with yet
another practitioner.
N e w ! A B M P P o c k e t P a t h o l o g y a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / a b m p - p o c k e t - p a t h o l o g y - a p p . 23
