[CASE] Squeezing Pain in the Thigh Caused by Herniated Discs

Overview

The patient is a 60s female diagnosed that she had 3 herniated discs in her low back. The herniated discs caused squeezing pain in her right thigh. She also had pain in the medial side of the right thigh when she lifted up her right leg laterally (abduction) so she couldn’t lift her right leg high laterally. She tried some other treatments but her symptoms didn’t improve. She came to see me referred by her massage therapist.
 
My expectation was that the symptoms were caused by the herniated disks so it would get better little by little but take longer than 5 to 10 treatments.

As a result of 6 acupuncture treatments, squeezing feeling in her right thigh disappeared and she could lift her right leg laterally without any pain.

Cozy Acupuncture in Salem, MA specializes in Pain Management. If you are suffering from sciatica or squeezing pain in your thigh, we're here for you! Call Today to make an appointment: 617-584-8703 or Book now Online.

Detail of Acupuncture Treatment
 
[1st Tx] I performed SLR (Straight Leg Raise Test). When her legs were lifted at 45 degrees, she felt pain at the back of both thighs.
 
According to her pulse and abdomen, I decided her pattern as Kidney Deficiency and tonfied Right KD7 with Yang technique of Teishin. Lung was not so weak but needed to be tonified, so I tonified Left SI7. After 10 minutes rest, I treated her back with moxa, tonification with Teishin and tapped Ja Teishin on the tightness below BL23 and the hip.  Then I treated her neck and inguinal area with her lying on her back, and dispersed a point of her Right hip with Ja Teishin with her sitting up.
 
At the end of the treatment, SLR of her right leg was 60 degrees without pain and SLR of her left leg was also 60 degrees but there was pain behind her left knee. I finished her treatment marking 2 points on her hand and foot for her to put a penny and a nickel (6 cents treatment) on as her homework.
 
[2nd Tx (1 week later)] Squeezing pain in her right thigh was better. She felt tight at the inside of her right thigh. The treatment was mostly the same. SLR of her right leg changed from 45 degrees with pain in the back of her thigh to 70 degrees without pain.
 
[3rd Tx (1 week later)] 2 days ago she pulled her back when she tried to tie shoelace. Low back became painful after 30 minutes sitting. SLR: right leg 45 degrees with pain in medial side of the thigh, left leg 80 degrees with pain in front of thigh.
 
[4th Tx (2 weeks later)] Medial side of right thigh had squeezing feeling when she lifted up her right leg laterally. After the treatment, SLR of right leg changed from 45 degrees to 70 degrees and she could lift her right leg higher laterally without squeezing feeling. She told me that after the treatments, the condition had been better for about 3 to 4 days, so I instructed her to come back in 4 days.
 
[5th Tex (4 days later)] When she tried to massage her toes, she had cramps in her calves. She had pain in the medial side of her right thigh. Pain with abduction of right thigh disappeared. SLR of right leg was 60 degrees. Root treatment changed from Kidney Deficiency to Spleen Deficiency. I tonfied right SP3 with Yang technique and right GB36 with Yin technique. After the root treatment, SLR was improved. I instructed her not to eat too much at night to prevent cramps.
 
[6th Tx (1 week later)] There was tightness around the medial side of right knee. There were no cramps. After the root treatment, SLR of her right leg changed from 60 to 80 degrees.
 
[1 week later] When she brought her daughter for a treatment, she told me that there was no squeezing feeling in her right thigh and she could lift her right leg laterally without pain. I told her to come back when she felt tightness again.
 
Consideration

​I presumed that it would take time to heal this condition since it was related to herniated discs and other various treatments didn’t work well, but contrary to my expectation, she got better by 6 treatments and she was so satisfied that she brought her daughter instead of herself. I consider that the followings helped the faster healing.
 
(1) Importance of the root treatment: I usually have my patient take a rest after the root treatment for about 10 minutes without any needles. When I checked her SLR and other physical findings after the root treatment, there was big improvement. The root treatment contains only 1 or 2 touching needle with Teishin but I really felt the importance of the root treatment.
 
(2) Having the patient get treatment before the effect of the last treatment disappears: She told me that her condition had been better for 3 to 4 days and then the symptoms had come back. So I told her to come back in 4 days and the symptoms didn’t come back, leading to faster healing.
 
(3) Loosening the tightness on the hip: It seemed effective to treat the tightness and pressure pain around the greater trochanter and SI joint by touching Teishin and tapping Ja Teishin.

​Cozy Acupuncture in Salem, MA specializes in Pain Management.
If you are suffering from pain in your thigh, we're here for you!
​Call Today to make an appointment: 617-584-8703 or Book now Online.