My husband is deployed and during his deployment was injured resulting in 3 herniated disks in his back and nerve damage on his leg. The military is having him go through physical therapy over seas at a base close to his fob. The pt has not helped at all and now they chose to do a spinal block on him. They said it will take the pain away from what he is feeling until he can be home and see about possible surgery etc. My hubby emailed me and said they did the spinal, he's okay but he has not noticed any difference in the pain or anything at all. He said the procedure itself hurt very, very bad and he also did say it can take a few days. Is all this normal procedure for the Army? Should they have even done that to him? Why isnt he feeling any pain relief yet? Why havent they sent him back home for surgery if they are saying he is going to need it? Does this sound strange or what!!
2007-08-03 19:25:35 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Is there anything I can do or need to be doing as his wife?
2007-08-03 19:26:39 · update #1
Thanks to all the answers. It was hard to pick a best answer because they all gave so much advice and they all were so caring. I really appreciate it so much that each of you all took the time to write a decent and caring answer to my question. It has not been easy having my husband deployed and I have faced so many challenges along the way that I never imagined I would have to face. Thanks so much and ya'll pray for me and my husband.
2007-08-06 15:34:23 · update #2
I don't know this will help you or not but here is a new hotline "the wounded soldier and family hotline" 7am~ 7pm M~F at 1-800-984-8523. The hotline provides an infomation channel for soldier's medical- related issues to go directry to senior Army leadership in order to improve the way the Army service the medical needs of soildiers and their family.
2007-08-04 00:07:34 · answer #1 · answered by ets2521 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mu husband also had back problems but not during a deployment. Before he was deployed, he had to get 3 series of the spinal shot things and said the same that it was excruciatingly painful (somehow I doubt any worse then an epidural for women). Anyway, it took the third time for the relief to set in. It is normal and I know another person who went through the same. As far as you go, just keep doing what you are doing and offer as much support and over the phone symapthy as you can. If nothing else works, they will move onto toher treatment, but they like to save things like surgery for a last resort. Traction works on slipped disks.
2007-08-04 17:55:37 · answer #2 · answered by conroys_girl1 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Medically speaking, this is standard care. First line of defense is physical therapy...many people respond, but not all...it is dependent on a number of factors. The next step is usually a epidual steroid injection, sometimes combining it with another course of physical therapy. Nerve block is another strategy.
The problem with many types of back injuries is that they are usually very poorly diagnosed. He may very well have three herniated discs, but any one or none of them may be the source of his pain. The only way to get a difinitive diagnosis is to go through a discogram, which in of itself is another painful procedure that also carries some risks with it.
This is a common pattern for civilians who have back pain as well. Unless there is immediate danger, surgery is usually not considered for at least 3-6 months in most cases.
I wish him the best of luck and thank him for serving our country for me.
2007-08-04 17:46:49 · answer #3 · answered by mistify 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It sounds exceedingly strange. Normally, if a soldier cannot return to duty within 72 hours of being injured he is medically evacuated to either an in-theater definitive treatment facility or to one outside the combat theater. The spinal block may have been used to alleviate some of his pain and make him more comfortable for the medical evacutation trip. I would give it another seven days and see if he is in the medical evacuation pattern by then. I suspect he will be.
2007-08-04 02:48:24 · answer #4 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They will treat as much as they can in theater. They aren't just MASHes anymore, they have pretty sophisticated medical treatment facilities in theater these days. Blocks do take awhile to take their full effect. I'd appreciate that they are trying to relieve the pain as much as possible before flying him out. The flights coming out of theater are not exactly first class seating with blankies and pillows. They are doing as much as they can and they are following procedure. Even if he had been injured as a civilian here in the States, any civilian doctor would have tried every non-invasive procedure to provide relief before resorting to surgery. And even as a civilian getting civilian care, you have to go through referral processes and waiting for appts and dealing with workman's comp on civilian jobs and review and approval with civilian HMO's. It doesn't sound strange at all. My dad got as much or more run around with his civilian job and civilian drs when he hurt his neck in a factory accident and years later when he hurt his back in a car accident.
2007-08-04 08:56:57 · answer #5 · answered by ritzysmom 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not uncommon to have these kind of problems with back pain treatment. Backs are tricky propositions and with all of the nerves involved there are a lot of variables. He is probably being sent back to the US so that they can get some of the specialists involved. I wouldnt be suprised if they send him to Bethesda. They shipped me there from the Philippines when I lost my hearing. Great docs. Of course you have the right to get a second opinion from a civillian doc if you want. But you may have to foot the bill for an outside consult.
2007-08-04 02:44:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try starting with IG (inspector General)
And call a military attorney to see if theres a possibility to get a second opinion in the states.
If hes hurt, then hes hurt, and you really cant argue with herniated disks as being something that someone can fake.
Ask IG and/or attorney what the regulation is for injured soldiers,and getting a second opinion.
With the army its mission first, soldier well being second....thats why the hurt soldier has to speak up!
Otherwise they will work him to the ground, until theres permanent damage.
Good luck
2007-08-04 02:34:46 · answer #7 · answered by writersbIock2006 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
From what I understand...if the military can cure you within 30 days they will keep you in theatre...if not...they will send you home for advanced care.
However...sometimes it would just make so much more sense to send them to Germany and have the procedure done then attempting it in theatre.
Then again...the hospital in Germany receives all the patients from the AOR....so it's pretty busy there.
2007-08-04 02:57:44 · answer #8 · answered by Gary 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋