Maybe It Will Go Away
One Patient's Story
by Dr. L.A. Bartell

"I came in to the clinic with low back, hip and leg pain. I was in a hurry and really didn't want to hear why I hurt or what was wrong, I just wanted to get my back cracked and get out of there. I didn't like the schedule they set up for me, it was too long a time. When the pain started to go away I stopped the exercises I was suppose to do and thought the heck with what to avoid and how to avoid it."

"I just wanted my back cracked a few times and then I stopped getting treated. They started to call me to remind me of my appointments and I told them to stop calling me."

"Well after seven months the pain came back. I was bending over brushing my teeth when the pain hit me. I couldn't work for 10 days and went back to Dr. Bartell, a little sheepishly, but I went. And sure enough, I began to get better. They told me I had some disc problems, but once again the pain went away, so I stopped care, this time for almost two years."

"The last time I was off from work, it was for over three months. I am under care at Dr. Bartell's office, but still have the numbness in my leg to this day and had to go back to work with light duty. I know it's my own fault, but I wish I would have followed his advice. I'm sure I wouldn't have the problems I do today."

We all have heard a similar story. I wanted to reprint this story without using my patients name because it so accurately reflects a problem we work hard to overcome. Whether it is headaches or shoulder pain, as well as the lower back pain and leg pain the above patient had, your outlook or attitude towards your health care means an awful lot. I feel sometimes that we do not always get through to you about your conditions. But I promise that we will continue to do our best to explain your problems to you and how we best feel about treating you.

Please don't follow in this patients steps and hope your problem will go away all by itself. Sometimes conditions will go away with the body's help, but many times conditions worsen without you even knowing it.

Why take a chance, please continue to follow your doctor's advice and treatment schedule and chances are you'll get better quicker and stay better ... longer!