Every year, 1.6 million adults in the United Kingdom develop back pain that lasts beyond three months. Over 5 million people develop chronic pain, but only two thirds of people will recover and it has been estimated that back pain alone costs the economy £12.3 billion per year.
Sarah Wigley, 47 From Belper had suffered years of constant, demoralizing pain that had a dramatic effect on all aspects of her life. As well as a long history of lower back pain, Mrs Wigley had suffered from six years of hip pain, four years of debilitating headaches and 12 months of severe pain in her right arm. She says: ‘The pain affected my personality, family life and social life. I felt quite isolated and very misunderstood. I was desperately taking painkillers which provided no relief and was constantly craving sleep.’
Mrs Wigley had multiple ineffective treatments and many doctors considered this kind of pain to be ‘a lost cause’; something which patients are advised to learn to live with.
However, Mrs Wigley arranged a consultation at Nuffield Hospital. ‘The reason I chose Nuffield is simple,’ she says. ‘After years of being on waiting lists to see various doctors and specialists, who couldn’t correctly diagnose my condition, Nuffield was the obvious choice. I was seen quickly and given the correct advice.’
Mrs Wigley was referred to Dr Piotr Buczkowski, a consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, who is an expert in complex spinal pain. “The main reason that Mrs Wigley’s previous treatments had not been effective for all those years was that a diagnosis of the mechanism of her pain had not been established despite of multiple scans and investigations” he recalls. ‘After my first consultation with Dr Buczkowski, I felt elated that someone was finally relating to what I was saying and could give me answers that made sense in relation to my pain. I was tearful with joy and relief, because for the first time someone had a plan that was going to eventually make me better.’
Dr Buczkowski was able to establish the main pain source with precision diagnostic injections and referred Mrs Wigley for appropriate treatment. Mrs Wigley says: ‘Dr Buczkowski was very honest and said it was going to take time and the treatment would have to be done in stages. It all made so much sense and he knew exactly what the problem was. I didn’t hesitate and agreed to start the treatment plan immediately. He gave me lots of confidence and assurance along the way. His expertise is second to none and I have so much to thank him for. He has literally changed my life.’
Mrs Wigley’s health status improved from 20% to 60% and she experienced improvement in mobility resulting with the complete restoration of her usual activities and recovery from anxiety and depression.
‘I found Nuffield Hospital to be clean and very efficient,’ she says. ‘The staff are always friendly and helpful. You are very well looked after when you stay overnight and the doctors and specialists are exceptional.’
‘I am almost finished with my treatments, and to see the improvement from the woman I was to the woman I am today is astonishing to say the least. I am now more than half way to being pain-free and I can’t thank the team at Nuffield Hospital enough for the way I feel today.’
