Question
Hi. I know you can not diagnose, but can you please just say what you would guess is the case? My mom is in her early 60s. She has no health issues. She only takes an asperin occasionally. She lives in a tiny town far out in the middle of nowhere. She was shoveling as she always does, but this time the snow was up to her hips/ and knees in various places. Anyway, she felt fine til she came in. Then she was hit with soreness and stiffness. The next day she could hardly move due. She showered in hot shower and felt great. She got out and was hit with intense pain and not able to move much at all. She took 2 ibuprofen--she NEVER takes meds! She cant tell if its her hip or back but the pain is severe and its now the 2nd day of this. She is TOUGH and she cant take the pain--feels like vomiting and passing out from the pain. She is getting another snow storm --actually will be getting them back to back--so she cant get to the doctors--which I have never heard her every consider, but she says when the weather is good she will go. Can you guess as to what may have happened to her hip/back? Any ideas what she should do? PLease. Thank you

Answer
Dear Jenny,

Thank you for writing.

Even though this is not a service that I would provide in my field, I would say to you that diagnosis under the best of circumstances is something of an art.  It would be irresponsible for anyone to give you a guess by e-mail or the web about your mother's situation.  Diagnostic work and therapeutic advice are difficult enough when done properly.  It becomes a riskier proposition when done poorly.  You would be best served getting opinions from someone with first-hand knowledge about her, not a limited acquaintance through correspondence.  Anyone who is willing to speculate about your situation by e-mail is providing you little more than a guess and perhaps a dangerous one, at that!  

Your question starts off with a very important statement, acknowleding that e-mail diagnosis is not possible.  You need to understand, then, the importance of that observation when I respectfully decline to hazard a guess about your mother's situation.  


Sincerely,
James W. Healey, DC