Low back pain is very common in urban cities, but if you have sudden severe low back pain, you should be alert to your health condition. Mrs. Chan suffered from sudden severe low back pain earlier and was worried about kidney stones, so she rushed to the A&E (Accident & Emergency) of a private hospital for consultation. Due to the unexpected financial expenses, her husband, Mr. Chan, called Cigna’s Customer Service for inquiries and was referred to Cigna’s Care Manager for follow-up, hoping to apply for cashless hospitalization for his wife as soon as possible.
Admission to Hospital for Severe Low Back Pain
Mrs. Chan felt an unprecedented low back pain, with tremors and cold sweats all over the body. She felt so painful that Mr. Chan, her husband, accompanied her to the A&E of a nearby private hospital for consultation. The doctor initially suspected that Mrs. Chan had a kidney stone and asked her to be admitted to the hospital for examination and treatment. Mr. Chan subsequently called the dedicated Cigna's Care Manager for inquiries, and immediately applied for Cashless Hospitalization service. Considering that the case was urgent and special, the approval was granted under emergency after our Care Manager has learnt more about our client’s condition with the hospital. The insurance company eventually paid the necessary expenses in advance for Mrs. Chan so that she was not required to pay after being discharged from the hospital. Under normal circumstances, Cigna will grant approval for application for Cashless Hospitalization service only if clients give a notice in advance at least 3 to 7 days before admission to the hospital.
No Kidney Stones Found, Pain Remains a Mystery
After being admitted to the hospital, Mrs. Chan had an ultrasound and other related examinations. Her kidneys were found to be healthy and no kidney stones were found. The doctor suspected that the pain was triggered from bone or muscle problems and she was referred to an orthopaedic specialist for further follow-up.
Emotional Support During Illness is Crucial
Unknown body pain can be extremely worrisome, especially when the cause has not been found. In this case, Care Manager not only solved the financial burden for Mr. and Mrs. Chan, but also provided a lot of emotional support services to teach them how to face pain optimistically and not to be overly pessimistic as mental burden will exacerbate pain. It is recommended to have good habits in daily life, properly balance work and rest time, and set life goals, all of which are conducive to relieving stress.
Low Back Pain is Common Chronic Pain
Low back pain is common in urban cities. About 80% of people have suffered from acute low back pain. Some are overweight; some do over-repetitive lifting and twisting movements; some have poor sitting and standing posture for a long time. All of the above are high-risk causes for low back pain in daily life. In many cases, patients can see improvements or recover on their own within a few weeks and no special treatment is necessary, but a small number of people will suffer from long-term pain, and they should learn how to live with the pain in the future.
Tips for Patients with Long-term Low Back Pain:
- Avoid lifting too heavy objects all of a sudden, and do so progressively
- Avoid strenuous waist exercises
- Maintain correct sitting and standing posture
- Stand up or stretch to change your posture after sitting down for work every half an hour to an hour
- Avoid wearing high heels
- Eat more fruits and vegetables, and drink more water to prevent constipation
- Avoid holding a poor bending posture for a long time, and do not twist your waist suddenly
- Use a cart for shopping, and carry objects with a rucksack when you go out, so that the weight on the body and spine can be evenly distributed
Cigna’s Care Manager Provides You with Heart-warming Services
At present, Cigna’s Individual and Group customers can receive our Healthcare Concierge Service when receiving treatment, including a dedicated Care Manager for follow-up. The services are as follows:
- Staffed by registered nurses and provide customers with professional advisory if they are facing health issue. For health enquiry, Please contact Cigna Customer Service hotline
- Understands and analyzes the health condition of customers, and offers network doctor options
- Coordinates and follows up on hospital surgery or treatment arrangements and post-surgery visit
- Provides information on improving health, and post-discharge follow-up in person(for example, arranging post-discharge physiotherapy, nutrition guidance, meal delivery service, and more)
- Refers you to personalized services (for example, local limousine transportation to the hospital, nursing arrangements, virtual consultation, medication delivery, home modification, and more)
- Provides emotional support for customers and their family
- Helps arrange “Cigna Health Services At Home” – for example, arranging for cancer patients to receive chemotherapy at home which agreed by doctor to ease the burden of travelling and reduce the risk of infection
The above content is adapted from real cases. Should you have any questions regarding the above case, please contact Cigna for inquiries.
The content of the article cannot substitute for professional opinions or diagnosis of the attending doctors. Should you have any questions regarding the medical treatment plan, please consult your attending doctor.
The content of the above article is for reference only, and Cigna does not warrant or make any representation regarding the accuracy and completeness of the related content and information. Cigna shall not be liable for any damages, indemnities, costs or other expenses arising out of the related content and information.
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