A Patient is Mad at Me · Whelton Methods® Free Group

A Patient is Mad at Me

During SI/sacral rehab it is very common to have a back spasm. This can make patients feel like "You hurt me" or "It's not working" If handled correctly I have significantly decreased the amount of patients that get skeptical and quit. I started recording a video in the beginning of rehab warning them about the possibility of this happening so when it happens they don't freak out and quit. This patient had a friend just diagnosed this week with cancer and hosted Thanksgiving. Stress and cleaning are common causes of back spasms. The problem was emotional but the clinician gets blamed by them when it happens. Here was my response to this patient who called all upset.

I spoke with Dr. Whelton, and he asked me to reach out to you personally. He mentioned that he discussed with you what likely caused this recent flare-up—mainly a combination of stress and hosting during the holiday, which is something we see very often this time of year.

He also shared that this is exactly why he explained potential flare-ups at the start of your rehab and included that information in the video you received, to warn you. Sometimes, during the middle of a program, the nervous system becomes overwhelmed through life events and a temporary spasm can occur. When that happens, the best approach is to let things settle and then return to the exercises gently and pain-free, just as outlined originally.

Most importantly, he wants you to know that what happened is not a sign that the rehab isn’t working. It’s a very common bump in the road, and one he anticipated at the very beginning. Clinically, he’s not concerned—he just wants to make sure you feel supported and understand what’s going on.

His recommendation is to allow the area to calm down—typically this takes about 1–3 weeks—and then ease back into your exercises once it feels comfortable to do so. We’re here for you through the process, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need reassurance along the way.

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