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An ambulance whizzed by. In the car, Wang Dawei held his wife's hand tightly and curled up in pain. This is the tenth time he has been taken to the hospital, each time because of sudden, severe abdominal pain.
For ten years, Wang Dawei suffered from recurrent abdominal pain. From the initial slight discomfort to the heart-rending severe pain later, the condition became more and more serious. He traveled to many hospitals, did countless tests, and was operated on ten times, but he could not find the cause. This time, he decided to give it a go and begged the doctor to cut his stomach open completely and find out what was wrong.
Wang Dawei is 45 years old and a construction engineer. Ten years ago, he was a capable player in the company and had a bright future. Who would have thought that an inexplicable abdominal pain would completely change the trajectory of his life. At first, he thought it was just ordinary gastroenteritis and that he could take some medicine. However, instead of alleviating, the symptoms are getting worse.
The first inpatient surgery was six months after the onset of the disease. The doctor suspected that it might be appendicitis, so he performed an appendectomy on Wang Dawei. The surgery was successful, but shortly after the operation, the abdominal pain returned. In the next few years, Wang Dawei underwent many surgeries such as gallbladder removal, intestinal adhesion release, and laparoscopic exploration, and each time he was admitted to the hospital with hope and returned disappointed.
Repeated surgeries not only did not solve the problem, but brought more burden to Wang Dawei's body. His weight had dropped dramatically, his face was pale, and he was skinny. Work could not be carried out normally, and the family was financially struggling. His wife had to quit her job to take care of him full-time. The son also became withdrawn because of the lack of his father's company.
In the past ten years, Wang Dawei has traveled to almost all major hospitals across the country. Everywhere he went, he would describe his symptoms to doctors with anticipation, hoping to get a definitive diagnosis. However, various examination results showed that his organs were functioning normally and there were no obvious lesions. Some doctors believe that it may be a functional gastrointestinal disease, some suspect chronic pancreatitis, and others suggest that it may be a rare form of retroperitoneal fibrosis.
Wang Dawei has tried various treatment methods, from the combination of Chinese and Western medicine to home remedies, but with little effect. For a while, he even became obsessed with some "miracle doctors", and spent a lot of money to buy all kinds of expensive health products and herbs, but the result not only did not improve, but also almost injured his kidney.
In desperation, Wang Dawei saw an article on the Internet about "abdominal pain syndrome". The article mentions that in some patients, abdominal pain may be due to neurologic abnormalities rather than organic lesions. This gave him a glimmer of hope that perhaps this was his problem.
With this idea, Wang Dawei came to the pain department of a tertiary hospital in the provincial capital. Dr. Zhang, who was seen as an expert in this area, listened carefully to Wang's medical history and came up with a bold guess: chronic abdominal wall pain syndrome (CAWPS).
Dr Teo explains that CAWPS is an often overlooked condition with symptoms similar to many intra-abdominal diseases that can be easily misdiagnosed. This condition is characterized by irritation or damage to the muscles or nerves of the abdominal wall, resulting in persistent or intermittent pain. The etiology is complex and may be related to surgery, trauma, pregnancy, and other factors.
Wang Dawei suddenly realized that he recalled his first operation. Soon after that surgery, the abdominal pain worsened. Could it be that the surgery damaged the nerves in the abdominal wall? For years, doctors have been focusing on his internal organs and ignoring possible problems with the abdominal wall itself.
Dr. Zhang recommends a local anesthetic test to confirm the diagnosis. She injected a local anesthetic into the area where Wang Dawei's pain was most intense. Miraculously, the pain that had plagued Wang Dawei for many years was significantly relieved in a short period of time. This result basically confirms the diagnosis of CAWPS.
After his diagnosis, Dr. Zhang developed a comprehensive treatment plan for Wang. The first is local injection treatment, which includes nerve blocks and myofascial trigger point injections. This is followed by physical therapy such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and ultrasound therapy. It is also combined with oral medications, such as antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs, to regulate nervous system function. In addition, Dr. Cheung also recommended that David Wong learn some relaxation techniques and pain management strategies.
The treatment process is not all smooth sailing. In the beginning, Mr. Wang's symptoms were mixed, sometimes briefly worsening. But with Dr. Zhang's encouragement, he persevered. After three months, the frequency and intensity of his pain was significantly reduced. Half a year later, he was able to work and live normally.
During his recovery, David met many patients who had similar experiences to him. There is a retired teacher, Aunt Li, who has been suffering from abdominal pain for more than 20 years, and was not diagnosed with CAWPS until she was 70 years old. There is also a young programmer, Xiao Zhang, who has been sitting for a long time, resulting in rectus abdominal pain syndrome, which almost affected his work. Through mutual communication and encouragement, they came out of the haze of illness together.
Looking back on the past ten years of medical treatment, Wang Dawei is full of emotion. He deeply understands that in the face of complex diseases, both doctors and patients need to maintain an open and cautious attitude. He called on the medical community to pay more attention to neglected diseases such as CAWPS, and hoped that patients like him would not give up hope easily.
Wang's experience has attracted the attention of the medical community. Based on his case, researchers have conducted in-depth studies on the diagnosis and treatment of CAWPS. The related paper was published in the Chinese Journal of Pain Medicine, which provides an important reference for the diagnosis and treatment of similar patients in the future.
Now that Wang Dawei has returned to work, he has also begun to participate in the activities of some mutual aid organizations for chronic pain patients. He often said, "After experiencing despair, I know the preciousness of hope." His story has inspired many people who are struggling with illness and has given them a bright future.
This long and tortuous medical story is not only Wang Dawei's personal struggle, but also reflects the development of the field of chronic pain diagnosis and treatment in mainland China. From the initial helplessness to the final discovery of the cause, the wisdom and sweat of countless medical workers were condensed during the period. It reminds us that medicine is a science that is always advancing, and that it is essential to maintain a spirit of learning and exploring.
In the face of complex and intractable diseases, it is important not to blindly seek medical treatment or believe in home remedies. Scientific and systematic diagnosis and treatment methods are the key to solving the problem. At the same time, the patient's own psychological adjustment and active cooperation are also important factors in rehabilitation.
In today's increasingly abundant medical resources, there should be fewer and fewer cases like Wang Dawei's long-term undiagnosed. But his story reminds us that there is still much to be done in the health care system. Strengthening the diagnostic capacity of primary medical institutions, establishing a more complete hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, and promoting new technologies and new concepts are the directions of future medical development.
Wang Dawei's recovery is not the end, but the beginning of a new life. His experience teaches us that the resilience of life is far more powerful than we think. No matter what kind of difficulties we encounter, as long as we do not give up hope and persist in finding answers, we will definitely be able to find our own sunny road.