Remember the lyrics to one of Ella Fitzgerald’s classics, “It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing.” Not having that swing was not an option for PGA Professional Gaylen Allen, age 57 and 2001 PGA Teacher of the Year, Minnesota section. Since a car accident five years ago, Allen has been plagued by chronic neck pain which threatened to end his golfing career.
Pro golfer and TCPC patient Gaylen Allen lines up his shot.
Allen and his wife were struck from behind while sitting in their car at a red light in 2006. “The driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and she ran into us at 60 mph,” said Allen. The acute pain situation developed into chronic pain. Through a trial and error process, Allen - and his pain management team at Twin Cities Pain Clinic in Edina - found a way to manage his pain so he could continue working. He has been on the pro circuit locally for 25 years and teaches fulltime at Bunker Indoor Golf Center in Minnetonka.
“When we saw Gaylen at Twin Cities Pain Clinic, he had disc herniation in the C7, T1 area. It has progressed to multi-level degeneration,” said Amy Krenzer, N.P. Allen received epidural injections, physical therapy sessions as well as massage therapy. He now takes daily pain medications which bring his pain down to a manageable level.
“I truly could not function as a golf pro without the medication,” said Allen. “I don’t feel any drowsiness which had been my major concern. I am also consistently doing my physical therapy exercises and stretches on a daily basis.” He visits the clinic every two months to have his dosage of pain medications monitored, and he maintains his lifestyle. “I don’t drink or smoke and have never taken drugs. But I am concerned that I might develop a tolerance to the pain medication at some point,” said Allen.
“He has hardly increased his dose in three years,” said his nurse practitioner. “Tolerance depends on the person and Gaylen has done quite well. People who are nonsmokers and have no history of drug use do better. And for Gaylen, this pain management plan allows his to keep working which makes it worthwhile,” said Krenzer.
“I hope a new therapy will come to light at some point. But for now, I manage with this routine. It hasn’t changed my golf game; however, it has changed my enjoyment of the game,” said Allen.
Health Tip for sudden shoulder, neck or back pain:
- Rest and ice the painful area
- Take an anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxant
- If the pain persists or it your level of discomfort is more than you can handle, see your provider.
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Twin Cities Pain Clinic will hold its first FREE community talk on Tuesday, May 24th at 5:00 p.m. in its new location, 7235 Ohms Lane, Edina, Minnesota. (www.twincitiespainclinic.com). “An integrated approach to treating pain,” will be the featured topic presented by TCPC Physical Therapist Maureen Henderson, a certified Postural Restoration therapist. The 30 minute talk will be followed by a Q & A period and a tour of the new facility. Refreshments will be served.
“When your neck hurts, or your back hurts, it’s rarely just about that one region. The body and muscular-skeletal system are all connected. In order to resolve the under lying issues, we take an integrated or holistic approach. We look at all the interconnecting systems to find the answers,” said Maureen Henderson, P.T. “In the end, you will learn that Postural Restoration is a physical therapy technique which aims to restore a more neutral, pain-free posture for patients.”
This technique can be effective in treating the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath.
- The feeling of being “out of alignment”
- Hip, pelvic, low back pain.
- Chronic muscle pain (fibromyalgia)
- Abdominal, chest wall, and rib cage strains.
- Cervical pain & headaches.
- Knee and foot injuries.
- Shoulder impingement or tendonitis.
Twin Cities Pain Clinic is located just off Highway 100 and 70th Street. For more information, call 952-841-2345. |
