dancerjodi

I tend to be quite the nature-girl when it comes to physical ailments. I don't go to the doctor unless its absolutely necessary, I don't take medication unless it is (like, unless its for hormonal regulation to prevent pregnancy, or unless I need some amoxicillin for an ear infection).

It helps too that I have a high pain and annoyance tolerance.

This bites me in the butt sometimes though, because problems go untreated for a while because honestly - I just deal with them and go on and live my life. I've done this many times - like having athlete's foot for over a month, having asthma for many months before being diagnosed and getting the necessary meds, and for tolerating a "cold" which ended up being a massive sinus infection/ear infection two years ago that made me want to rip my head off.

A few weeks ago I pulled (I think) a muscle in my left arm. If you held your arm out in front of you, turned your palm to face the inside of your body, and feel the muscles in the inner part of your upper arm - that's the focus of the pain (though, the pain covers the whole upper part of that arm into my shoulder). I noticed it around the time of Punk Rock Aerobics. I can't even remember if I did it in class or right before class (I want to say the latter). I know nothing is broken . . . so really, what would a doctor do for me? In these instances I'm careful about what I'm doing with the muscle, I stretch it out, and let it heal. Only usually its healed by now . . .

Lack of lifting at the gym (i.e. Dancer has a weak upper body, again) combined with bad sleeping arrangements (read: stress and spending time over the weekend on an inflatable air mattress) caused the right side of my upper back and neck to jump, kink and be sore on Sunday. You know how you wake up one day having slept the wrong way on your neck? Its that kind of pain. Quite annoying!

I wonder, could I have pulled a tendon or something? I didn't do anything hardcore, but its weird that its still sore. I think the doctor's visit would be a waste. This happened last year when I had bruised my ribs. Those fsckers hurt for almost 2 months, though were just bruised. After the nurses I worked with convinced me to go to see my doctor she said "yep, bruised". In my current circumstance: first, I don't have the time to see a doctor; second, my co-pay has gone up to $20 and third, unless its broken there's nothing they are going to do.

I guess I'll keep babying the damed thing and trying to stretch to work it out. Hell, I'll even break down and take an Alleve or something. I don't like to numb the pain to the point of doing something bad to make it worse . . . but I do want some relief when I'm packing up boxes.

Damn, I hate feeling like this. I want to move dammit! I have so much respect for people that deal with these kinds of conditions on a regular basis; that takes strength and patience I'm sure.