Re: [Paddlewise] pain and strains

On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 5:23 PM, skimmer <skimmer_at_enter.net> wrote:

>
> I use Aleve. I never take two. I don't use it to cover up the pain. When I
> am getting some such irritation, I take the view that the anti-inflammatory
> properties of Aleve, taken at supper time or shortly latter, suppress the
> inflammation and allow healing over night. Sometimes a couple of nights are
> required. This approach seems better than just trying to cover up the pain
> while the damaging behavior continues.
>

You are indeed lucky that at age 70 you can control your pain with minimal
medication. That approach seems to work for you. It does not work for
everyone. Some pain issues are genetic, some are from injuries suffered
decades previously... there can be a myriad of reasons why someone has
pain. For many years the medical community treated pain in much the same as
you seem to be advocating. Most of the medical community was young and
healthy and many just assumed that anyone with severe chronic pain was
merely making it all up. After all, *they* were just fine.

For a while they were even withholding pain medication from people who were
dying of cancer on the theory that they didn't want to get them "hooked" on
drugs. What stupidity... to let someone with only weeks to live suffer
needlessly. We are fortunate that most of society has moved on from that
position.

Sometimes the only "damaging behavior" is getting on with one's life. If
covering up pain is the only way to still have a reasonable life - as
opposed perhaps to simply sitting in front of the tv all day because
walking is painful - then I don't think that's terribly unreasonable.

Craig
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