Unknown Injury

I woke up on Tuesday with some light soreness in my right shoulder. I headed over to the gym to do a treadmill run and to take a steam to clear my sinuses. I was going to Connecticut and Westchester County, New York to look at real estate. This comprised about 8 hours in a car. By the time I got home from the day trip, my shoulder was very sore and stiff.

When I went to bed that night, it was really bothering me and I couldn’t lift my arm without a sharp pain. It kept me up most of the night. I was taking Wednesday off as part of my usual routine. So, I thought another day of rest would get me over the pain and I could get back to a normal routine.

Well, it didn’t work out that way. I went to the chiropractor to see if he could relieve the pain. In the end, he helped me a little but suggested I go see my primary care physician. My primary care physician wasn’t sure what the cause is as I did not injure it in any way. He ordered x-rays which I am waiting for the results. But, he did suggest I try acupuncture to see if it could relieve the pain. I have never had acupuncture. But, I was willing to try anything at this point.

I went to see an acupuncturist on Friday. I was a bit surprised that my primary MD recommended it until I read a little about acupuncture. “Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin, to various depths at strategic points on your body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago, but over the past two decades its popularity has grown significantly within the United States. Although scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, some studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits — from reducing pain to helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea” (from http://www.mayoclinic.com/). I wasn’t sure what to expect or if it would even help. But, I went any way.

I have to say that after the session (about 45 minutes); I could immediately move my arm with a broader range of motion. The ache and pain was significantly reduced. I was amazed. I am going to go back again on Monday for a second session in hopes that it will continue to have a positive impact on my healing process. It will allow me to continue running and perhaps shorten the 5-6 week healing time frame my primary care physician estimated.

I should say here that I am generally a person who wants to find alternative ways to healing that don’t include drugs and/or surgery. I believe strongly that we can heal ourselves through other methods like acupuncture and herbal medicines. I have been able to reduce my cholesterol significantly through a change in my diet and taking fish and flax seed oil tablets along with niacin (a B vitamin). Of course, if drugs or surgery are necessary, I am all for it. I just like to exhaust other methods before resorting to those cures. I guess that is why I like my primary care physician. He too is open to alternative methods if they can be effective.

Obviously, my training was a bit affected by the shoulder injury. But, I still had a good week overall.

Nov. 9 – 10.00 miles (1:27:50, 8:47 pace)
Nov. 10 – 6.06 miles (54:19, 8:58 pace)
Nov. 11 – 3.00 miles (24:34, 8:11 pace) -- Speedwork
Nov. 13 – 6.20 miles (53:56, 8:41 pace)
Nov. 14 – 6.20 miles (55:45, 8:58 pace)
Nov. 15 – 6.00 miles (54:09, 9:01 pace)

Total Miles: 37.46 miles
YTD Miles: 822.47 miles