Several weeks ago I woke with pain in my left arm. The kind of pain that comes when I have overdone something, like gone kayaking and used that paddle too enthusiastically. Yet I had done nothing, and it was just my left arm.
After a few days, when the pain was not going away or diminishing I figured it was probably arthritis. I lived with it for a while but finally, after a few weeks I went to see a doctor. He too figured it was arthritis but said only an x-ray would confirm. I did not want to pay for the x-ray at the time. He also said one help might be an injection of corticosteroid in the arm. I had heard about this from my friend, who has had it done elsewhere, and she said it worked beautifully to take away the pain. We talked of it and I decided to take plan B instead, for now: four acetaminophen tablets a day, spread through the day. See how it goes. I do not take NSAIDs because of the effect on my stomach.
I have been doing the acetaminophen for a couple of weeks now, some days forgetting of course, and in the past few days I have felt less pain. I do not know if this is from the pain relievers or if it happened just naturally, as is the way with arthritis. But it is a hopeful sign.
In other news, I still eat a healthy diet but too much of it and too often I add in fats which are no benefit to me. I have not exercised regularly lately because of recurring pain in my right leg but am trying to get back with a hike now and then.
