Is it all in my head?

Disclaimer: This comment is not intended to treat, diagnose, or go against any rules of AN.com. So there.

With that said, Najah23, I would like to tell you how I deal with my many discomforts, from riding myself hard and being put away wet, in one word: Exercise.

I have torn, fractured, or generally messed up just about every bone and joint in my body. To give you some specifics, I have a plate and 12 screws in my right femur, a plate and 4 screws on my right ulna, have fractured both hands and wrists, right acetabulum, torn left ACL, right shoulder pain, etc. etc.

At the age of 35, I remember saying that I felt like an old man. Now, I've always been a physical kind of guy. You know- intermittent jogging, bicycling, wt lifting, etc. But about 13 years ago, I got into a routine, and pretty much kept with it. I joined a gym, seriously got into bicycling, and now have a home gym and eliptical in my basement. I do at least a basic routine EVERY DAY.

At the age of 54, I still have chronic aches and pains, but they're tolerable. I rarely take ibuprofen. I read in a bicycling mag that 1 t0 2 gms of fish oil a day helps with pain, and that's what I take. It seems to help.

An 82 year old gentleman once told me, "I work out every day because I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't." I know that I feel "all stoved up" if I get out of my routine.

My comment is intended to give you a little hope, Najah23. There are all sorts of information out there on dealing with pain. We all need to find something that works for us. Exercise does it for me.

Good luck to you, Najah23.

Dave