We have a terrible crisis in the United States and worldwide with abuse of pain medications. Some of this is due to corrupt practices in marketing from the drug companies and their representatives. We do need to address this issue as it is taking the lives of many promising human beings. Pain meds in general then have a bad rap, but sometimes they are necessary.

At first the episodes of pain that kept me from doing much moving were exceedingly rare. A day of bed rest, hot baths in Epson salts, and some topical pain reliever did the trick. The pain became more frequent, and I was assigned a group of exercises to do to alleviate bursitis. This helped to some degree, but I still had the episodes of severe pain upon movement, and they were coming more often.

I went back to my doctor and told him that I thought that it was time to do something else, because I felt that I was on a decline health wise because the pain was keeping me from walking and riding my stationary bike on a consistent basis. I could exercise with the bike set on the highest and next to the highest setting for 40 minutes prior to the frequent pain episodes and that now I could not maintain any length of time at either of these settings.

I was prescribed Meloxicam and was told that this would not be an instant cure and that I needed to keep doing the stretching and strengthening exercises that he had given me. It took about a month before the pain was no longer there. I now experience what I would call discomfort at some times, and I am quite sure that I would not be moving were it not for the pain medication.

My health coach was very influential in helping me get through this period. She helped me to understand that being consistent with the pain meds was my best chance of regaining my level of mobility and strength.

Though we do not want to depend on medication to alleviate pain, sometimes it is necessary.