Howdy=20 folks,
I had a client come through the other day = whose has=20 been nursing a hamstring issue for over a year now. Over that time she's = been to=20 me a few times, seen at least a couple of physical therapists regularly, = tried=20 working it out, tried resting it out, and nothing has solved it. The = last time I=20 saw her she mentioned that another professional had told her that a = steroid shot=20 might well fix it quickly and efficiently. She was thinking she might do = that,=20 but was still reluctant. She said she would rather work it out = naturally.=20
I understand that. After years of trouble = with=20 insomnia, I have finally gotten to the point where I will occassionally = take a=20 benedryl. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but I don't want = to take=20 anything stronger or more regularly. I'm hoping someday me and my body = will work=20 it out.
So the question is: is there any reason = to avoid the=20 quick medical fix? Are we just being stubborn? If there is a reason, = when is=20 enough enough?
Probably part of the answer is yes, we = are a bit=20 stubborn. If we think we live in an over-medicated society, then it = takes some=20 effort to resist, and sometimes that effort might make us hold out = beyond=20 reasonable logic. But why hold out at all against something that will = allow us=20 to be comfortable again?
I think the answer is the question = itself. If we=20 weren't having trouble we would miss out on asking all these questions. = Nothing=20 generates self-reflection quite like discomfort, and nothing generates = knowledge=20 quite like self-reflection. When you pull a hamstring, you become aware = of the=20 connections in your leg in a way you never did before. In all of your = motions,=20 the injury is going to be sending you all sorts of signals, sometimes in = very=20 loud tones. If you pay attention to it, the injury can teach you all = kinds of=20 things about the way your leg and hip muscles interact, and so on. = Neither me,=20 or your doctor, or your physical therapist, or even that amazing guy in = Tribeca=20 that invented the Golden Chakra Hoola-Hoops will ever get anywhere near = the same=20 feedback about your body that you can get yourself. That information may = in time=20 lead you to the creative tools you need to solve your own problem. In = any case,=20 the awareness you develop will stick with you after the injury is = healed. And=20 the process will give you philosophical insight that will carry through = all=20 aspects of your life.
As for when enough is enough, I have no = idea.=20 Sometimes it just is. So if you decide you've gotten about all the = information=20 you care to get from that particular problem, don't worry about it. No = doubt=20 another learning opportunity will show up soon enough.