While we were traveling a few weeks ago, my computer bag slipped off my shoulder and I caught it on my arm right below my elbow. No big deal -my arm was a little sore. I chose to ignore the small injury and went on with my life. I didn’t think anything of it. Last week I noticed that my wrist is a little sore. But again a little soreness isn’t much, so I didn’t do anything about it. Now a few days later my wrist is really sore! It hurts to rotate my arm, it hurts to type and use the mouse and I have no strength to hold anything in my hand.

Don’t Ignore Small Injuries

Thanks for the dry needling Dr. Lee!

Lesson #1:  Don’t ignore small injuries; they usually snow ball into something bigger. Ignoring slight pain is like putting a post-it note over the check engine light on your car. Ignoring the light doesn’t make it go away nor does it fix the engine; it just makes it worse.

Lesson #2: The location of the pain or symptom is not always the location of the injury or cause. Pain and injuries can be like earthquakes in that there’s an epicenter, but the shocks can be felt miles and miles away. There is no actual injury to my wrist, but the wrist and hand are connected to the elbow by muscles, tendons and ligaments – and pain usually travels down.

I’ve been taught this and lived this before, but I’ve yet to really learn my lesson. (Don’t tell Dr Lee, it’ll go to his head.) So today I am rocking the kt-tape, which my daughter decorated for me. I am getting my wrist and elbow adjusted, following icing directions; using Bio Freeze, having Dr Lam do muscle work and not ignoring the signs that something is wrong.

Whether it’s an old injury that you have been ignoring, or a new one, we can help! Make an appointment for a consultation today.