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Acupuncture and Arthritis
What worked for me
Having my body look like a pin cushion was not the way I wanted to battle arthritis.
But I was running out of reasonable options.
After pushing a car out of a snow bank, my feet swelled up like footballs.
My primary care doc sent me to an orthopedic specialist.
Osteoarthritis was the diagnosis after a round of lab tests and X-rays.
“But I’m a jogger,” I protested.
“Take up rollerblading,” was the specialist’s response. “Jogging puts too much strain on the joints in your ankles and knees. And here’s a prescription for the drug of choice.”
“I don’t take drugs,” I explained. “My body has a way of revolting against even aspirin or ibuprofen.”
“Both of those drugs are non-specific. This drug is a specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It won’t harm your stomach like aspirin or ibuprofen.”
“What else you got, Doc? I’m not a fan of pills.”
“Well, we can inject a steroid directly into the joint, if you prefer.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. Give me the prescription.”
Being cautious by nature, before I filled the prescription, I looked up the drug on a couple of websites…
