Feeling indestructible. That’s how some feel when it comes to their bodies. Totally ignoring the signals their body gives them to do the things they want to do. At that point in time, it may not catch up and the regularly-scheduled activities can still go on. But as you get older, things definitely change.
I, for one, witnessed that. I have been an athlete all my life and besides breaking my left hand twice in three years and a broken nose, I have never had lingering injuries. Well, all that changed when my back started hurting recently. At first, I was ignoring it, thinking it would go away. After a couple days, the pain went away. That pain going away was only temporary though, as my back began hurting again that weekend and it hurt so back that I could barely walk without pain.
As I felt that pain pulsating through my back and leg, I thought if I should go to the doctor. In the past, I would just shrug things off and keep moving. But then I thought of the potential damage I could be doing to my body. What if the damage got worse without getting this diagnosed? As I looked at my wife and daughter, I thought of the damage potentially affecting my quality of life being around them and being able to interact with them. The pain was so bad that I could not even put my socks on by myself. Getting in and out of my car was a chore. So, after a couple days of trying to shake off the pain, I finally went to the doctor.
Going to the doctor and finally acknowledging the pain was the best decision I could have made. After being prescribed pain meds and muscle relaxers and going to a physical therapist, I am now feeling better than ever and the pain is going away in my back. Life is getting back to normal and I am moving around much better than before.
I said all that to say that when you feel pain, listen to what your body is telling you. If you don’t, you could end up hurting yourself worse. And that not only affects you but others around you potentially. Your body doesn’t send signals to you for nothing.
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