Aches and Pains

Because most people with minor injuries don't go to the doctor, physicians don't spend a lot of time learning about common transient illnesses. My knowledge of bruises, ankle sprains, and shin splints is probably comparable to anyone who has had them. As a doctor, when I come across these common minor complaints, my priority is to exclude something more serious. When I think of illnesses like asthma, migraines, or heartburn, I think of the severe end of the spectrum, not the mild end that most of my friends experience. I know a lot of friends with heartburn managed by diet modification (no more raw onions) but when I think of the disease in the context of medicine, my mind jumps to medications. Much as my friends like to query me about their symptoms, I'm usually not the right person.

In the same vein, I began having a muscle ache recently, and I have no idea what it is. IT band syndrome? A ligament tear in my knee? A muscle contusion from trauma I don't remember? Like most things, I'm just relying on common sense and hoping it gets better.