# Help me save money and not go to the doctor if I don't have too! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 5, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371 "2010-03-05T02:54:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clivas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clivas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clivas)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371/1 "2010-03-05T02:54:31Z")
While trying to impress the children last week sledding, Ol’ dad decided to go off a little ramp. Yeah, I hit it quite a bit faster than I thought. Anyway…I flew in the air and tried to catch myself with my right arm which unfortunately was not bent at the elbow when I landed and I hit with all my weight on my arm. There was a little popping sound and a slight pain like when you jam your finger. This was two weeks ago. I could fully move my arm at first but it eventually stiffened up. I couldn’t bend it enough to touch my face and I couldn’t straighten it much past 90 degrees. I put ice on it and took ibuprofen and it got a little better. I can now touch my face and bend my arm all the way up but I cannot straighten it all the way. I can flex and rotate and bend it to near normal so I assume its not a broken bone. However, when I try to straighten it fully it feels really tight, especially from the elbow to about halfway down the top of my forearm. I CAN actually fully extend my arm if I hold my upper arm with my other hand, relax and let gravity weigh it down but I can’t use my muscles to do it without it feeling tight and causing a little pain. I know everyone is probably going to tell me to go to the doctor but the last time I had a similar injury years ago, the doctor said it may or may not be fractured, here’s a cheap sling and a bill for 700 bucks. I’m guessing either a fractured bone or torn ligament or maybe just a sprain perhaps? There is no swelling or discoloration, nothing feels or seems out of place. My biggest concern isn’t that I can’t function but rather if something is wrong, it won’t heal correctly if I just let it be. I don’t mind going to the doctor if I absolutely have to, but I’ll feel really really bad in these lean times if I have to pay a thousand bucks for something that I could have just healed with time. I have a higher tolerance for pain than I do for spending money unnecessarily. Any questions to help you determine my injury, just let me know. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371/2 "2010-03-05T03:53:13Z")
You should see a doctor. The SDMB takes a dim view toward remote-diagnosing. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371/3 "2010-03-05T04:04:04Z")
I’ll third the get thee to a doctor that you suggested yourself… ---
**Author:** ![Clivas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clivas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clivas)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371/4 "2010-03-05T04:22:22Z")
I can understand the remote diagnosing thing but thought I’d give it a shot. Ah well, I have more time than money so I guess I’ll leave it be and see what happens. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371/5 "2010-03-05T04:28:58Z")
[moderating] Since you’ve made a decision, I’ve closed the thread. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-save-money-and-not-go-to-the-doctor-if-i-dont-have-too/531371/6 "2010-03-05T04:33:18Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > You should see a doctor. The SDMB takes a dim view toward remote-diagnosing. Correct. It’s pretty obvious you need to get to a doctor, **Clivas** , and trying to get medical help from strangers on the internet isn’t a good idea. I’m going to [del]close this thread[/del] simulpost with **Gary “Wombat” Robson** and end up looking ridiculous. Good luck to you.