Penetrex to help an aging body stay active

Choosing to retire was a lifestyle decision. I had a great job, but it sucked up all my time, and I didn’t want to live that way anymore. Is it me, or is work overrated?

I don’t have a full-time job anymore, but I’m like just about everyone else working or retired. Getting older and doing what I can to stack the deck for a long, healthy and happy life.

My guiding principles are move more, eat well, look good, stay healthy, keep learning, use cannabis wisely and enjoy simple pleasures.

That last one … pain. Pain is a thief that will rob you of joy and diminish your mobility, which can have disastrous effects on your overall health. I’ve been writing about my use of cannabis to deal with post-mastectomy pain and other afflictions, and I also wanted to share my experience with a product anyone can use.

Penetrex is a topical cream you can buy on Amazon or at Walmart that treats anything resulting from inflammation of muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons. The active ingredient is an herb called Arnica.

While I do use cannabis products to ease inflammation in my body, so far I haven’t tried cannabis topicals to target specific areas. However, I use Penetrex in multiple ways.

• Knees. I injured mine in a sports accident almost eight years ago. They hurt and swell for no good reason. Using Penetrex regularly keeps me walking about five miles a day pretty much pain-free.
• Sciatica. The MRI says I have bulging discs and spinal stenosis. My principal symptom is sciatica. I put Penetrex on the spot where it hurts, as well as up and down my spine, because I figure that’s where the pain originates. I have not had a full-blown sciatica episode since I started using Penetrex nine months ago.
• Breast cancer scars. The area around my armpits where they removed lymph nodes looks like the Grand Canyon – sometimes those scars just burn and sting. Penetrex makes it go away almost instantly.

My sister and I are famous for having weird medical issues. That’s why neither one of us has children – the gene pool stops here. She has a thing called Chilblains, which makes her toes itch, hurt and turn blue. She uses Penetrex as soon as an episode begins, and it’s gone before it starts. My husband uses it with great success on his shoulder, which he injured years ago playing racquetball.

Obviously, I’m a big fan of Penetrex. Just get me a bucket and a paint roller. The literature says the product treats inflammation, which encompasses a lot of ailments but certainly not all. Do you think it’s worth a try?