Hello. Your story is pretty typical for medial tibial stress syndrome, or shin splints. This disorder is caused by activities that place too much stress on the tissues that connect the muscles of your legs to your shin bones. This results in microtears in these tissues, which in turn triggers inflammation. Depending on the extent of the injury and the level of continuing activity, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months for shin splints to heal. Ice, anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.), rest and gentle exercises (toe raises, for example) are the mainstays of therapy. Proper footwear, arch supports (if you have low arches), leg strength training and avoidance of the terrible toos (running too hard, too fast and too long) will help prevent recurrence once your shin splints have healed. I suggest you consult a physical therapist, if possible, to develop a home rehabilitation program. This will get you back to running more quickly. Good luck!