Occupational Hazards
I won’t pretend I’m not embarrassed to have injured myself sitting in a chair.
Of course, I’m not alone; as soon as I say “severe neck and back pain” to anyone who works at a desk, I get instant sympathy and advice. (Best advice from a colleague so far: crunches to build abdominal strength.) Sitting in a bad posture for 10-12 hour days and stressing out over work has installed a little pain machine in my back, and the pain machine is trained to work long hours and take its duties seriously. [sigh]
I’m sitting in a brand new chair right now, waiting for my brand new desk to arrive, and stopping once an hour to do my brand new exercises recommended by my brand new massage therapist. Chair, desk, and massage therapist are all things I’ve meant to find over the past year, but always with the thought that I’d wait “another month or two” because of time, money, etc. All those delay tactics were tossed out the window by the screaming agony that’s taken up residence in my neck and between my shoulder blades.
I’ve actually thought seriously about a neck-ectomy. Last night I fantasized that my neck could just be removed because - wow! - wouldn’t that feel good?
Instead, I take handfuls of ibuprofin and spend a lot of time sitting in a very precise position to minimize the anguish.
Philip Brewer said,
September 7, 2007 @ 9:08 am
Sitting. Standing. Sneezing. I’ve managed to wrench my back or neck doing each of these things. Most annoying was once when I was literally standing perfectly still–I had taken off my glasses and was about to get into bed when my back went *crnch*.
So–I feel your pain (although not right at this minute).
Hope you feel better.
beth said,
September 8, 2007 @ 9:21 am
I am feeling better, thanks — last night I put together my new desk, and I think the activity was good for me. I’m still a little stiff and tentative, but the screaming agony is gone and I’ve managed to sleep through two nights now without waking up from the pain.
And I’m still doing those crunches!
Tammy Gilden said,
September 9, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Hi Beth,
Please be careful popping Ibuprofin for the pain unfortunately it comes with lots of side effects that you may not connect with the durg. You may want to look at the side effects if you will use ibuprofin for more than a short time period.
Feel better soon and keep up with the exercise and massage.
All the best,
Tammy Gilden
beth said,
September 9, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
[wry] I was being glib — to me, taking any ibuprofin at all is a big deal, since I’m usually wary of pills of any sort and I value my various organs too much to ask them to handle all the fun poisons that come with most medications. (I’ve taken maybe a dozen ibuprofin in the entire past year.) Happily, the massage, exercise, and overall reduced stress have been working. I’m pain-free this weekend and planning to keep it that way!