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Architecture and Physical health

x-jla

so, I had a bad month.  I suddenly began getting a scary heart arrhythmia, accompanied by pain in my hands.  After 3 days of it not going away, I went to the doctor and they did some tests.  They said it was a benign arrhythmia and should resolve on its own.  That was not comforting.  A couple days later, I went to get a covid test, and tested positive for covid.  I was worried that it was caused by damages done by the virus or inflammation.  Then, my neck and back issues began getting horrible, and I started to realize that I may have a pinched nerve.  Went to doc again, and they determined that I had a pretty severe neck misalignment and a badly pinched nerve.  The doc also said that my heart palpitations were being caused by my vagus nerve being compressed.  They also found a fracture in my vertebrae.  When he asked what I do, I told him that I’m active, work out every day, eat well...but work on computer or drawing most of the day...he looked and said, “welp that’s your problem”.  I took a week off of work, and did some stretches, yoga, and eased up on the exercise.  Pain and palpitations slowly went away.  My disks are all jacked up, and probably will continue to get worse if I don’t take steps to ease the stress.  The Palpitations are now gone completely, which is good because they scared the shit out of me. Anyway, bottom line is, sitting at a desk, and specifically drawing, is horrible for your neck and back.  I think all firms Should take this seriously, and start figuring ways to integrate spinal heath into their Daily routines.  The doc said that desk work is worse than hard labor on the spine.  Anyone else have spine problems from this career choice?


 
Oct 23, 20 11:47 am
x-jla

edit, positive for covid antibodies (neg for active infection)

Oct 23, 20 11:48 am  · 
 · 
Almosthip

x-jla,

I have DDD, osteoarthritis, severe cervical stenosis, and craniocervical instability.  When I was 21 I was in a really bad multi vehicle car accident.  Basically my little k-car was run over by a transport truck.  I had bad whiplash at the time.  Now 20 or or so years or working at a computer and my neck is a mess.  I live in daily pain.  Been waiting about 4 years now to see the Ortho surgeon about fusion surgery. 

Oct 23, 20 11:59 am  · 
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whistler

Yup,  never been a great profession for lower back issues.  I currently sit on a large exercise ball rather than a chair.  but considered buying a standup style desk last month when when back acted up.  I now go to the physio once every 6 weeks for an hour maintenance session just to ensure I am aligned and doing my regular morning stretching etc.  I am close to 60 yrs young and still very active and would like to retire without the use of a wheel chair.

Oct 23, 20 4:48 pm  · 
1  · 
Non Sequitur

I sort out my stuff (note book, drawing review, phones, etc) around my desk to force me away from the screen and keyboard.  I find it helps and makes me switch positions around frequently. 

Oct 23, 20 4:53 pm  · 
1  · 
citizen

Thanks everyone for posting on this.  Somehow I thought I was alone in experiencing work/health related issues.  Not glad for anyone else's, but good to know I have company.  Also glad to hear folks' remedies and strategies, large or small.

Oct 23, 20 5:05 pm  · 
 · 
midlander

i've got shoulder problems related to an old sports injury but made worse by repetitive strain using a mouse. recently it resulted in a pinched nerve and numbness in that hand. i've been working with a physical therapist to improve the strength in that shoulder to support better posture.


it's a serious problem for this and a few related professions. i really look forward to the day technology advances enough to develop gesture based input so that we can stand or sit and use natural hand arm motions to direct the computer. tbh it seems like it should be possible now if anyone cared to focus on this.

Oct 23, 20 7:21 pm  · 
1  · 
bowling_ball

I've had some fairly serious nerve problems - some related to work, and others for different reasons - and I swear by seeing my amazing physiotherapist at the first sign of trouble. Things have definitely improved since my job has shifted from being at my desk all day, but working from my phone has been terrible for my neck so it's probably a wash. We really aren't meant to be sitting nearly as much as we do. I know I'm starting the obvious, but if you can swing a stand up desk or work from a laptop that you can move around, both should help reduce the stress from sitting.


Anecdote time: when in school I was suffering from a terrible pinched nerve in my neck (undiagnosed) and one day sparring at my gym (MMA), I threw a punch which caused so much pain that I fell flat on my face in agony. My trainer thought I got knocked out. Sadly, it wasn't nearly as cool. One of the worst pains I've ever felt (and I have an absolutely inhuman pain tolerance) and took months of physio to fix. 

Oct 23, 20 9:42 pm  · 
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x-jla

I’m pretty sure the years of martial arts did a number on my neck as well. I’ve taken some hard shots by guys way bigger than me. I was never big into weight training, but started doing it a couple years ago and that really helped alot...unfortunately since covid I haven’t been to gym and just been doing lots of running and hiking...I definitely have noticed my neck and back issues getting worse since I stopped weight training.

Oct 23, 20 11:30 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

Same here. Haven't been to a gym since this all started and my neck is pretty bad right now. Physio has helped a lot, and if you don't do that regularly, I highly recommend it.

Oct 24, 20 11:56 am  · 
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citizen

Wondering if we should start a mental health thread, too.  Mine feels sketchy right now, with so much lived, produced, consumed and mediated all on this damned screen for the better part of a year now.

Oct 24, 20 5:27 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

Do it. Start it up. If you're asking, others are wanting to, as well

Oct 24, 20 6:41 pm  · 
1  · 
justavisual

I need to see a physical therapist 2-4x a month just to keep the repetitive strain injury in my wrist/arm/shoulder under control - all so I can keep working. Started during thesis.

Oct 25, 20 5:00 pm  · 
 · 

Honestly it sounds like your health issues aren't caused by working at a desk but your lifestyle.  Like you a lot of the things I like to do for fun can be hard on the body. 

Sitting a computer incorrectly and not moving around during work hours isn't good for you but that's not causing your underlying issues.  Now the stress cause from the career we're in can cause a lot of problems . . .  


Oh and a COVID antibody test is worthless - 50% error rate.  


Oct 26, 20 2:44 pm  · 
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Yep, chiropractor visit 2x/month.

Dec 16, 20 10:31 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

Chiro is BULLLLLLshit. Don't fall for the scam.

Dec 16, 20 2:43 pm  · 
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Wood Guy

There is value in deep tissue massage, which some chiropractors do. I spent a lot of time on a chiropractor's table when I was younger.

Dec 16, 20 2:55 pm  · 
2  · 
ackerson22

No, I feel great after my appointments.

Dec 16, 20 2:56 pm  · 
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natematt

NS. 

The holistic medicine part, or the actual adjustments are bs? 

Dec 16, 20 3:48 pm  · 
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x-jla

The adjustments aren’t bs, but imo yoga works better because it’s stretching and strength training in one.

Dec 16, 20 3:53 pm  · 
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thatsthat

In my early 20s, I had trouble sleeping, tossing and turning all night; I could never get comfortable. Started going to a chiro rec'd by a friend; every trip hurt like a MF but I slept like a baby. He did progress x-rays every month to show me how my spine was progressing from an S in two directions to straight.

Dec 16, 20 3:58 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

All is bullshit. The evidence and snake oil salesman jive is overwhelmingly against chiro woo.

Dec 16, 20 4:36 pm  · 
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apscoradiales

Step away from the screen, and go outside for walks more often.

if there is a church nearby or temple or a synagogue go inside for some peace and quiet. Contemplate life, pray...

Dec 16, 20 2:31 pm  · 
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tduds

or a forest, or a park.

Dec 16, 20 2:58 pm  · 
1  · 
apscoradiales

that can work wonders too if they're nearby. sometimes I would pop into the nearby church, just sit there or sometimes pray. you don't have to be hugely religious to appreciate some peace.

Dec 16, 20 3:19 pm  · 
2  · 
x-jla

I’m not religious, but I love religious spaces and architecture. I also only buy meats from a local halal butcher. Mainly because it’s a cool atmosphere and the guys in there joke around with me and make the experience more rewarding than going to some big box grocery
store.

Dec 16, 20 4:30 pm  · 
1  · 
x-jla

Something about religious spaces though that I’ve always loved.

Dec 16, 20 4:31 pm  · 
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randomised

.

Dec 16, 20 5:12 pm  · 
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tduds

That's not a religious space. That's a consumerist space.

Dec 16, 20 5:48 pm  · 
2  · 
curtkram

i go to the stairway to get my walks during the day....

Dec 16, 20 6:08 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

All churches and indoor religious spaces are closed here for now. Until a couple of weeks ago, even outdoor services where you stayed in your car were banned. Not that I'd be going either way. Maybe go for a run in the forest instead.

Jan 1, 21 4:32 pm  · 
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x-jla

Where’s the science that says covid can spread from car to car. These people are so stupid.

Jan 1, 21 6:05 pm  · 
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shellarchitect

The days that I'm actually working at me own desk suck.  My ADD makes sustained focus pretty difficult.  

I spend most of my time doing laps around the office, keeping tabs on everyone, and marking up drawings at their desks.  Frequent construction meetings help too.


Dec 16, 20 3:32 pm  · 
1  · 
Wood Guy

Same here. I'm looking forward to seeing my primary care doc next month and hope to re-start my ADD med prescription he gave me 15 years ago. Contracting is much easier for ADD focus (which is why I think 90% of builders have ADD, but that's another story.)

Dec 16, 20 5:09 pm  · 
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atelier nobody

I try to use the "pomodoro method", but with limited success. My best days are when I can get hyperfocused on some juicy detailing - I'm thinking about approaching my bosses about creating a specialist position where this would be my primary focus.

Jan 9, 21 3:47 pm  · 
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archeyarch

they should provide a stand up desk, could be an ada issue as well

Jan 9, 21 3:06 pm  · 
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