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?
x-jla
Oct 23, 20 11:48 am
edit, positive for covid antibodies (neg for active infection)
Almosthip
Oct 23, 20 11:59 am
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.
whistler
Oct 23, 20 4:48 pm
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.
Non Sequitur
Oct 23, 20 4:53 pm
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.
citizen
Oct 23, 20 5:05 pm
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.
midlander
Oct 23, 20 7:21 pm
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.
bowling_ball
Oct 23, 20 9:42 pm
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.
x-jla
Oct 23, 20 11:30 pm
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.
bowling_ball
Oct 24, 20 11:56 am
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.
citizen
Oct 24, 20 5:27 pm
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.
bowling_ball
Oct 24, 20 6:41 pm
Do it. Start it up. If you're asking, others are wanting to, as well
justavisual
Oct 25, 20 5:00 pm
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.
Chad Miller
Oct 26, 20 2:44 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.
Kurt West
Dec 16, 20 10:31 am
Yep, chiropractor visit 2x/month.
Non Sequitur
Dec 16, 20 2:43 pm
Chiro is BULLLLLLshit. Don't fall for the scam.
Wood Guy
Dec 16, 20 2:55 pm
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.
ackerson22
Dec 16, 20 2:56 pm
No, I feel great after my appointments.
natematt
Dec 16, 20 3:48 pm
NS.
The holistic medicine part, or the actual adjustments are bs?
x-jla
Dec 16, 20 3:53 pm
The adjustments aren’t bs, but imo yoga works better because it’s stretching and strength training in one.
thatsthat
Dec 16, 20 3:58 pm
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.
Non Sequitur
Dec 16, 20 4:36 pm
All is bullshit. The evidence and snake oil salesman jive is overwhelmingly against chiro woo.
apscoradiales
Dec 16, 20 2:31 pm
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...
tduds
Dec 16, 20 2:58 pm
or a forest, or a park.
apscoradiales
Dec 16, 20 3:19 pm
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.
x-jla
Dec 16, 20 4:30 pm
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.
x-jla
Dec 16, 20 4:31 pm
Something about religious spaces though that I’ve always loved.
randomised
Dec 16, 20 5:12 pm
.
tduds
Dec 16, 20 5:48 pm
That's not a religious space. That's a consumerist space.
curtkram
Dec 16, 20 6:08 pm
i go to the stairway to get my walks during the day....
bowling_ball
Jan 1, 21 4:32 pm
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.
x-jla
Jan 1, 21 6:05 pm
Where’s the science that says covid can spread from car to car. These people are so stupid.
shellarchitect
Dec 16, 20 3:32 pm
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.
Wood Guy
Dec 16, 20 5:09 pm
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.)
atelier nobody
Jan 9, 21 3:47 pm
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.
archeyarch
Jan 9, 21 3:06 pm
they should provide a stand up desk, could be an ada issue as well
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?
edit, positive for covid antibodies (neg for active infection)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do it. Start it up. If you're asking, others are wanting to, as well
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.
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.
Yep, chiropractor visit 2x/month.
Chiro is BULLLLLLshit. Don't fall for the scam.
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.
No, I feel great after my appointments.
NS.
The holistic medicine part, or the actual adjustments are bs?
The adjustments aren’t bs, but imo yoga works better because it’s stretching and strength training in one.
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.
All is bullshit. The evidence and snake oil salesman jive is overwhelmingly against chiro woo.
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...
or a forest, or a park.
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.
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.
Something about religious spaces though that I’ve always loved.
.
That's not a religious space. That's a consumerist space.
i go to the stairway to get my walks during the day....
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.
Where’s the science that says covid can spread from car to car. These people are so stupid.
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.
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.)
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.
they should provide a stand up desk, could be an ada issue as well