Lost in self inflicted injuries.. What to do? - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

bike5 · 05-31-2005, 10:21 AM

I have back and wrist problems. I hurt my back 5 years ago in a motorcycle accident and up until a few months ago it would always hurt real bad when lifting anything mildly heavy or even just twisting the wrong way (which always changes, you can never tell when it is going to hurt). It feels like a pinched nerve and I have been to multiple doctors which have done nothing but tell me to strech my back and take pain pills which I did. Everything was just starting to feel better and I got this new job a month ago and they made me (after I told them I had a hurt back) organize this warehouse and move heavy objects and things like that. I ended up getting back pain again like I used to have, the pinch nerve feeling. I feel fine until it hits me and the pain sends me to my knees.

Now, I am somwhat of a computer nerd, I am and have alays been on the computer programming and playing games forever, 2 years ago both of my wrist starting hurting really bad. They hurt the most when I am on the computer typing and using the mouse (or when I am holding heavy objects in my hands), my wirst just don't like been bent that way or something now. I have been to the doctor and a specalist who did a CTS test and said it was not CTS and he didn't know what it was. Strech and pills were the orders I got.... Like before I have done that but it hassn't fixed the problem.

Everything was going pretty good as in I could live with the pain I got used to it but now that the college semester ended I got a job and its mainly using a computer most of the day. Now my wirst are getting worse almost to the point where I don't even want to touch a computer and my back is hurting real bad since yesterday when I reinjured it at work.

I just don't know what to do, even if I quit this job it is really hard to find another job in general and with a hurt back and hurt wrist I can't think of any jobs that I would even be able to handle without hurting myself worse. I am 21/M and just got a 2 year webmaster degree but that still doesn't qualify me for anything other then unskilled jobs around here. I have been told to try to go on workmans comp but I don't really want to or even think I could because my injuries all started somewhere other then work. And if I disclose my injuries before I get hired they wont even consider me for a job. I am not sure how much longer my wirst will be able to take my current job and now that my back is killing me again I don't know how I could ever be considered for another job and with rent and my bills I can't afford not to work right now.

Has anyone been in this situation before, my family and I are lost in what I should do. Thank you for your time sorry it is a long post, I feel like my wirst are gona break now and I even have my wrist braces on..

zuzu8 · 05-31-2005, 02:13 PM

bike,

Wow..you've been thru the mill with pain, huh?

I'm really puzzled that no doctor has delved deeper for you.
Presumably you saw an orthopedist (I HOPE!). Simply sending you away with instructions to "stretch" your back and take painkillers seems sloppy and/or downright lazy to me.

Regarding the back, has any one of these doctors ever advised some physical therapy?. A few back stretches at home on your own could be doing either nothing (and that's what it sounds like) or make things ultimately worse.

As for your wrists..it sure sounds like a repetitive stress injury, whether it's true carpal tunnel or not.
Obviously the risk factors for this kind of pain are exactly what you are doing at your computer keyboard.... prolonged static position, coupled with repetitive motion of the hand and fingers. It can make things much worse if this is in combination with a tense, awkward position of the neck, shoulders, and arms.
Do you have a good chair with the right "ergonomics?" Without overall good posture at the computer, your back can certainly suffer as well as your wrists.
Hold yourself in bad/awkward positions for long periods of time and you deprive the muscles of the oxygen and circulation they need to be healthy.

Obviously the accident has made your back very vulnerable to physical stress... and armed with that information alone, apart from doing whatever you can on your own to improve your computer posture, I really think you'd do great with some physical therapy. PLUS a good physical therapist will give you excellent "homework" to do (for both back and wrists) in between sessions and advice on computer ergonomics!

You'd be amazed how fast you can get out of chronic pain with PT.

If one of the docs you saw was an orthopedist who has not helped you, I would absolutely find one who will. And one who would refer you to a phys. therapist.

Living on painkillers at your age is nuts.

zuzu xx

bike5 · 05-31-2005, 08:08 PM

Thank you for the reply, I actually stopped the pain killers a long while ago because I like to know the "real" level of my pain at all times so I can adjust what I am doing if need be. Although it does hurt a lot more this way. I will really look into a PT, I have read a million things on how to sit and have things set up for computer work, at home I am set up but at work its not set up properly and the desks and chairs we have don't really allow it. I have slacked off a bit in my exercising and posture because I "was" getting better while I wassn't working everyday but now... I really need to buckle down and do things right. But I will definetly look more into getting a PT, thanks again.