I'm back from a self-imposed break because I've been suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for a while now. I'm on the computer all day at work, then come home to blog and read others' and I just had to make myself cut back until I healed. I just want to spread the word about this wonderful book that helped me! After going to a neurologist to diagnose my problem (I was tested by having shocks sent through my arm, then a needle was inserted, and then they moved around my wrist to see if it hurt. Umm - YEAH IT HURT!) The doctor said, yep, it's carpal tunnel and started to leave. I had to keep asking questions about what I should or shouldn't do. She said if it doesn't get better, she'd have to operate. And the only thing she came up with is to wear a wrist brace while I worked and slept. $300 out of my pocket for what??
Luckily for me, a trainer at the gym suggested I do some exercises out of this book. And after suffering for months and months, the pain went away in about 2 weeks. The author Pete Egoscue is a physical therapist, and what he says makes so much sense! Wearing the brace probably made my condition worse, because it restricted my movement too much. Our bodies are MADE to do repetitive motions, the problem is the sitting and not moving our bodies. He also said that if you get operated on (unless you have an injury - not just pain like mine) that it would probably mess you up for life -because you'll keep doing the things that caused it in the first place. And the cause isn't just using the computer - it's the way our bodies get out of alignment and our posture suffers from sitting at a desk all the time. I have really bad posture!
Anyway, if anyone is suffering from pain or numbness, get this book before wasting any time and money at the doctor's. They know nothing about prevention - just how to fix a symptom of a problem, not the root cause. Okay, I'm off my soapbox now - back to art. (I had to curtail that, too, because while drawing, my whole arm would be totally numb!) I'll be posting a project I'm working on soon.
1 comment:
Hey Lynn! Oh boy have I missed you!!! Oh sweetie I'm so sorry about your pain and suffering. I know the feeling. I had carpal tunnel many years ago and every once in a while it tries to show up again. I do lots of hand exercises too to keep that blood flowing. You are right about sitting down to computers all day for long periods of time really does damage that if not careful will mess these great tools up. I know that it must have been really frustrating as an artist. One time I ended up with something called a ganglion. It's where all the nerves bunch up on the front or back of the wrist and cause so much pain and then forms a big lump.
The darn thing had me in so much pain I could hardly work. I went to the doctor who told me we could do one of two things. Operate or take a book to it. He said if he did surgery there was a chance that I could have more problems that would stop me from drawing all together or just take a good old heavy text book and whack the darn thing.
My husband took his college dictionary and did the job at home for me. Yes I had to man up and said a few french words, but it's good now. thanks for sharing this wonderful book. i will run out and get it. I'm glad that you are back because I miss your wonderful and very hilarious work. We'll be posting the next prompt for www next week. Have a good one. Hugs a plenty for girly!
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