Comments on: Let’s try and avoid the slice and dice, shall we? http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/ bubbling enthusiasm for $arbitrary_topic Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:57:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Vinay Gupta http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27925 Vinay Gupta Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:09:01 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27925 Music physiotherpist. I had RSI about 15 years ago, really bad, and they prescribed me some exercises and very simple-seeming treatments, and I haven't been troubled since. They have a very different approach to RSI based on, well, treating musicians for whom it is a career-ending condition. Music physiotherpist. I had RSI about 15 years ago, really bad, and they prescribed me some exercises and very simple-seeming treatments, and I haven’t been troubled since. They have a very different approach to RSI based on, well, treating musicians for whom it is a career-ending condition.

]]> By: Suw http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27868 Suw Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:07:55 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27868 Thanks for all the comments!! Matt, I've found acupuncture to be really helpful, so if I can find a good one I'll certainly try it, but as you implied, cost is an issue. I'm not exactly feeling rich right now so it's going to be difficult to necessarily do as many sessions as I might need in the time frame I might need them, whether chiro or acupuncture. I have yet to actually be able to correlate typing with attacks, and as I feel no discomfort or pain during the day it's difficult to say that it's specifically typing that's doing it. I have days when I type lots and have no problems at nights, and days when I hardly type at all and have several attacks overnight. I do know that the initial problem was caused not by typing but by making jewellery, and I suspect that now that activity has ceased, my posture is probably a bigger issue than the amount of typing I do. I'm working on that. (I've always had posture problems, so I'm familiar with how much damage it can do.) Simon, I couldn't agree with you more. I'll go and have my problem assessed but I'm going to hold off making a decision on the surgery until I've tried other things. Pascale Soleil, funnily you're not the first person to mention vitamin B to me. I might have to get some and get Kev to remind me to take it, and see if it helps! Nicola, I don't use a mouse, but a trackpad, and even then I use a lot of hotkeys. I think you're right, mice can cause problems, but I'm not sure that's mine. Other things to take into account are my pillow and my working arrangements. I need to get a new pillow, although the really expensive one I bought to try and combat the problem didn't help at all and now Kev is using it. Stopped his snoring a treat! ;) I also need to buy a proper chair and desk but that won't happen until a) we've moved house in April and b) I've got the money. For now, I'm focusing on: * exercising my abdominals and back muscles to help me with better posture * stopping myself from leaning on my elbows, and leaning on my wrists when typing * sitting up straight * stretching more Even that is surprisingly hard after slipping into such bad habits over the last couple of years. Shame on me - I really should know better. Thanks for all the comments!!

Matt, I’ve found acupuncture to be really helpful, so if I can find a good one I’ll certainly try it, but as you implied, cost is an issue. I’m not exactly feeling rich right now so it’s going to be difficult to necessarily do as many sessions as I might need in the time frame I might need them, whether chiro or acupuncture.

I have yet to actually be able to correlate typing with attacks, and as I feel no discomfort or pain during the day it’s difficult to say that it’s specifically typing that’s doing it. I have days when I type lots and have no problems at nights, and days when I hardly type at all and have several attacks overnight.

I do know that the initial problem was caused not by typing but by making jewellery, and I suspect that now that activity has ceased, my posture is probably a bigger issue than the amount of typing I do. I’m working on that. (I’ve always had posture problems, so I’m familiar with how much damage it can do.)

Simon, I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ll go and have my problem assessed but I’m going to hold off making a decision on the surgery until I’ve tried other things.

Pascale Soleil, funnily you’re not the first person to mention vitamin B to me. I might have to get some and get Kev to remind me to take it, and see if it helps!

Nicola, I don’t use a mouse, but a trackpad, and even then I use a lot of hotkeys. I think you’re right, mice can cause problems, but I’m not sure that’s mine.

Other things to take into account are my pillow and my working arrangements. I need to get a new pillow, although the really expensive one I bought to try and combat the problem didn’t help at all and now Kev is using it. Stopped his snoring a treat! ;) I also need to buy a proper chair and desk but that won’t happen until a) we’ve moved house in April and b) I’ve got the money.

For now, I’m focusing on:

* exercising my abdominals and back muscles to help me with better posture
* stopping myself from leaning on my elbows, and leaning on my wrists when typing
* sitting up straight
* stretching more

Even that is surprisingly hard after slipping into such bad habits over the last couple of years. Shame on me – I really should know better.

]]> By: Nicola Robinsonova http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27850 Nicola Robinsonova Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:21:28 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27850 One thing I found helped was minimizing the amount of mouse movement necessary when using the computer. My settings are now such that a very small movement will get the pointer to the other side of the screen. One thing I found helped was minimizing the amount of mouse movement necessary when using the computer. My settings are now such that a very small movement will get the pointer to the other side of the screen.

]]> By: Pascale Soleil http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27814 Pascale Soleil Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:07:22 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27814 I had bad carpal tunnel syndrome that I successfully treated without surgery through physical therapy and ~ bear with me ~ appropriate regular doses of B-vitamin complex. Disclaimer: I am not a vitamin kook! :) But do check that your diet contains adequate supplies of B vitamins, as they are essential to nervous system health and function. I had bad carpal tunnel syndrome that I successfully treated without surgery through physical therapy and ~ bear with me ~ appropriate regular doses of B-vitamin complex.

Disclaimer: I am not a vitamin kook! :) But do check that your diet contains adequate supplies of B vitamins, as they are essential to nervous system health and function.

]]> By: Simon Coles http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27811 Simon Coles Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:41:49 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27811 With my RSI, I always treated surgery as a last resort on the principle that it has risks which are significant, is clearly a disruption, and may not actually help. Especially with hard-to-diagnose conditions like RSI to some extent you're trying various treatments to see which one works - so I started with the conventional and then the alternative, and eventually found a Chiropractor who really helped. I'm glad I didn't do surgery or the like because it turns out, it wouldn't have helped - and it wouldn't have taught me how to avoid re-injuring myself (let's face it we got these problems with our hands for a reason). Disclaimer - my RSI is my RSI, and it will be different from anyone else's.... the point is we all need to make our own mind up about how to treat our own specific problems.... ;-) With my RSI, I always treated surgery as a last resort on the principle that it has risks which are significant, is clearly a disruption, and may not actually help. Especially with hard-to-diagnose conditions like RSI to some extent you’re trying various treatments to see which one works – so I started with the conventional and then the alternative, and eventually found a Chiropractor who really helped.

I’m glad I didn’t do surgery or the like because it turns out, it wouldn’t have helped – and it wouldn’t have taught me how to avoid re-injuring myself (let’s face it we got these problems with our hands for a reason).

Disclaimer – my RSI is my RSI, and it will be different from anyone else’s…. the point is we all need to make our own mind up about how to treat our own specific problems…. ;-)

]]> By: Matt http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27810 Matt Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:29:42 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27810 I've had Japanese electric acupuncture for my RSI symptoms in the past and I certainly found it gave me some relief. Not usually immediately. In fact the following day was often worse but, after that, it would get better and stay better for a while. IIRC my acupuncturist claimed he could cure the problem if I could have enough sessions back to back. Never got to find out. I've also been treated by Osteopaths and Chiropractors although never by one specializing in RSI conditions. Again both offered relief but no cure. Seeing the chiro regularly we got it up to 6 weeks between treatments before she moved. That was, I think, the most effective treatment I have tried: possibly because it also did a lot of good for my back. I think you are right to be wary of surgery. It's possible there has been a breakthrough in the last few years but, when I looked into it, surgery was only recommended for cases where you were, effectively, crippled because you had to be in that bad of a condition for the risks involved and the minimal gains possible to be worth it. Where is the chiro you were recommended located? Are they a specialist in this condition? Also are you using an application like <a href="http://tech.inhelsinki.nl/antirsi/" rel="nofollow">Anti-RSI</a> to manage your keyboard/mouse time? When I have flare-up's I turn it up a few notches but I always keep it running at the low-setting regardless. Good luck finding a solution! m/ I’ve had Japanese electric acupuncture for my RSI symptoms in the past and I certainly found it gave me some relief. Not usually immediately. In fact the following day was often worse but, after that, it would get better and stay better for a while. IIRC my acupuncturist claimed he could cure the problem if I could have enough sessions back to back. Never got to find out.

I’ve also been treated by Osteopaths and Chiropractors although never by one specializing in RSI conditions. Again both offered relief but no cure. Seeing the chiro regularly we got it up to 6 weeks between treatments before she moved. That was, I think, the most effective treatment I have tried: possibly because it also did a lot of good for my back.

I think you are right to be wary of surgery. It’s possible there has been a breakthrough in the last few years but, when I looked into it, surgery was only recommended for cases where you were, effectively, crippled because you had to be in that bad of a condition for the risks involved and the minimal gains possible to be worth it.

Where is the chiro you were recommended located? Are they a specialist in this condition?

Also are you using an application like Anti-RSI to manage your keyboard/mouse time? When I have flare-up’s I turn it up a few notches but I always keep it running at the low-setting regardless.

Good luck finding a solution!

m/

]]> By: Ian Betteridge http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/comment-page-1/#comment-27806 Ian Betteridge Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:38:56 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2009/02/24/lets-try-and-avoid-the-slice-and-dice-shall-we/#comment-27806 Give Kim a shout - she's been through the whole process (including being recommended surgery, I think) - so might be able to add some perspective on treatment. Give Kim a shout – she’s been through the whole process (including being recommended surgery, I think) – so might be able to add some perspective on treatment.

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