My left elbow is killing me! SM
Posted By: Chickadee on 2005-11-10
In Reply to:
Stretching out my arm and picking up a reference book is agony. An easy solution is to move all my books to my right side, but is this caused by MTing or sleeping on it (I almost always sleep on my left side with that arm folded under my pillow) or combo of the two? I've typed about "elbow cradles"...do they help? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Chickadee
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My right elbow is killing me. Feels like the muscle has torn.
dd
Just hit Alt+Shift+left arrow on line 1 and it will go to the left margin. Otherwise,
you need to use a numbered list style to do it every time. Each version is different, but you may already have a numbered list style in yours that stays at the left margin. Just assign a keyboard shortcut to that style.
What out for your elbow.
x
Sore elbow(s)
 I use elbow pads to save my shoulders & neck, but find that continually resting my elbows on anything (or keeping them bent at a 90-degree angle or greater) for any period of time exacerbates the pain. My problem is bone-spurs in the elbows - combination of arthritis and/or overuse from sports, etc. But typing, sleeping with it bent, etc. do make it worse. I've found gentle exercises on the machines at the gym to be helpful, provided I don't overdo it. I also use glucosamine & chondroitin supplements for a knee problem that might help a little.
Sometimes sleeping curled around an extra pillow, with my arm stretched out underneath it to help prevent it from being over-bent, seems to help. Also avoiding over-use. I try to keep my med. dictionary on my desk during the day, so I don't have to reach for it, and when I first take it off the shelf in the morning, I do it while standing up to lessen the stress on the joint.
When it does flare up, I've experimented with different pain remedies to find what is most effective. While aspirin works best on some of my parts, my own elbow pain seems to respond best to extra-strength Tylenol, and second-best to two ibuprofen (even though the bottle says take just one.) And the neck and shoulder pain is best relieved by Flexall cream, second-best by ibuprofen.
Best of luck finding the right cure!
Elbow pain
What has helped my elbow pain a lot is vitamin B complex vitamin. I read that somewhere and tried it. It helps me and may help someone else.
sore elbow
Just yesterday I noticed a lump on my forearm, just above the elbow. It is sore and has a red spot just on top of the lump, but the red just fades into almost nothing (which is just smaller than a dime), and the lump is actually lumpy, but seems to spread into a mass a couple of inches long. Anyone have any experience with something similar to this? I don't want to go to the doctor unless I have to because I know they will want to do an MRI, and all of that "stuff," (so if anyone has had anything like this and may have an idea what it is I would appreciate hearing from you). Thank you.
BooBoo Elbow
Not to be a smart butt, but is the swollen area right over the olecranon process? Have you bumped this area? Have about a skeeter bite? (we'll leave the spelling like that!<g>) You need to differentiate between inflammation and infection. Try heat and if that does not work, try ice. Until you know what it really is maybe you should avoid topical stuff like Ben Gay (that still around? ) As I Have That said...go and get a band. They do work! Take whatever pain med you feel is warranted and tolerated....you know the usual (ibuprofen, asa, Tylenol, etc.).+ Are you in a tick populated area? If so hightail it to the docs as soon as you can!
I have ulnar neuropathy, but my olecranon process did not get too red or swollen. But, boy did it hurt. Plus the pain went down the ulnar nerve region to my fingers.
Hope it gets better soon!! 
Tennis elbow anyone???
Hi all!
I have developed 'tennis elbow' after many years of transcribing. If there are any fellow sufferer's with this condition, have you found any methods to relieve the discomfort of this condition besides refraining from using a keyboard? Thanks for any input.
tennis elbow
I developed "tennis elbow" and I bought an air pillow/splint that wraps around your arm at the elbow with velcro and it helps. Also, my doctor told me (orthopedic physiatrist) that most tennis elbow is not tennis elbow but is related to shoulder/neck/rotator cuff strain/sprain. I went to physical therapy for impingement of rotator cuff on opposite side, but with the PT I received for my neck/back/shoulder, my "tennis elbow" disappeared completely and has not come back. Try the little air pillow, you can buy at drug stores for about 15.00 for tennis elbow. Hope this info helps. I am still transcribing.
elbow pain
i find i rest my chin in my hand while leaning on my elbow to read the text. now my elbow hurts and my posture is suffering. word of advice on editing...read the sentences out loud. you can catch a lot of errors that way.
elbow pain
In regard to your elbow pain, I also have been typing 25 plus years and have had physical therapy on my left elbow. PT said it is tenns elbow from repetitive motion. They suggested getting cortisone shots. Shortly after seeing physical therapy for my left elbow and it was okay, my right one started aching. Hurts and aches all the time. After 6 months of wearing an elbow wrap when I work, using heat when I don't work and using Biofreeze,(lotion the chiropractor uses) - I went and had a cortisone shot. WOW best thing ever. My elbow has not hurt since. It is remarkable. Other than quitting transcription, is the best thing to help.
Elbow pain
Anyone have ideas on how to alleviate elbow pain when typing? I just started having right elbow pain that doesn't hurt while I am typing, but when I am done the pain is so bad I can barely move my arm. I need to set up my desk/keyboard differently so my arm is in a different position while typing, but not sure how. I tried the keyboard in lap trick suggested.......doesn't work. The keyboard is tettering all over the place because I've got one foot on the pedal so my knees are uneven. It's funny 'cause my elbow doesn't move while I am working but I guess my fingers moving must create enough muscle tension on my elbow that I've messed it up good. Could this be bursitis or epicondylitis? Help. Need relief. Geeze, 25+ years at this and NOW I start having pain.
Tennis elbow
In the last month I have had the same problem with my right arm, only pain on top on the bone. It does not hurt when I type but afterwards I can barely bend my elbow. It also hurts when picking up things, even very light objects. Just went to an Ortho doc Wed and he diagnosed lateral epicondylitis/tennis elbow. It is from the repetitive motion of my fingers typing that causes the tendon that goes to the elbow to get tiny tears in it, thus the pain. He fit me with a wrap that goes around my arm just below the elbow. This causes compression and has helped tremendously with the pain. He also put me on Naprelan which is a strong antiinflammatory. He said there is no cure and the next step will be a cortisone injection if the bracing and meds do not help. I also purchased a Morency board by Ergodirect ($100) It attaches to my keyboard tray and is shaped in such a way that your arms up to your elbows rest on it. Much better than having your arms just rest on the arms of your chair or hang mid air. It is SO comfortable to type this way. Give it a try and good luck. Go figure, I thought I'd have carpel tunnel after 25 years of transcription, not elbow pain.
It's just killing him..
to see you so good off and doing wonderful without him. Men cant handle the thought that we don't always need them!
Hope all stays well!
Killing is killing!!! Does not mean they cannot
In the Old Testament the law was an eye for an eye.
The Bible is the ultimate authority and it is ours to obey and take at its Word...not to question or rationalize it to make it fit the circumstance we want out of! Just because others kill or have killed doesn't WE don't have to obey! Bottom line...We have to stand before God for one day, and all of the above men had to also!
I have elbow pain but tell me more about this, first I have heard of
the cause as in using your mouse. I thought it might be related to a fibromyalgia problem I have. It hurts so much. I, thank goodness, have never had any repetative typing issues as with carpal tunnel but did notic this. Fill me in some on this. Thanks.
Here's what's been working for my elbow pain: (sm)
Mine is due to bone spurs in the elbows, impinging on the ulnar nerve. Although typing in my lap helped, it wasn't the ultimate answer. I shelled out the bucks and bought an adjustable Humanscale keyboard tray that is mounted under the desk. When I drop the keyboard tray down to lap level, the keyboard itself is just slightly higher, which seems to be my best position. I also got softest, cushiest gel wrist pad I could find.
The main thing has been to keep the elbow angles open. Mine has to be anything greater than a 90-degree angle, or else I get lots of pain all the way down to the little finger... feels like a headache in my forearm and hand.
Also try not to sleep with your elbows bent beyond 90 degrees, either. I tried different pain meds for when it flares up.... it takes a bit of experimentation. Aspirin didn't work at all, but ibuprofen & Tylenol seem to work best.
I had to stop including full push-ups in my workouts, too. I can do them to a limited degree by staring at the top and going only halfway down. I also avoid resting my elbows or forearms on tables, armrests, etc. (I removed the armrests from my office chair... don't need them anyway, with the keyboard tray.)
Get the softest-touch keyboard you can find, too. I found that the stiffer ones that required a harder touch to operate created enough impact to get the elbow sore, starting at the finger and working its way up.
If it's muscle pain, sometimes the cream called "Flexall" works well for me. (Especially on my NECK!) But my elbow pain is obviously an irritated nerve, and Flexall doesn't touch that.
The same as you, the pain started after about 25 years, but I don't really attribute it to typing -- typing just exacerbates it.
Good luck, and keep trying different things 'til you find something that works!
Reverse tennis elbow? sm
After 10 years of transcribing, just the last couple of months I am having inflammation and tenderness on the inside of my left elbow. Not on the right, just the left. Ergonomics? Might be. I have tried putting a folded up towel on the arm of my chair, raising my elbow, and that helps a little. Anyone else every had this?
killing snakes
If an animal is endangering my life, of course, I will probably have to kill it, snakes included, of which we have many out here. If I was on an island, just me and a chicken, of course, I would eat it. My take is that, as long as there is other healthier food, I will continue to eat that, veggies, grains, fruits, and leave the animals to live their lives.
What do you think abortion is, if it is not killing?
does that mean it is okay? Even the law of our land will not allow you to kill a man...but a baby...or fetus as they so lovingly refer to it as...is perfectly acceptable to kill! Hmmmm...something is wrong here!
you can't blame them for killing themselves to get here,
and adding further insult to injury, we put everything in their language. however, thanks to our system of welfare, too many US citizens refuse to work the hard labor jobs, so we "need" the illegals.
killing grass?
Good question, considering I have a new home and just now have grass starting to show through all this dirt around our house. The last thing I want to do is invest $900 in grass seed and fertilizer only to kill it. Please advise.
Yes, and Unions are killing GM and the like.
nm
Be careful you dont strain your elbow again.
x
you are killing yourself to support HIS lifestyle? sm
How many jobs does your husband work? You're crazy to keep up the hectic schedule you are on right now. Is money really worth you working yourself to death? If that's the only reason you are looking for more work, tell your husband to get another job. Sounds to me like you do more than your share!
about the same as killing all birds over the bird flu sometimes...
you have to do what you have to do. If there is mad cow disease, everyone kills cows. If there is bird flu, we kill birds. If there is rabies, we kill dogs. Any epidemic in the making has to be stopped before the epidemic starts. Oh, and the West Nile virus, we kill mosquitos. The only thing with the deer ticks, we aren't forced to kill deer, people do that for sport. lol
it seems like you're killing THIS board.
killing of dogs in China
Please click on the following link to help stop the killing of the dogs in China in such a horrible inhumane way. Thank you.
http://ga4.org/campaign/china_petition/sbk3x64f53ttjk?
My back is killing me today. What do
you do for back pains? Any suggestions....
No my elbow doesn't hurt, I think you missed the point.
Once I helped someone I didn't smirk, smile, and pat myself on the back, or bend my elbow. What I did was get on with daily living. Helping people comes in all forms, not necessarily in money form, maybe just smiling at someone who is sad or having a bad day, people have done that for me. Maybe not kicking the dog when you have a bad day, things like that. Not too complicated. Just what we are supposed to do if we are raised right.
veggie too--can't stand killing of any sort--sm
too much of it is *accepted* these days, and it is just the thing that has put this world into the position it is in today. It just seems that if someone does not like something...kill it. I don't care if it is a third world country or not, they know right from wrong in their hearts, no matter what *religion* or *tradition* they have been taught. Lord, where are you now??? JMO
every living breathing being has a soul and killing --
is wrong no matter if human or animal. by your conception of things, then if you have the flu and are causing an epidemic, we should do away with you too, to protect the rest of us??
TouchScreens? Using this mouse is killing my hand
Does anyone here use a touchscreen monitor? do those actually exist and work? I've never seen one. It takes forever to use the mouse, plus it hurts my hand a bunch
I knew about the Killing Oprah On Her Couch thingy...
but never saw him get squirted! He simply was not happy with that man, wuz he? Ah, fame and fortune - it must B a drag!
Whine alert! 8 cents/line is killing me! :(
I have 17 years experience. I'm an IC, was getting paid 10 and 11 cents a line for the last decade or so. After that work basically dried up, I started looking for more work. No work to be had at at 10 cents a line anymore, rarely find anything even at 9 cents.
Decided to take an 8 cents/line job. Hey, I was gettin' hungry. I swear....I type, type, type, type, seems like all day and all night and still not making the money I need to pay my bills and eat!
I know, I know, people justify 8 cents a line by saying hey if you can do 200 lph, that's $16 an hour. Yeah, that's great for those who aren't used to making up to $30+ an hour for the past 8 to 10 years! Man, I'm soooooooo tired of typing, so burned out, just very unhappy. 
I can see now how some people are happy with MT and some people aren't, just depends on what you've been used to compared to what you get now. Sad.
I really don't have any other skills to do anything else, and I'm dying here as far as finances, killing my hands and other body parts trying to make money at this 8 cents a line...maybe could've done it 15 years ago when I was younger but just not able to type like a demon day and night anymore.
Let it be known that this is the end of my vent. I have no idea what I'm going to do
Corporate greed is a rampant disease that will end up killing the American middle class....sm
These people never have enough, there are no scruples, In God We Trust is just something printed on currency instead of being a moral principle carried down by our Founders...the French started a revolution over this. I hate all war and violence, but how do we stop global economy as being the tool which the corporate entities use to rape the middle class workers? Sorry for the rant, bad week....year!
Not right now as seems everyone has left
due to the line counting rip off issue. Otherwise do run out of work tons of times.
That why you left?
x
you left out one
>>>How darn hard it is to quit. I have tried everything. Patches, gum, Wellbutrin, Zyban, cold turkey, etc.
You had the dream, but you didn't have the drive. You have to want it badly enough to stick with it NO MATTER WHAT.
I'm talking from personal experience as a former 2-1/2 pack per day smoker.
Last cigarette was May 6th, 1992. Quit cold turkey.
Did you get your pay when you left?nm
zz
I should have said "I left him and TOOK the
baby, the dog, the IBM and the dictaphone! Eek! Sounds like I left them WITH him! No way! 
What - that you left 24 and QA was able to get 16 of them? LOL
x
I left because of it
Unprofessional emails and phone calls.
Nope. I ain't takin' it. I respect myself more than that. It was the attitude of everyone in the company I came in contact with. Unbelievable.
Getting out of MT, I have left MT
because of the reasons stated below. Because I was a good ER MT, I received all the crappy dictators, accounts, you name it. Even told the MTSO that I was getting burned out with all of the crap, but six months later, I came to the conclusion that getting an ulcer was not what I wanted for my dedication. Tried four or five different companies, and as a poster said below, they lied about everything (accounts, lines, ease of use of program/software, amount of work, etc.) So I'm gone. Kind of miss the medical transcription work I did but do NOT miss the BS that comes with it. They used me until I couldn't bear it anymore.
Yes....I just left my MT job ....
I relate with these comments 100%. I worked for a great service with a great owner for the last 10+ years. First started out in 1989 making great money ( and on a typewriter) with decent turn-around-time and simple common-sense formats. Over the years, the Turn Around Time has decreased, the formats have become a maze of ever-changing rules, and as others have stated...no money! I might as well get a job that is less wear and tear on the body and mind. "Chained to the computer" described the job well. I resigned a few weeks ago what had become a sweat-shop job. Seems like instead of the computer making the job better, it has become worse. Someone mentioned they heard it said MTs were making too much money. That is eerie because I remember hearing that comment 15 years ago and I tossed it off as sarcasm. Now I wonder. This job is nothing like it used to be. So, as stated I QUIT!
There was something you left out in
your post. What about the possibility that this person makes good money because they just guess and "fill in the blanks"? Or maybe they leave a lot of blanks so that they can do more work?
I have come across this before. Not all MTs who make good money are getting good money because they are good at their jobs. Some pad their lines, and some just make up stuff to fill in the blanks. To all of those GOOD MTs out there who struggle to make the money they once used to make, don't let people put you down as unworthy because they think they are better than you.
I left my job too
After 7 years and I should have left sooner. Their VR and platform were awful (Spheris) I was making half of what I used to. I have not gotten away from VR but I have 2 jobs where at least I can be more productive. I kept waiting for things to improve -I thought if I just worked on it it would happen- now I feel a lot of the stress is gone.
Thanks, what was left of my sanity has been...
restored!
I'm beginning to wonder if that's all there is left is
crap dictation. Most of us say we're doing the crappy dictation and ESLs. So the good stuff is really going overseas or to VR? Or are there people here who get the good stuff all the time, which is why they make good money and we don't?
If you are just looking to align left or...
To align (left, right, or justified) you can either set the page up before you start typing by going to Format, then Paragraph, Indents and Spacing. You will see a General section that says alignment. This is where you choose how you want it set up. If you want to do this after you are finished typing, highlight all text that you want to format. Right click. The drop down box will give you the option of Paragraph. Choose Paragraph. This will bring up that same box that shows Indents and Spacing. Go to the General section where you see alignment and then choose which option you want (left, right, justified). This will then apply it to the text you have highlighted. Hope this helps.
no hair left
i hate to tell you but it doesn't get any better. been with them for over 3 years -- i still have my hair, but have lost my sanity!!
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