Sore elbow(s)
Posted By: Wayward on 2005-11-10
In Reply to: My left elbow is killing me! SM - Chickadee
 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!
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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.
Sore neck, sore eyes sm
Depends - if you are young, have the time and need the money, at least it's work. Did it years ago, no "day at the beach" so to say and the ESL's write like they talk, so be prepared to try to figure out what they are trying to say. "He can't get alone with the neighbor." Alone - along - a loan???? " The pt. drink 1-1/2 6 can beer per day." - A six pack and a half??? 9 cans??? Good luck anyway, Honey.
What out for your elbow.
x
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.
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.
My left elbow is killing me! SM
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
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?
Be careful you dont strain your elbow again.
x
sore arm
I found that it is not from MTing, but actually from leaning on 1 arm/side too much. I had this myself about a week ago on my left side only and found that when I modified how I was sitting, sitting more centered, that the pain has totally gone away with no meds or injections.
My right elbow is killing me. Feels like the muscle has torn.
dd
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.
sore fingertips
I also type 10 to sometimes 12 hours a day between my regular 40 hour a week job and extras that I do - I found my right thumb was getting soooo tender so I have since improvised and put a foam ring (that is actually for toes) on it to take the brunt of my hitting the space bar all the time. It works wonders and can't do without it now. But never had any other trouble with fingertips....
And sore wrists. Have you tried any of these?
Smart Gloves. Google them. They're wonderful. About $20 bucks apiece but well worth the money.
Carpal tunnel type straps. Wal Mart. $10 bucks apiece.
I have both and I alternate.
I ended up with numbness in my right index finger, but after buying these, it just went away after a few weeks. My fingers and wrists have some discomfort on occasion, but nothing like they were before.
One more thing, and I know people that do this, if you do "pound" the keyboard with your fingertips, relax those hands, elbows and shoulders and just tap. If that doesn't work, you may want to get a better keyboard.
Good luck! 
sore elbows
I have used a tennis elbow brace that is worn around the forearm right under the elbow. Really helps.
sore elbows
In a way it's nice to know I'm not the only one who has this problem. Not that I wish pain on anybody... :)
Fortunately, I did not need any injections. I had physical therapy--heat, iontophoresis, and exercises--and anti-inflammatories.
The occupational health physician I saw also recommended a keyboard tray adjusted so that my arms were at a 90-degree angle while typing. I know someone mentioned having their arms at that angle made it worse, but my problem at that time was having my keyboard too low so that my arms were going down. Changing the angle did help.
Now when I have a flare-up, ibuprofen usually helps as well as a topical gel called Biofreeze which I buy it from my chiropractor but some independent pharmacies carry it, also.
Sore loser
Grow up
sore wrists
I use Oregano Oil on my wrists and the tops of my hands. Sometimes it hurts to lift fingers and I run the Oregano Oil along those bones.
sore back
I just moved from a hospital setting to typing at home and I am dying, too. At the hospital, they had these articulating keyboard arms that positioned up and down and forward and backward. I had my keyboard raised and close to me so that I could lean completely back in my chair and type comfortably. I researched those online and they are expensive little boogers. I will be getting one soon. My back is worth it. Look at Office Depot. I think they are listed as articulating keyboard something or another.
Sore back
I too have a bad back and I get backaches when I type. I see a chiropractor once a week and he showed me some stretches that help. I also have a support for my lower back. As far as the keyboard, I use a split keyboard and make sure my wrists are straight when typing.
Just saw your post about how sore
your elbow really is at this point (just to touch). If it is inflamed in any way, go with ice (on 10 min/off 10 min - on covered skin)for a few days. Then do moist heat/ice alternating for a couple days. Do the massage and stretching, as I mentioned in post below, as tolerated (keeping consistent with the 7-8/10 on pain scale). Also, make sure your elbows are not lower than your hands when you are typing. Let me know how it goes.
Anyone have a solution for a sore behind??
I just recently bought a new chair, recommended on one of the sites and it wasn't cheap by any means. But my butt gets so sore when I sit for days. I've tried putting a pillow under me, but that doesn't seem to help very much. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Boy oh boy, have you ever hit on a sore spot with me! -(sm)
I'm up against the same thing with that da**ed BOS. Every other day, it's something. Put a dash between words. Don't put a dash between words. And then each account varies from the BOS in its own unique and utterly ridiculous ways. Frequently the BOS goes against what's correct punctuation and writing style.
This whole BOS cow-pucky is keeping a lot of people busy, and in all the wrong ways. We're so busy worrying about the absurd minutia that BOS tells us is Law, that it's harder and harder to get a decent day's worth of transcribing done.
If MT co's want to use the BOS, then they should tell their clients that that's the standard they're going to be using. But no, every account, even every DOCTOR, wants it their way. I have no problem with typing every account and every doctor their way, but then I sure don't want QA flooding my inbox with marked-up reports, telling me I've done it wrong.
I truly believe that the whole purpose of BOS (besides making couple of shady characters very, very wealthy, is to further justify paying us less and eventually driving American MT's entirely out of the field. An MT can be very experienced, accurate, and fast, but if you keep playing the shell-game with the account specifications, and changing them up every other day, no one on earth is going to be able to keep up with all that and maintain a high QA score.
And the bottom line? Since WHEN does it matter to patient care (which is SUPPOSED to be the bottom line in the medical industry) whether you spell out numbers below 10, or type them in numerals? Since when does it matter if the date is March 14 or 3/14? It DOESN'T! When the doctors check our reports to sign, or before going into surgery, etc., does anyone really think they give a rat's backside about whether we capitalized "operating room", or spelled out the number ten? All that matters is accuracy and readability! The almighty BOS doesn't matter to them one iota.
This whole BOS/QA analness of MT is driving me crazy, too, because it's all about being jerked around.
Sore neck and shoulders
This is the first year that I have had this type of pain. There is nothing that will relieve it and if there is the slightest movement of my computer screen or anything out of the ordinary, there it goes. I am afraid surgery is in my future. I do take breaks and your schedule sounds good. Thanks for the information....
Oh grow up - such a sore loser!
x
Sore left pinky...
Mine gets like that from time to time as well. I tend to stretch it out too far. Usually I'll tape my ring finger and pinkie together with athletic tape (loosely, not as if splinting) for an hour or so to let it rest, and then go back to business as normal.
I'm hoping this will rectify itself when I get an ergo keyboard.
ExText-sore thumb
Does anybody have trouble with a sore left thumb from doing speech recognition in ExText? I have been doing it now for 5 months and have constant pain in my thumb. Just wondered if there was a better way of doing it.
No but I have a sore left pinky from doing
x
That is also a very sore spot, I agree
I requested the same thing about 2 months ago, could a physician pleaseeeeeee spell a name, especially when wanting a cc sent and was told if I could not find, just to pend the note and so I do. Why they are so against asking for a spelling is just beyond me. That should be a no brainer but noooooo, don’t get a high and mighty physician upset.
Any ideas for sore fingers and hands?
I do hand stretches and massage my fingers, but they are so sore from typing. I can still type very fast, just so sore doing it. Also, my thumb and index finger are drawing toward my palm more so than my other hand. Does anyone know what could cause this?
Also, does anyone else get muscle spasms in their feet while typing? javascript:editor_insertHTML('text',' ');
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TIA.
Have you had a sore throat lately? Don't call me crazy, but....
My legs from the calves down, and especially my ankles, have been swollen
since about the first part of February. I walk around like a "weeble-wobble" doll.
And I thought, gosh, am I too fat?!, eating too much salt?!
Why don't they go down overnight or when I prop them up?
Well, finally I found out that I probably have Hoen-Schoenlein (or something like that) purpura.
They say it recurs. It usually is in kids, but can happen in adults.
IT HAPPENS AFTER A SORE THROAT. It is in the autoimmune family. Sometimes they will give you steroids for it -- but mostly you have to just ride it out.
They really don't know what causes it - but like I said they do suspect it comes in correlation with a sore throat.......and I have had that horrible flu that hit in Feb and I have had recurrence of the flu/sore throat about every 6 wks (as do a lot of the folks I know).
They say the purpura/swollen legs and ankles can last for 6-8 wks or longer.
So, if you have really funky swollen legs and don't have luck with them going down after leaving off salt, drinking plenty of water, and not drinking caffeinated drinks -- it may be HENOCH-SCHONLEIN purpura.
What is HSP?
Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP or anaphylactoid purpura) is a form of blood vessel inflammation or vasculitis. There are many different conditions that feature vasculitis. Each of the forms of vasculitis tends to involve certain characteristic blood vessels. HSP affects the small arterial vessels called capillaries in the skin and frequently the kidneys. HSP results in skin rash (most prominent over the buttocks and behind the lower extremities associated with joint inflammation (arthritis) and sometimes cramping pain in the abdomen.
What causes HSP?
HSP occurs most often in the spring and frequently follows an infection of the throat or breathing passages. HSP seems to represent an unusual reaction of the body's immune system that is in response to this infection (either bacteria or virus). Aside from infection, drugs can also trigger the condition. HSP occurs most commonly in children, but persons of all age groups can be affected.
What are symptoms of HSP?
Classically, HSP causes skin rash, pain in the abdomen, and joint inflammation (arthritis). Not all features need be present for the diagnosis. The rash of skin lesions appears in gravity-dependent areas, such as the legs. The joints most frequently affected with pain and swelling are the ankles and the knees. Patients with HSP can develop fever. Inflammation of the blood vessels in the kidneys can cause blood and/or protein in the urine. Serious kidney complications are infrequent, but can occur. Sometimes a biopsy of skin and/or kidney is used in assisting the diagnosis, which is typically made based on the clinical findings.
Symptoms usually last approximately a month. Recurrences are not frequent, but do occur.
Do you all type when you are sick? I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a stiff achy
neck and my body was kind of stiff all over, but I ignored it, got the kids off to school, and went about my usual routine of having my morning coffee and reading the paper. I don't start work until noon every day. As the morning wore on, my body got achier and achier and I started having chills and basically had to huddle under three blankets so I would quit shivering. I took my temperature and it was 102.3 and I'm wonder if I have strep throat or something. I tend to pick that up about once a year and amy pretty familiar with the symptoms.
I couldn't bare the thought of calling sick especially because I work at home and I always think it's kind of lame to call in sick when you don't physically have to go much farther then down the stairs. I always feel extremely guilty whenever I have called in for illness in the past. Do you guys feel that way? Like we're somehow not entitled to take sick days because we already working from home. I mean, I have them accrued and I am truly sick, why should I feel bad about taking one when I actually need it?
Anyway, I took a handful of Motrin and the aching has eased up and I'm sweating like a pig so the fever broke for now, and now I just feel really tired and would love to lay down and take a nap, but just feel like I shouldn't and dread the idea of calling my boss.
Oh well, guess I'll suffer through like I always do. Every once in a while working at home doesn't feel quite fair. 
Has anyone else had this sore throat/tickly throat/cough
It started with a mild sore throat, then went to a REALLY BAD sore throat, tickly throat so I coughed and couldn't sleep, started getting a runny nose, then sinuses stuffy/sinus headache, sore throat got worse - was starting to think it was strep. Yesterday was the worst; felt like crap. Last night - started to feel better! Finally last night I was able to SLEEP. Today I have felt SO much better. Not back to normal, but at least I was able to drink a cup of coffee. Every other day I have poured myself a cup and then it just sat on my desk all day. My throat is MUCH better and althought I am getting twinges of pain in it from time to time, it's not constant like it has been the last several days. I don't like this, whatever it is!
I would think it was strep except DD had it too and she got over it. She said her teacher had it and the teacher said her doctor told her it's a viral thing.
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