elbow pain
Posted By: mandy on 2007-09-01
In Reply to: Transcription-Versus-Editing, Particularly RE: Tendinitis - samsa
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.
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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.
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.
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!
I feel your pain. If at teaching hospital, great pain. SM
Some doctors do give standard discharge summaries, so you could just make copy and then pull it up. It is not easy, especially when they give 20 lines of lab results.
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!
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.
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
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
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.
Low pain...Low pay
Well my subconscious typed pain instead of pay. So you see I am aware of the pain of receiving low pay but it is not my intent to disgrace the field of medical transcription.
I know your pain
My genetic donor has had more wives than I can count, literally. He has seen my children maybe 3 times and the oldest is 25. We were passing through Myrtle Beach and I called to see if we could stop in and see him and she said no, her daughter was coming in and there was no room for us. So now I have not seen him in 14 years. He's 75 now. I check the obits now and then to see if he is alive and found that she had died in August (she was 83). My oldest son and his wife laughed at me because I was smiling when I read it. Knowing him, he is probably remarried by now. I don't waste time "inconveniencing" so-called loved ones. I'd rather just be at home with my children.
pain...
How old is she? If she's having pain after BMs, she needs to see a doctor. I am an expert on this topic, having suffered with abdominal pain most of my life.
She could have endometriosis, adhesions caused from a variety of things, lactose intolerance (though usually this does not cause pain after BMs), a food allergy,a cysts, etc., etc......
Urge her to go to a GYN, who probably will refer her to a GI if the GYN workup is negative.
Good Luck to her!
I know your pain
I have had two miscarriages before. My heart aches for you. I know just how you feel. I am so sorry.
Ear pain
Does anyone suffer from severe ear pain on the outside of the ear? I have it to the point of not being able to wear my headset on that side and would like to know what others have done in the past. No infection, just cartilage pain.
I had ear pain
until I started using Dictaphone head phones. Very soft and they don't put a lot of pressure on the ears.
I don't have ear pain but
I do have tinnitus. Can anything be done about that?
ear pain
I just wanted to share my experience with earaches,one time I woke up in the middle of the night with a severe earache. So I looked around the house to see what I could take. Found nothing,so I was in such pain,that I took a swig,and only a swig of whiskey,seagram 7 the pain went away,and never came back,that was about 20 years ago,I don't drink,this was a 2 year old bottle given to us by one of my husband's buisness associates one christmas,however the bottle dissappeared when my mother in law moved in 10 years later. So I am wondering if it would work on the outside of the ear,rubbed on with a cotton ball.
pain
thanks. I was wondering if there was something that I could place on the chair seat. Can you pick this up at drug store?
I so know your pain.
Have you tried using one of those wraparound microwave gel packs made for the back. I could not live without mine.
leg pain
I'm suffering the same right now. Have been with leg elevated all day. I had to not work tonight because of it. You need to walk and don't sit for so long a period of time. Get up every hour or so and move around a little. I get carried away and sit for too many hours at a time, now I'm in real pain today. Take some aspirin or ibuprofen. Raise leg with warm compresses. If not better soon, see a doctor. Just remember to walk a little every day. I haven't been but guess I'm going to start.
Right arm pain?
I have noticed soreness in my right forearm - I guess around the extensor digitorum muscle location. The only change lately is that I have started using a different computer mouse. The only difference in this mouse is that it is more reactive and works better than the last. I did order a wrist support wrap today from TranscriptionGear, thinking this would help, if indeed it is the mouse. I have also started to use more Keystrokes instead of the mouse. There have been no injuries or strains that I can remember. I have taken ibuprofen. I was wondering - has anyone had this symptom from transcribing?
Pain
I had the same thing a month ago and bought a splint for carpal tunnel. I wore it at night and it seemed to help. I also got a squeezy ball. Hope it helps you!
I know your pain
I have been in transcription for over 15 years and worked doing QA for over 8. I started recently with a company and have been having an awful QA experience. Red all over my reports coupled with constant threats. I dread opening my emails in the morning. Corrections like sometimes not putting two spaces behind a colon or period, only one, wording phrases the way they are in there samples which are then suddenly changed in the QA, things I blasted about saying I have been told numerous times when I haven't been told once...it's been really awful. I can see why now when I left my prior supervisory position of over 10 years so many of my transcriptionists were in tears and a few even left the company. I still keep in touch with several of them. I never get a kind word or anything from this company, only negative..we'll see how things go. Keep your chin up. Everyone makes a mistake. You've learned from it and now won't make whatever crucial mistakes were on your reports in the future.
I know your pain
I've not had a single email from mine and have been with a company 7 months now. I do special projects and such and never get so much as a thank you. When I started too, not a single question was ever answered. I even asked to be linked up by other people on the account via messenger and got no response.
When I managed I was always available by phone, messenger, email, etc. I made sure questions were answered immediately and I even checked my mail when my shift was over and people could call me any hours day or night. I never wanted anybody to feel like they were just "out there" alone.
Right Arm Pain
I just started doing VR a few days ago. I am using the arrow keys a great deal and started having severe pain/achiness in my right arm. I have tried ibuprofen but it doesn't really help. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am really wondering if I am going to be able to complete my shift today. Thanks in advance!
pain in the $#*^$
Yea, but considering my work is only a few hours of audio a week (less than 10) it wasn't as bad as you think! But now that I need/want to go full time I am NOT doing it without some kind of foot pedal!
I feel your pain.
Don't forget, not getting paid for spaces also contributes to the inability to get a decent line count.
Heck, I can't even get the ESLs I had finally figured out anymore. Sometimes I'll get the same crappy dictator for 10 reports in a row. I've also had full shifts of nothing but ESLs. I sure hope all the other transcription companies are not like this.
I would suggest you start testing for other companies. I did and will soon be going to a better place (I hope). However, at this point, just getting paid for spaces will be a big step up.
I feel your pain!
I can completely relate with what you are saying. I actually have gone through a site called SupportKids.com and they were doing a good job at collecting from him. Whatever they collect they keep 33% of it and send a check to me for the rest. Unfortunately, I have not seen a dime since last December. It's as though he has either switched jobs...or whatever but he has managed to slither away for the time being. I don't get it either how these guys get away with not facing their responsibilities. I have one daughter...and we are doing pretty good...(always could be better) but money is a constant struggle and it bothers me to think that he's out there...dodging his responsibilities. My theory is that one day...he will be old..and alone...I don't get how some guys don't realize how precious children are....Like I said...we have our "money" issues but I would never change anything in my life...(other than getting a check from the sperm donor)...Give that site a look at though. All you need to get started is a court order stating what he should be paying. Good luck and hang in there....you are truly not alone!!
Does anyone know anything about pain management M.D.'s?
For someone with chronic pain, is prescribing pain pills a last resort or is this the norm?
I feel your pain
I'm the same way...the day after the end of the pay period is terrible. And, yes, I had to work like a dog yesterday, and didnt make production...so fire me!!!
You're not alone, honey, I know just how you feel. Now, how do we handle this?
I say we go for a long cool dip in the pool, lay in the sun for hours, sip Long Island Iced Tea, and forget about the rest...what cha think? 
neck pain
I had neck pain and both wrists/hands, and they thought it was carpal tunnel, finally had an MRI and had herniated disk at C5-C6 with nerve entrapment, ended up with cervical diskectomy and pain went away for a long time, but now back in my neck when I type too much, but I also have spurs in my neck and DJD in my neck. Transcription is a tough job, repetitive motion causing back, neck and arm/hand/wrist pains. I found the Thermawraps that you can buy at the store to help a lot, it has heat and you wear it like a collar. I have been to a chiropracter and acupuncturist and these did not help at all, and that is why I had the surgery. If the neck pain keeps up, I would have an MRI, I waited too long for doctor to go ahead with one, nerve was trapped under C5-C6 for 3 years and that is why I had the surgery. Good luck, hope the pain is relieved. I had it for a long time and it can be terrible.
right knee pain
I am not an older MT, but I have been doing this for over 13 years and I just started to notice this last year that my right knee started to hurt, so I change my foot pedal to my left foot, and it really helps, so I have become ambidextrous with my foot pedal.
Oh I feel your pain
I have a habitual candy sucker. He chews, he slurps, he sucks, all while he's trying to talk. It gets especially bad when he's trying to think about what to say, he really goes to town on his candy then. I seriously want to hit him when he does this and I'm not a violent person by nature, usually I just resort to yelling at my monitor and removing my headphones at particularly juicy times.
Do you have a lot of stomach pain. I do.
:
I feel your pain....
I'm going thru similar situations myself at work, being challenged, etc. Can't go into details, as all of -them- are on this board as well. I know its so hard, but my advice is to just stick it out and be relatively silent. If you say anything, try to keep it a positive - avoid the temptation of squashing this idiot. In my case, I have found that the bigger guns really do have a sense of what is going on most times. They just keep quiet as well, but I believe that most times, those above you basically 100% know who is the one playing games, and usually the biggest clue is which of the two of you has class and dignity. Know what I mean? Hard words to live by, I know, as I am struggling with it daily, but so far, so good. Whether its fate, or karma, or justice - whatever your belief system - what does go around, comes around. You will be the victor if you keep a cool head. 
abdominal pain
Does anyone have any ideas what could be the culprit for this? My step daughter is having severe abdominal pain during and after bowel movements, in her upper middle abdomen. No temperature, no blood in bowel movements. Thanks for any input!
ABDOMINAL PAIN
Thanks for the great feedback. Hopefully she will be on the road to recovery !
I feel your pain (sm)
I can relate to your and hope that you get it resolved faster than I did (I am stubborn to a fault). I had tailbone bone pain that was so severe that I could not bear to sit on a hard surface for more than a minute without agonizing pain that would last for days! I finally did something I said I would never do - I saw a chiropractor. I went for adjustments three times weekly, then tapered over a month and have not had a problem since then.
By the way, my tailbone had actually been broken (apparently during the delivery of my daughter after all the relaxation of the pelvis, etc) and had a bend to it on x-ray, so when I would sit on something hard I was sitting right on the bone. OUCH!
Best of luck to you getting this worked out.
Sciatica pain help
Any hints on pain relief for sciatica while working? 
pain injection
Help. Doing a pain injection procedure. S/L gray rami communicans. Anyone?
I feel your pain! sm
Neurosurgeons must take a special residency course where they learn how to speak without opening their mouths at all! LOL Thank God for Normals.... And I wonder, will VR ever be THAT sophisticated?
pain relief
A conservative measure would be to purchase an ergonomic chair, if you are not already using one. They are costly, but work well in alleviating alot of the 'stress points' while transcribing. If you want information on where to purchase one, please contact me.
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