neck/upper back problems
Posted By: Nancy on 2006-05-30
In Reply to:
Anyone else out there with neck and upper back problems. I am having problems with neck spasms and it makes my head feel funny with pain into my jaw etc. Another downfall to our jobs I guess.  Any tips from anyone that has had these and gotten relief would be much appreciated I do not like taking muscle relaxers. 
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neck and upper back sm
Swimming helps some. Massage definitely helps. I have asked the massage therapist just to focus on my neck and upper back and to work deeply. Rates for massage depend on where you live. I pay about $60 for an hour. Sometimes you can get a half hour. Definitely ask for what you want with massage, and give feedback about what feels helpful. A chiropractor has helped and a strong vibrator has helped. Good luck! I know the pain.
Upper back pain
In the past I have had the same problem, but I found that when I lowered my chair it was greatly improved. It seems I can type faster with my chair higher, but when I lower my chair I have much less pain. It is something to do with the angle in which my arms are.. When they are pretty much level with the keyboard that is a great improvement in the pain, although I have to sacrifice a little bit of speed it is well worth it. I also use a split keyboard which also seems to make an improvement in my pain. I have been at this work for 30 years and believe me I have had pain in all parts of my body related to sitting in this chair in the same position for many hours at a time. I wish you well.
Ergonomics for upper back pain?
I have been having tremendous problems with upper back pain right between my shoulder blades and up into my neck and right shoulder for weeks now. It makes typing just miserable.
Doc said I had brachial plexopathy, and gave me narcotics and told me to quit transcription. Since that isn't an option -- any ideas as to how to keep from getting this excruciating pain after an hour of typing? It goes away on weekends when I don't sit at the computer, so I'm sure it's largely related to my positioning. I've tried to fix my posture, but sitting up completely straight hurts worse than slouching.
Share any stretches, techniques for arm positioning, etc. I will be extremely grateful.
Thanks! 
Ergonomics for upper back pain
I find that it helps to get up and do a few stretch exercises. I have a 3-minute workout and microbreaks pamphlet that my husband got from his work that shows and explains some exercises including neck and back stretches. It does help when you get stiff from sitting and typing for so long. If you want me to type it up for you, just let me know and I will.
Back/neck pain
If anyone responds to the post about upper back/neck pain, please let me know - I have the exact same problem, and it makes long hours just miserable sometimes! Thanks in advance!!
back and neck pains
does anyone have any tips for backache and neck pains from sitting? I do try to take breaks and do stretches. As far as a good chair, any hints? I know of a good brand but it is awfully expensive but may be worth the investment, but I would like to spend under $200 if I could.
back/shoulder/neck pain
last year I started out like that and so I checked the ergonomics of my keyboard, etc. I wound up moving my mouse to my left hand and that helped somewhat but later developed symptoms of a frozen shoulder. Do you get an extreme burning sensation? It took me a year to recover. I feel your pain.
agree - many MT's have chronic back/neck/shoulder problems also
x
Try leaning back in your chair and typing with your keyboard in your lap. I had terrible neck sm
back and shoulder pain, as well as pain in my elbows and hands from rheumatoid arthritis. I tried this method and have been using it for almost 6 years now with excellent results.
Yes they are!!!! OSi and SoftScript are neck and neck
There are MUCH better companies out there. Please, for your sake, do not go there with SoftScript.
Upper case is lower, lower case is upper. Using InstaText. Anyone know how to fix this?
Aargh. It happened all day yesterday. When I brought in text that was all caps
IMPRESSION:
and had lower case on keyboard (as always do), it reverses keyboard commands. This is driving me c-r-a-z-y.
Upper Michigan 18 cpl
x
Where in upper MI if you don't mind
me asking. I'm in upper MI and everyone around here and surrounding areas balks at anything over 8 cpl. I've never heard of anyone in our state paying anywhere near that high, so I'm really curious. Thanks!
Upper and lower lid blepharoplasty.
Was setting up a surveillance camera because I am a single woman who lives alone.
As I was programming it, I could a glimpse of myself and nearly fell off the chair! I loook old and tired (47).
Have been so busy and so stressed for the last six months, I haven't really taken care of myself. I just joined gym, quit smoking, am cleaning up my act.
But, nothing is going to take the bags away from my eyes. Am thinking of plastic surgery. If anyone has had this done, can you tell me whether it was worth the money to you?
As you know, I am far from rich but have few bills other than the general overhead (no credit cards).
thanks! I work very hard and it would be a gift to myself.
Have ya'll ever had it really help your belly, esp your upper abdomen?nm
x
No surprise companies have the upper hand....sm
With a law that says an employer can "fire at will"...I have a hard time thinking the unfairness is NOT supposed to be that way. I could bore you with my past experience but I won't..lets just say after 28 years working in one hospital,an employee file with every yearly evaluation saying "exceeds standards"..the number that was done on me by an HIM director who i later was to learn found out I knew she was "playing doctor" with one of our married OB/GYN physicians and must have felt a bit threatened by that... is a story straight out of a "Fatal Attraction" spoof. On seeing my file in the end.. there was entry after entry of documentation that was literally untrue and fabricated.... when asking a lawyer what I could do.. the answer was nothing... they can fire at will... Some employers... and more specifically HIM directors...are bad people too...
Yikes! He had the "saggiest" upper arms I
v
I have consistently made in the upper $40s to mid $50s in this business.
I have not been chained to the computer. I have even worked just 3 days a week to make that. Long days, mind you, but still only 3 days a week.
I have a talent and great aptitude for this work. I also am fiercely protective of my work time/environment. I work very hard while I'm working. Thus, I do not have to work more than 40 hours a week.
Sit in disbelief all you want. Just remember, you are the one not making the money while many of us are.
If you go to "EXText " in the upper left corner....sm
while in a document, all the shortcuts are listed there. Hope this helps.
Upper righthand side of this page
I'm in southern NY, 2hrs. north of NYC. One of the helpers on MTD is from upper NY, too. nm
,
Nair for upper lip/face works great
...
Might be meaning the 3 boxes left upper corner??
the 3 little square boxed in the right hand corner, see them. The middle one makes a bigger screen. Unclick it and it goes back to regular size. This this what you meant.
Hey Pockets. Just click "CHAT now" in the upper right hand corner, and it will take you there.
NM
If Word, Shift + F3 cycles thru upper/lower/title case.
xx
Or: in the right upper corner you have the minimize, the restore/maximize and the close button. Cl
nm
Well you can always strap one around your neck :)
Think about it. The possibilities are endless when you learn to be "without hands" doing this job.
If it is lunchtime, cutting a sandwich into 6 individual pieces and stabbing each piece with a toothpick works very well as you only have to do one bite at a time and your keyboard doesn't get nasty from touching the bread.
For dessert, don't buy Reeses peanut butter cups. The "Popable" Reeses fit nicely into a small cup that you can toss a mouthful from whenever the urge hits you.
I don't recommend anything that you actually have to pick up with your fingers, i.e., Cheese Doodles, Doritos, salt and vinegar chips, etc., as the keyboard gets really icky and you lose time that way or you have to wipe the residue on your pants or a leftover coffee filter.
I've also found that a straw works well with coffee once it has cooled down to tepid, as it usually does before you expect it.
stiff neck
What do you do for a stiff neck from working at the computer too long? Mine is killing me today.
How about a neck pillow you can
That can help sometimes; you can even make one. Just sew up a tube and fill it with beans or rice. Or maybe you could get someone to massage your neck to loosen up those tight muscles? If nobody is around to do that for me, I sometimes stand under the shower with hot water or take a long soak in the tub with Epsom salts. Also, those neck rotating exercises help loosen up tense muscles sometimes. Hope it gets better; I know the feeling well. If it's not the hands, wrists, or arms, it's the back, neck, or butt.
help for stiff neck
I have many severe problems with my neck (which is one of the reasons I am on SS disability). Take a long mens tube sock and fill with rice and some lavender. Either tie the end or sew it close. Heat in the microwave, then hang it around your neck. It will work wonders. This also helps sore shoulders as well.
Stiff neck
What really helped me, and I know they are expensive, but an Aeron chair was the best MT investment I made, especially the one with the swivel arms that you can pivot to the right position for your keyboard. No more back or neck ache. At least this worked for me.
It is about the norm around here in my neck of the USA. nm
x
My neck does hurt too...but...
my wrists usually get super sore when I STOP typing, I guess from not using them so much. If I take a weekend off, I am in severe pain with them, usually the brace works or taking ibuprofen, but now the brace doesn't fit. Thanks for your help!! I have actually thought about trying acupuncture, someone I know did that and they don't have any back pain at all after some sessions, supposed to be covered by my insurance too. Thanks again for your help!
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.
QA is not breathing down MY neck, as I am only the--sm
transcriptionist with a small MTSO, but they may be breathing down the MTSOs neck. All I know is that one doctor in particular, a felon on top of that, has his office QA each report for errors and for line count. If he feels the line count is in error, he demands a return of funds charged...not from me personally, but from the MTSO. My MTSO also has another account that discovered that their transcription company was charging for lines not typed, i.e. ALL lines, and fired them for it. So they DO check. Even doctors do not want to get ripped off. The OP can charge whatever she likes. Maybe 11 cpl in her area is the going rate. That is not for anyone else to decide, but she must be honest above all, or she won't have ANY account for long.
Maybe she won't be such a pain in the neck
once you have your cervical surgery. They can probably get off paying her real cheap. Sounds like you are being duped. You may want to consider working for another practice who appreciates you instead of going above your head and hiring people since you are the supervisor. If they didn't think it was a good idea, they wouldn't have had the girl waiting there for you to train when you got back. Unfortunately this happens. Believe me, I know from experience, I worked for a hospital for over 15 years. They hired a lady that was ready for retirement. She comes and goes as she wishes. She did not listen to a word I said. She had medical problems herself and as far as I was concerned was not worth my time. So you know what I did? I resigned. End of story. Now I am happy and not having to train. So instead of thinking they care about what you think, start caring about what you think and find a position somewhere else where you are more appreciated.  It sounds a little late in this game to train even someone with a lot of experience if your plan is to go out in just a few months. Everyone can be replaced, believe me, it is so true. 
So what neck of the woods are you from?
In other words, where do you live in case this is a little deep for you. I have been a Transcriptionist for over 30 years and it is simply our way of speaking here in the south- has nothing to do with being lazy or unintelligent either one. Even with my southern twang, I still pride myself on my understanding not only of English but what we do for a living every day. No slouch here.
I know about CTS, but do any of you have neck pain? SM
My neck is killing me, I guess from staying in the same position for hours. I am starting to feel a knot in my neck!
Thanks.
neck pain
I like the center of my monitor even with my eyes. This keeps my neck straight. Also if you wear glasses be sure to measure the distance from your eyes to the monitor so you are not pulling your head foreward.
A break? Your arm, your neck or your leg? Your choice...
x
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....
Put a frozen sirloin on your neck. nm
//
Forgot one...NECK after shoulders(nm)
X
Migraines really are not associated with stiff neck.
I have been cursed with them for about 15+ years - stiff neck is usually associated with some types of meningitis - RUN to the nearest ER, my friend. Photophobia, sensitive to noise, nausea, vomiting -- these are migraines - stiff neck, no.
Get a soft neck collar and try
Roll up a towel and put it under your neck when you sleep for support. If you don't get a collar you can also use a rolled towel and pin it while you're working.
Neck pain is horrible. Good luck
Neck Pain Relief
The main problem I have is neck pain from typing. Found some good products to help and especially the neck exercises that keep me going with less pain and headaches.
Repetitive Stress Injury Neck
I am in bad shape with my neck and I thought maybe I could come here for some advice before I go to my doctor. I have an injury there already, but I thought it healed. I do 8 to 10 hours a day of typing and computer work. I do sit in an ergonomic chair, but I have very bad neck pain still...primarily on the left and it is a sharp intermittent pain.
Repetivie stress injury neck
I had fusion at C6-7 15 years ago, with release of nerve entrapment. Now I also am getting the same pain back in my neck and arms from transcription. I have been on muscle relaxants and pain killers. My desk is ergonomically correct as is my chair, level of screen. My screen is eye level. I may need another MRI, as it is now affecting my neck/shoulder. I am going to try a back cushion to see if that will help me. There are several stores that sell these and they are not too expensive. I know the pain, it is horrible and I feel for you. I would just try to see what your doctor can offer you. Cortisone injections do work as does physical therapy. Good luck and I hope your pain is gone soon.
... to prevent neck strain. Lift it up on something if it's
s
I work for MQ. Can't afford to put a sirloin on my table, let alone my neck! nm
nm
Hospital MTs around my neck of the woods make $24 per hour +. sm
The jobs are out there, you have to find them.
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