Dangerous RSI Pain Relief Advice?
May 24th, 2005 | Published in RSI Tips | 1 Comment
In an article at the company’s web site (Natural Pain Relief at Hand for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Real Solution Remedies discuss using their “Naturally Painless” spray-on pain relief for dealing with RSI pain. The product is touted as an all-natural alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, providing pain relief without the side effects of the drugs.
I haven’t tried the product, so have no knowledge of whether it works or not. It certainly sounds interesting, and the web site features glowing testimonials from satisfied customers.
But what caught my attention was this sentence: “Carpal tunnel syndrome and other strain injuries can keep you from doing your best work. Now help is at hand - with just a few sprays you can experience natural pain relief and get back to full speed.”
That sounds dangerous to me. I have nothing against pain relief - if you’re in pain, do whatever it takes to get relief. But it’s the last few words that are the problem: “get back to full speed”.
Let’s be clear about this. Pain is a symptom of a deeper problem - Repetitive Strain Injury, in this case. Pain relievers, whether drugs or this Naturally Painless spray, are treating the symptoms, not the underlying problem. They’re a band-aid. They cover up the symptoms and help you get through the day, but in no way are they dealing with the underlying problem.
If, after taking something for pain relief, you “get back to full speed”, then you’re very likely to injure yourself further. Pain is a warning signal from your body. If you mask that pain, then continue to do more of whatever it was that caused the pain, you’re only going to hurt yourself more.
The only real way to deal with RSI pain is to address the the problems, not the symptoms. Improve your ergonomics. Strengthen your muscles. Increase your flexibility. Improve your posture. If you must seek short-term pain relief, then do so, but do so with full understanding of your actions and their potential consequences. Whatever you do, don’t “get back to full speed” with the very actions that caused the pain in the first place.
November 29th, 2005 at 8:46 am (#)
Repetitive Strain Injury occurs when the movable parts of the limbs are injured. Repetitive Strain Injury usually caused due to repetitive tasks, incorrect posture, stress and bad ergonomics. Repetitive Strain Injury generally causes numbness, tingling, weakness, stiffing, and swelling and even nerve damage. The chief complaint is the constant pain in the upper limbs, neck, shoulder and back.
1.Position: The recommended position to sit in front of a computer is semi-reclined with the forearms resting in a cradle or on an extension of the keyboard support to prevent Repetitive Stress Injury. There should be ample support for the back. The hands should be free and point in the direction of the forearms. The feet should rest on the ground or feet support. The distance of the monitor should be 18 inches or more and at a slightly lower level than the eye level. Using these measures Repetitive Stress Injury caused out of position can be avoided.
2.Hydration: The Repetitive Stress Injury can be prevented by drinking adequate fluids to keep the tendons and soft- tissues soft.
For more information about this topic can be found at SafeComputingTips.com