neck pain

[Deathwish]

Someone started a thread about workdesk heights earlier, it was relevant to my topic today because for over 3 weeks I have had severe pain from both elbows up too and across both shoulders, and into the neck. it bloody hurts and sod all I can do about it apart from take paracetamol. So in short  I guess you really do need to take stock of your working conditions.

Back to the pain and gentle slow movement of the head .. or end up in agony

[Zero999]

I suffered from neck pain when I first started my current job. The problem was the workbench was too low for me. I told my manager and he moved me to a higher bench.

[moya034]

Getting a good chair may also help in addition to work height. I can't reccomend the Ergohuman stuff enough. Most comfortable chair I've ever used:
ergohuman.com/ergohuman-chair/

[FireFlower]

I have saddle chair, I do rework at my work so my desk height is around almost at my shoulder height when I am sitting. I get neck pain if I decide to work at somewhere else where tables are set with 160cm tall model so I constantly have to bent my back to do work.

I also have one of those electric massage devices when I have neck pain still at home or during morning when I wake up if I have slept in awkward position


Well basic idea would be that you keep your body in good shape and you will have much less neck/back/shoulder pains.

[nctnico]

Getting a good chair may also help in addition to work height.

I agree. I always buy second hand high end desk chairs instead of the crap they sell at Staples and Ikea. A good desk chair costs around $750 new. A second hand one is usually around $150.

[rdl]

No chair that uses a gas lift is worth more than $50, unless the lift comes with a 10 year no questions free replacement and installation warranty. The damn things need to be banned.

[nctnico]

No chair that uses a gas lift is worth more than $50, unless the lift comes with a 10 year no questions free replacement and installation warranty. The damn things need to be banned.

Which I why I buy the second hand high-end office chairs. The gas lift just doesn't break before the upholstery is completely worn!

[Bud]

@OP

If you have medical insurance take physiotherapy. Years ago they cured my neck pain in one visit. Not sure what that procedure called, they applied electrodes and electric current to the area.

[Deathwish]

no insurance. but now have a dry mouth too.

[nctnico]

It can also be caused by sitting in a cold stream of air. For me that is a recipe for very painfull muscle cramps in my back which I then must stretch to make it less worse. 

[FireFlower]

More whiskey then. 

Cheap tips that I have, is that you go to pool and swim a bit, worked me a lot times when I had "locked" neck or buy electric massage tool and use it regularly before and after work.
More expensive tips is to get more ergonomic table. A chair doesn't mean that much as table.

And lifestyle changes are to only sit 55 minutes and take a 5 minute walk / stretching your muscles and starting healthier life with a bit walking, jogging, swimming, basically pleasant sport where you move whole body around. 15 minutes is minimum amount to start burn fat instead protein / carbohydrates, how fast / hard you do it doesn't affect those 15 minutes, so it can be just pleasant walk / jog for 15-30 minutes.

Fast fixes and expensive ones is to take a professional massage or acupuncture treatment but they are not permanent solutions, just temporary fixes or good additions with other changes.

[rdl]

Which I why I buy the second hand high-end office chairs. The gas lift just doesn't break before the upholstery is completely worn!

You may be on to something there. The last chair I bought with a gas lift was a fairly expensive "big and tall" variety. The cushioning has crushed flat and the upholstery is threadbare, but somehow the lift has managed to stay up.

Whatever happened to the threaded rods chairs used to use? You just spun them to the height you liked and they'd stay there forever.

[Maxlor]

Curious that one thing hasn't been mentioned before: stress. I get shoulder/neck/back pains when I'm unhappy about something at work. I don't notice myself being more tense physically, but still, that's how it works out for me. Fortunately the atmosphere at my job is fairly good most of the time, so it's a rare thing

[briselec]

Someone started a thread about workdesk heights earlier, it was relevant to my topic today because for over 3 weeks I have had severe pain from both elbows up too and across both shoulders, and into the neck. it bloody hurts and sod all I can do about it apart from take paracetamol. So in short  I guess you really do need to take stock of your working conditions.

Back to the pain and gentle slow movement of the head .. or end up in agony

I get neck pain fairly easily due to an old injury but it never causes severe pain in my elbows. Sounds like you've got something else going on.

[Deathwish]

Someone started a thread about workdesk heights earlier, it was relevant to my topic today because for over 3 weeks I have had severe pain from both elbows up too and across both shoulders, and into the neck. it bloody hurts and sod all I can do about it apart from take paracetamol. So in short  I guess you really do need to take stock of your working conditions.

Back to the pain and gentle slow movement of the head .. or end up in agony

I get neck pain fairly easily due to an old injury but it never causes severe pain in my elbows. Sounds like you've got something else going on.

I suffer with COPD and can barely walk a few feet, I sit here most of the time and even fall asleep on my desktop so yeah there is. I have one of those gas type chairs and a regular table as I aid before so that may not be helping.

[Tim F]

Most cheap office chairs have terribly unergonomic back rest designs, but if you sit upright without resting excessively against the back of the chair you shouldn't have too many problems. Leaning back in a badly designed chair or leaning forward with your arms bracing against the table will be a disaster.

Unless the problem is that the chair does not adjust high enough for the table, you should be able to adjust the height of the chair to create a reasonably ergonomic sitting position. The only problem with tables are those which have a lot of bracing underneath so you cannot adjust the chair high enough without banging your legs on the underside of the table or having your arms in an uncomfortable position. If you google "ergonomic office position" you'll see how you should be sitting. If you're at a computer then a monitor with an adjustable height will help a lot too.

If you do a lot of reaching for items at a bench then you shouldn't really be sitting at all.

[Zero999]

@OP

If you have medical insurance take physiotherapy. Years ago they cured my neck pain in one visit. Not sure what that procedure called, they applied electrodes and electric current to the area.

no insurance. but now have a dry mouth too.

You're in the UK so isn't this covered under the NHS (public health insurance)?

[Kjelt]

Had a couple of months muscle pain (neck and back just below the neck) this year. Some days it was that bad that i woke up in the middle of the night.
So I first went to a sport masseur and after 8 treatments there was still no relief, I went to the doctor who sent me to a physiotherapist.
He did something to my back and ribs and used dry needle therapy on the muscles. It went away after three treatments.

So I had already, as anyone else in the company, my desk and chair all installed for me by an ARBO instructor (someone who tries to prevent this sort of work related injuries).
What did I learn? It was not the desk or the chair nor their position. It was me, during work I keep some muscles continuously tense without knowing it (you do not notice this unfortunately till it is too late and they keep hurting).
Remedy: relax all muscles as often as you can, do exercises, tense and relax, walk to the coffeemachine every 20 minutes keep arms hanging as if you can not control them so just hang them as if you are numb, that kind of exercises.
Consult a specialist as soon as some pain starts in your muscles or joints, don't continu it gets worse to a point you might not be able to work properly, do not let this happen to you.

[G7PSK]

I get neck pain all the time due to an arthritic spine. All I can do is try to keep it at bay by keeping my neck warm. I wear roll neck jumpers all the time except in the hottest weather and often wear a scarf as well, seems to help.

[tautech]

Garry, you poor bugger I know how it feels, got a few aches and pains myself. Osteopath would my first remedy, these guys can work magic and helps if you've got one as a buddy.
Failing that....new/better/more drugs. 

[Deathwish]

Garry, you poor bugger I know how it feels, got a few aches and pains myself. Osteopath would my first remedy, these guys can work magic and helps if you've got one as a buddy.
Failing that....new/better/more drugs. 

The NHS is fine if you can get too it, sadly I cant get out of my home.

Yeah I know Rob, I have all your sympathies don't I NOT. you laughing git. As for new drugs etc, I hate drugs even at the best or worst of times. I went to bed earlier and then tried to get up again, couldn't manage to roll over to get up , I gave up trying to get straight up from horizontal long ago when the sodding pain shot through my neck like a steam hammer.

[tautech]

Garry, you poor bugger I know how it feels, got a few aches and pains myself. Osteopath would my first remedy, these guys can work magic and helps if you've got one as a buddy.
Failing that....new/better/more drugs. 

The NHS is fine if you can get too it, sadly I cant get out of my home.

Yeah I know Rob, I have all your sympathies don't I NOT. you laughing git. As for new drugs etc, I hate drugs even at the best or worst of times. I went to bed earlier and then tried to get up again, couldn't manage to roll over to get up , I gave up trying to get straight up from horizontal long ago when the sodding pain shot through my neck like a steam hammer.

You're lucky you don't live in my house Garry, she'd be polishing a bullet with your name on it by now. 
That makes you feel better.....fast. 

You don't sound good mate, Christmas is close, hope Santa brings you something nice to cheer you up. 

[Deathwish]

Garry, you poor bugger I know how it feels, got a few aches and pains myself. Osteopath would my first remedy, these guys can work magic and helps if you've got one as a buddy.
Failing that....new/better/more drugs. 

The NHS is fine if you can get too it, sadly I cant get out of my home.

Yeah I know Rob, I have all your sympathies don't I NOT. you laughing git. As for new drugs etc, I hate drugs even at the best or worst of times. I went to bed earlier and then tried to get up again, couldn't manage to roll over to get up , I gave up trying to get straight up from horizontal long ago when the sodding pain shot through my neck like a steam hammer.

You're lucky you don't live in my house Garry, she'd be polishing a bullet with your name on it by now. 
That makes you feel better.....fast. 

You don't sound good mate, Christmas is close, hope Santa brings you something nice to cheer you up. 

Santa !, you pee taking old sod, you know I hate him, but I bought a Olympus microscope of KJDS that is turning up today so who needs Santa  .

Your wife polishes bullets with your name on them ?.  Run forest run.

[tautech]

Only trying to cheer you up you poor old Santa hater and I DO hope you sort that crook neck but you have stop peering through keyholes first.

And BTW don't worry about me, I can shoot better than her.

[tooki]

Someone started a thread about workdesk heights earlier, it was relevant to my topic today because for over 3 weeks I have had severe pain from both elbows up too and across both shoulders, and into the neck. it bloody hurts and sod all I can do about it apart from take paracetamol. So in short  I guess you really do need to take stock of your working conditions.

Back to the pain and gentle slow movement of the head .. or end up in agony

See a doctor ASAP to get physiotherapy prescribed. It can do wonders, as will the exercises they teach you that you can do on your own time.

And be sure to get your whole workplace evaluated for ergonomics. Just 1cm difference in one dimension or another can make all the world.

[briselec]

My girlfriend has COPD. Bitch of a disease. Makes you realize how much you can't do if you can't breathe.