Getting old, looking old, and *acting* old...
Category Everything Else
So about a year ago I did some physical therapy for a neck issue that started out as a stiff neck after a day of computing and spread to agony down the left arm. Imagine someone digging around with an ice pick, and you're somewhat close. There was nothing significantly wrong with the neck... just a small shift in a vertebra putting pressure on a nerve. The therapy involved some neck traction to open up the area a bit and relieve the pressure.
Fast forward to now, and I'm dealing with the same issue (yes, I've started to slouch at the keyboard again... I'm a PROGRAMMER!) Rather than spend the next three weeks going to therapy, I decided to get one of those soft neck collars you see Jerry Springer-types wear to convince the world they have severe whiplash and should be awarded $3 million in damages for the fender bender... I refuse to wear it outside the house or at work, but it *does* make a difference. Picked it up at the pharmacy this afternoon and put it on when I got home. This is the best my arm's felt in days. Of course, I look like a total idiot with this big white thing around my neck. On the other hand, I'm probably two inches taller now. :)
Surprisingly, Ian didn't give me too much grief for it. It's only because he's dealing with his own shoulder injury (possible rotator cuff tear), and he understands how important pain relief is (regardless of how ridiculous it may look).
I can now empathize with how those African women feel... those ones that wear the rings around their necks. :)
So about a year ago I did some physical therapy for a neck issue that started out as a stiff neck after a day of computing and spread to agony down the left arm. Imagine someone digging around with an ice pick, and you're somewhat close. There was nothing significantly wrong with the neck... just a small shift in a vertebra putting pressure on a nerve. The therapy involved some neck traction to open up the area a bit and relieve the pressure.
Fast forward to now, and I'm dealing with the same issue (yes, I've started to slouch at the keyboard again... I'm a PROGRAMMER!) Rather than spend the next three weeks going to therapy, I decided to get one of those soft neck collars you see Jerry Springer-types wear to convince the world they have severe whiplash and should be awarded $3 million in damages for the fender bender... I refuse to wear it outside the house or at work, but it *does* make a difference. Picked it up at the pharmacy this afternoon and put it on when I got home. This is the best my arm's felt in days. Of course, I look like a total idiot with this big white thing around my neck. On the other hand, I'm probably two inches taller now. :)
Surprisingly, Ian didn't give me too much grief for it. It's only because he's dealing with his own shoulder injury (possible rotator cuff tear), and he understands how important pain relief is (regardless of how ridiculous it may look).
I can now empathize with how those African women feel... those ones that wear the rings around their necks. :)
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Comments
See a good doctor or physical therapist before resorting to this thing.
Posted by Andrew Pollack At 18:16:35 On 26/03/2008 | - Website - |
Posted by Ben Poole At 00:48:17 On 27/03/2008 | - Website - |
@1 - Thanks for the advice... I'm doing the exercises I *should* have kept doing all along. I'm only using the collar for short periods of time to get some temporary relief (and to simulate that great neck traction machine in the PT office!)
Posted by Duffbert At 03:31:34 On 27/03/2008 | - Website - |
Next of all, walking upright without the knuckle dragging
Posted by Paul Mooney At 15:21:01 On 27/03/2008 | - Website - |