h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Had to go home early wed nite, an hour early.
Had to go home seven hours early thursday night and was told to go to the Emergency Room so it could be documented by workmen's comp.
Went to the emergency room and later to the Occupational Medicine clinic.
Am now assigned to light duty and was given a prescription for the minimum of pain killers. I refused to take the vicodin and the muscle relaxant because they meant I would have to miss work completely.
I can't afford to miss work, because then I would be in pain and starving. Not to mention the effect it would have on my landlord and utilities.

I was almost incapacitated by the pain on wednesday.
That's why the leadman sent me home.
It is a package of tingly business across my shoulder muscles, and down both sides of my spine. When I perform certain movements, like bending over or reaching above my head, then I get sharp stabs of pain and I am trembly for minutes afterward.

I have been in pain ever since I started this job.
Pain is in the job description.
But it recently began to get worse.
Part of it is because my co-worker couldn't share some of the more strenous duties because... he injured his back a month ago.
So, Friday morning and Friday night, he had to jeopardise his back again because mine is not working right.

Truly, where is the point in all this?
Surely someone must soon realize that the tasks need to be redesigned or reassigned if all they do is damage the people performing them?
Right?

Ahahahahahhahahahha!
Not blurdy likely.

Traveller in Time glad to have medical insurances
"Well, something like that. If I get ill, there is a compensation fund.

Would have thought your fysical condition to increase after working some time. Anyway 'glad' you still manage to do the job. "

So sorry to hear you are in more pain.

If those are lightning like electrical shocks going up or down your neck in addition to the rest please go see a doctor. OR if you spine and extremities feel you are haning onto a light to moderate electrical current at all times while feeling weakness, go!

Sometimes your muscles get so protective that you really need to relax them in order for the spine to go back into alignment.
I hope you have some days off and will take the medication then.
Just breaking the chain of pain and spasm can do a lot of good.

You could risk losing more than you are worrying about now.
I hope it subsides or improves quickly.

"Would have thought your fysical condition to increase after working some time."

It has.
It allows me to injure myself more thoroughly because it takes longer for the damage to register in my consciousness.

In the event of any worsening down the road,
It would be safest and smart ( money wise)to have the progression documented.

the paperwork has been initiated and the x-rays have been taken.
For the time being, everything is free under Workmen's Compensation.

Good.

Just popping in to see how you are feeling.

The pain is not as bad as it was, but it's still there.
I have an appointment to go back to the Doctor tomorrow morning.

How did it go?
If you want to talk.
I realise it is workmans comp so manybe less is better?

I hope you continue to improve.

The suggestion about taking the muscle relaxant on your days off is a good one. I also think your suggestion about the job being redesigned so it doesn't hurt people working there is a fundamental issue.

Would it mean re-tooling? Could the union make suggestions here?

How are you feeling now?

O/~

I didn't fill the prescription for the muscle relaxant nor the Vicodin.
I need to keep my head and body clear as much as possible, or I won't be able to work at all.

I filled the prescription for the 800mg Motrin, but I've only taken about three of the pills.
I need to know where the pain is so that I can compensate for it.

We have no Union. The owners are frightened of them.

Re-tooling in my case would mean new equipment and the plant is running on fumes at the moment.

The place is like a colliery, it runs on sheer human grit and determination not to give up.

'We have no Union. The owners are frightened of them.' Now, there's a surprise! Are there Health & Safety inspectors from the government/state?

Where does the main competition to the factory come from - internally in America, or from foreign producers?

O/~

Supposedly intelligent people from the government are aware of the conditions in this hellhole.
Apparently they also realise it is in financial difficulties.
Which doesn't explain why the old timers tell me that it was worse back ten years ago when it was in good financial straits.
I am so cornfoosed!

I think the main competition comes from Japan and China.
Which is weird because some of our customers are Japanese and Chinese companies.
Die casting is so prevalent in modern manufacturing that you will find light alloys in almost every appliance.
Die casting is also used to make toys and plastics.
Most of the resin figurines that are sold to fanboys are made in a die casting facility.
Watch casings, motor housings, and power steering pumps are made of die castings.

hi sorry forinterupting but i saw this convo and hadto investigate it as a back pain sufferer i can understand how you feel i know you dont want to take pills and neither did i but god did they work but the real thing that helped was certain back strengthening exercises to strengthen the muscles around the spine and also what has recently been introduced lifting techniques ive been shown this i know it sounds strange but back injury can be serious and you could be out of work for ever

andy

No problem.
What sort of exercises?

The doctor has determined through x-rays and examination that there is no discernible damage.
But he doesn't ignore the fact that the injury could be muscular.
He also said that chronic back pain becomes a fact of life for many people and the only thing they can do is remain as active as they can because resting too much is just as bad as working too much.

I have been in one sort of pain or another for most of my working life. I've gotten used to it. This recent development, though, was very frightening. It seems to be coupled with fatigue, the weather and a certain depressed mood that I was in at the time of the injury.

I'm trying to get more rest, the weather is improving, and I am trying to get out of that frame of mind, as it makes my posture poor.

simple exercise to start with to mobilise the spine such as lying flat on the floor with your arms flat out out then move one hand to the other while the other stays on the ground so your are gently moving your spine then vice a versa then as you get more movement there are execercises such as dorsal raises where you lay flat on your stomach and raise your self using your back muscles and not your hands and with the top exercise you can do it standing up and twist your body at the waist to the right an dleft as laying down as you say is more harmful as your spne freezes or jars causing more pain when you do move

andy

Uh, my original problem, almost ten years ago, was that I twisted my back.

The fact you had fatigue to the point it scared you, might point to arthritis.

It is not all alike / one type fits all and some bad forms do not show on typical blood tests. There is a spinal arthritis that affects the spine first and foremost, not nearly so badly in the more typical arthritis spots. You often have no problem with hands-knees-

It would be wise IF you think or know you have arthritis to get a Rhuematologists(sp?)or better yet, an arthritis treatment clinic.
There are some amazing treatments for some types and if you are one of those folks. The newer medications wok for some.

Exercise and strengthing your core muscles is always the best bet no matter what else is done. In some cases physical therapists put you on them during therapy so it aguments and enables you to start them. Once you improve, and can do them on your own you are taken off of the relaxers.

Water exercise is very good and popular for ongoing back troubles.
It is amazing at strengthening and stabalizing your spine/trunk muscles less painfully and quicker than many other ways. The stomach muscles are the back muscles so if you feel them working and strengthing your back is.

You can always add more types of exercises after your recovery.
Walking is best for almost everything