Re: doing homework and in pain

[Guest guest]

> E. Hyland " wrote:

> I have been bent over my desk (which is too high, but I love it anyway, and

besides I cannot afford a new desk, and would probably not get one even if I

could because this one has sentimental value to me) doing homework.

> I crane my neck to see while I do math homework because the light is not good

at my desk. I need another lamp on the left-hand side

e. h.

I have myofascial pain, TMJ, damage to my neck and upper back due to the TMJ

damage. I also have severely dry eyes and rely on lots of eye drops. I did

have several job where I sat at a desk reading and writing all day. I also made

it through graduate school with the TMJ, neck, back pain. Here some

suggestions.

Since you love your desk and you know you it is too high for you, can you get a

different chair that would put the desk at the right height for you? I am on

the short side (5' 2 " ) and almost all desks are too high for me. I love

adjustable office chairs. But when I get the chair right for the desk, then my

feet dangle. So I'd get a cardboard box the right height to put my feet on so

they'd not dangle.

I also like using an angled v-shaped book holder, like what you find on lap

desks. This put the book at an angle which was better for my back and neck.

And it is flat so I can still highlight.

Having the right amount of light is important. You've already said that you

need another lamp on the left-hand side of the desk. I have found my eyes do

much better in good light. When it is dim, that puts strain on my eyes. Since

you have dry eyes too, it may be that you are putting strain on your eyes. Can

you procure another lamp?

Frequent breaks are important both for my pain and my eyes. I would read for no

more than 40 minutes out of every hour. Then I'd get up and make photocopies,

faxes, schedule rooms, go to meetings. When in school, I would take a 5-10

walk, get up and make tea, throw in a batch of laundry, or do some other quick

chore. I don't know what your schedule is but the more breaks I can incorporate

the less pain and eye strain I have.

There are also some stretching exercises that you can do at your desk. They

range from things like pulling your shoulders back as far as you can to ease the

upper back to resting your eyes on the palms of your hands for 5 minutes.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your studies.

[Guest guest]

Have you tried a battery-powered or electric neck massager for home work time? I

have osteoarthritis, which is pinching the nerve roots on both sides of my neck,

and it definitely helps me keep my pain level down. Perhaps you will feel better

once you have finished venting and the homework is done. It is hard going to

school, going to work, and then having to do a lot of reading for homework. If

you had a kindle, the book could be read to you, while you lay down with a

pillow for your knees and an orthopedic pillow for neck.

e. h. wrote:

I crane my neck to see while I do math homework because the light is not good at

my desk. I need another lamp on the left-hand side because I am right-handed,

and with the lamp on the right-hand side, my arm blocks the light. So, I crane

my neck, which just makes the pain worse--my neck is where the majority of my

pain is, ALL the time (except, fortunately, when I am sleeping, although I have

been waking up early in pain the past two days).