Pain in arms

[Guest guest]

Hi group and , I just wanted to say that I have had pain in my arms and

hands for quite a long type and my job includes mainly typing on the

computer. As a result of the repetitive motion I have had surgeries on both

elbows due to pain from wrists to elbows to shoulders. The injury is called

repetitive stress injury or tennis elbow (which I don't play). Also though,

a lot of the pain in my shoulders and neck area turned out to be a result of

my Fibormyalgia which I have had for about a year but was not diagnosed until

this past March. For the shoulder and arm pain, in the beginning, before

surgery, I had Physical Therapy which helped somewhat but the damage to the

muscle that goes from the thumb area to the elbow was too damaged by them to

respond to treatment, hence the surgery. It sounds to me, and I am no

doctor, like you may have some problems related to typing if you do that, or

any repetitive motion or heavy lifting. You might want to see an Orthopedist

or your PCP for some P.T., or have massage therapy to try out work out the

knots in your arms, shoulder whatever. Sorry, as I've said before I can

never remember everything I read specifically. I am still having some P.T.

and massage therapy myself for my pain. When I have knots in my arms,

shoulders, back, wherever, the massage therepists usually spends a little

more time in those areas to try and gently work them out. This does help and

I also have to be very careful about the lengh of time I spend at the

computer. I have to make myself get up about every 10 minutes and do some

neck, wrist and arm exercises. They are very useful.

Again, I'm sorry I don't remember who wrote about the dyslexia and ADD. I am

51 years old and have adult attention deficit disorder as well as being

dyslexic. Fortunately, the dyslexia was diagnosed when I was a child and I

was taught how to work with it. The ADD I probably had as a child too but it

worsened in adult years and I was not diagnosed with that until I was about

35. I can say that I did go to a Psychiatrist who specializes in ADD and a

Cognitive Therapist who was supposed to help me also with these things.

Didin't like the Cognitive Therapy, felt I got nothing from it regarding the

ADD/Dyslexia. I don't take any meds for this but I have learned some

techniques for reducing the ADD when I am working. I prefer not to take

meds, although Ritalin was suggested. It isn't easy to do this. You have to

work very hard at learning how to slow yourself down, writing notes, keeping

a journal even. I have had to and still am learning different techniques to

be able to focus and concentrate on things, especially when I'm tired then my

ADD really kicks in as well as my dyslexia. The dyslexia part I can remember

as a child how awful it was and how embarrassing it was to see and write

things backwards, if you will. Hang in there though and find someone who can

help you learn how to deal with these things. There are ways to do it with

the right help and even without meds, although if you need them and they work

for you then it might be worth a try. Have a happy day everyone.

Kathy/Cambridge, MA