Many pains arise during work hours. Most of them are caused by the very effort required by the job and end up bothering and taking attention away from the job. Some measures can be taken to alleviate and even prevent them, contributing to a healthier and more productive work environment.
For Dr. André Shecaira, Orthopedist of the Bone Stretching Center, the most common pains experienced during work are those caused by repetitive stress. They are common in people who type a lot. Other common pains include tendonitis in the hands, wrists and elbows, back pain, usually caused by incorrect posture, says the doctor.
According to Dr. Vanessa Muller, neurologist and medical director of VTM Neurodiagnosis, the most common pains are located in the back, legs, neck, arms, head and face. "These pains are largely justified by inadequate working conditions that predispose the worker to the occurrence or worsening of diseases," explains the neurologist.
Some steps can be taken to prevent such pain while working, and according to Dr. André, all involve a healthy work environment. • This requires the use of appropriate chairs, correct positioning of the height of computers, monitors and keyboards, correct positioning of the table. These are all simple measures that make everyday life much easier. Also, should people who stand for a long time avoid wearing tight shoes and high heels for a long time ?, the orthopedist determines.
The medical neurologist agrees. To alleviate pain, working conditions need to be improved. The solutions suggested by Dr. Vanessa are adequate ergonomics, giving preference to comfortable and user-friendly equipment and instruments; suitable work place, quiet, bright and at room temperature; avoid overwork; avoid staying in one position for a long time; avoid repetitive movements; avoid work with high demand and stress whenever possible; and taking spontaneous breaks at work, especially if continuous attention is required. "During this time, enjoy stretching, drinking water," adds the doctor.
Read also: Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon and generates pain in different parts of the body.
An important alert that Dr. Vanessa makes is to be aware of any pain. Pain is a warning sign that there is something wrong going on in the body. Even if the pain is of short duration or of low intensity, it is essential to establish the cause or the causative agent.
For the neurologist, at the first sign of pain it is important to consult a doctor. • Seek help from the occupational physician or other specialist in order to establish an accurate diagnosis and then define a treatment. In addition to acute treatment, it is essential to establish prophylactic measures to prevent the resurgence of the painful condition ?, explains Dr. Vanessa.
The 5 most common types of pain and how to ease them
Spending hours sitting in the same position can cause pain in many places. Working eight hours in front of your computer can also cause headaches, hands, and neck pain. While people who work for hours on foot may experience spinal and foot pain. There are many pains that hinder and hinder job performance. Next, health professionals indicate what may be causing these pains and how to ease them during their work hours.
1. Headache
The headache is undoubtedly the most felt during work. Anyone who has to exert a mental effort or deal with a lot of stress ends up feeling headaches. Dr. Vanessa explains that there are several types of headache. It may be secondary to other illnesses, such as a flu symptom, or it may be the disease itself, called primary headache. Among the most common types of primary headache, are the tension headache, migraine and cervicogenic headache ?, says the neurologist.
According to the doctor, all types are different and manifest in a peculiar way. Each type has specific triggering factors such as vigorous exercise can increase the chance of having a migraine attack or staying in an improper posture can greatly increase the risk of having cervicogenic headache. However, factors such as stress, anxiety, work overload, sleep disturbance can worsen all types of pain ?, points out Dr. Vanessa.
Read also: 8 supplements and vitamins that relieve back pain
How to soften
To alleviate the headaches, the neurologist doctor cites some attitudes that help lessen the pain. • Some pains ease with rest, others when changing to dark and quiet environment (migraine). Sometimes the pain goes with neck massage and stretching (in cervicogenic headache). A break from work may be enough to promote the reduction of stress that is leading to tension headache ?, explains the doctor.
"However, in some cases, these measures are insufficient to treat pain and medications are needed," adds the doctor. As for medication use, she explains that there are crisis medications and medications that help prevent crises. • If you experience more than four episodes of headache per month, a prophylactic drug treatment should be performed to prevent the painful seizure under the supervision of a physician. Using analgesic drugs too often, indiscriminately, can result in the worsening of the pain ?, reinforces Dr. Vanessa.
How to avoid
To avoid the headaches, Dr. Vanessa cites some necessary attitudes. • Eat well and every four hours, fasting can trigger a headache. Get a good sleep, prefer to sleep in a dark environment and no noise. Change mattress periodically as well as your pillows and avoid sleeping with TV on. Too much or too little sleep increases the risk of pain crises ?, says the neurologist.
Read also: 19 exercises to do sitting at your desk
Another attitude is to observe your mood and behavior. "Anxiety and depression are treated and people with these illnesses often suffer from a headache," he explains. Gynecological diseases such as endometriosis, polycystic ovaries and menstrual irregularities can aggravate the problem, as hormonal changes and menstruation may increase seizures, so the doctor advises you to consult a gynecologist.
Avoid caffeine, cheese and excess wine, exercise, increase your resistance to pain by increasing endorphins, avoid excessive and indiscriminate use of painkillers, this tends to decrease your resistance and increase the frequency of pain and seek help. to establish an accurate diagnosis and thus to establish appropriate treatment, especially prophylactic ?, are some of the guidelines given by Dr. Vanessa to avoid having headaches while working.
2. Backache
Another very common pain that occurs during work is back pain. Mainly caused by improper posture, it can also be caused by other factors. In the back, various attitudes can lead to problems. People who stand for a long time, but with the spine inclined. People sitting in chairs with bad back. Wrong position for computers. That is, any change in posture influences and enables problems ?, says Dr. André.
For Dr. Afonso Shiguemi Inoue Salgado, physiotherapist and director of the Salgado Institute of Integral Health, stress is also one of the reasons for back pain. Spinal pains are very common complaints and are related to poor posture at work and are also linked to stress that increases overall muscle tone. Repetitive exercise without prevention, adapting to new furniture or inadequate furniture are other causes of back pain, explains the physiotherapist.
How to soften
Back pain can be alleviated with very simple attitudes. • Try to stretch before starting work and afterwards as well. Try to take short breaks between long periods of rest to rest your spine? Teaches Dr. André.
Also claiming that stretching is essential for back pain is Isabela Anderson Laynes, a physical therapist specializing in role playing at the Quality of Life Center (CQV) in Sao Paulo. "Seeking postural and ergonomic instructions with physiotherapists, performing stretching to decrease muscle tension and adopting the practice of work activities when the company provides are practices that alleviate back pain," says the physiotherapist.
How to avoid
To avoid back pain, the main tip that health professionals give is to do physical activity. The important thing is to try to physically condition yourself with regular physical activity. A good musculature avoids joint and musculature problems, and ensures more elasticity and improved tone ?, says Dr. André.
Research shows that exercising for 20 minutes daily is more effective for back pain than any medicine. Give preference to functional exercises that will promote the maintenance of the joint muscle ?, reiterates the physiotherapist, Dr. Afonso.
"Abandon sedentary lifestyle in daily life, pay attention to posture during work, take care of food, seek leisure activities and observe the ergonomic issues of the workplace", complements the physiotherapist Isabela on what needs to be done to avoid back pains.
3. Hand and wrist pain
Some employees also experience a lot of hand and wrist pain. This is often caused by their functions that require repetitive movements. "In general, hand and wrist pain are caused by repetitive strain injuries (RSI), which sometimes cannot be changed as they involve the person's profession", reinforces the orthopedist, Dr. André.
Another possibility that Dr.André enumerates is to work with improper positioning. Sometimes, the person may work with the fists suspended rather than resting them on the work table. This generates unnecessary effort for upper limb musculature and hence problems.
According to the orthopedist, differentiating acute pain from chronic pain is quite subjective. ? When a patient says he has a chronic injury it is merely a matter of accompanying him and seeing if he has it continuously and uninterrupted. If it is something occasional that happens today and then improves, it cannot be considered chronic. Still, there is no objective parameter to this question? Explains Dr. André.
• Pain that becomes constant in the patient's life should be of concern and should influence the search for medical treatment. There is no frequency on absolute days, but if it starts to become more frequent, more constant, more everyday, the worker should seek the help of a doctor ?, completes the orthopedist.
How to soften
Stretching and the correct positioning of the hands and wrists are fundamental measures to ease pain during the work period. These are often the most common pains in the workplace due to repetitive stress. Especially in people who constantly use the computer. Because they are directly linked to work, habits are difficult to change ?, points out Dr. André.
Leaving hands and wrists supported also helps to ease the pain experienced during work. Poorly placed wrists and hands generate unnecessary strain on the upper limb musculature, and consequently problems. Correct positioning of the height of computers, monitors and keyboards and the correct positioning of the table help to ease, and even avoid, the pain ?, declares the orthopedist.
How to avoid
The physiotherapist, Dr. Afonso, states that prevention occurs through regular exercise, good sleep, to maintain overall body balance, relaxation periods, using yoga techniques, and massage and stretching. Paying attention to the positioning of hands and wrists also helps to prevent future pain.
"When pain becomes constant, affecting sleep, loss of muscle strength in which people cannot grasp objects, tingling and loss of movement is characteristic of RSI," defines the physiotherapist. In this case, the help of a specialist is crucial for the pain to be avoided or alleviated.
4. Foot and leg pain
For angiologist and vascular surgeon, Dr. Eduardo Fávero, it is not difficult to hear complaints of sufferers with swollen legs, heaviness and tingling, especially after logos standing periods, and when temperatures are higher. It is called lower extremity edema, a circulatory system disorder characterized by abnormal fluid accumulation in the legs and feet. The disease can affect both sexes in different age groups, but is more common in women. Its causes are multiple and vary according to the age of the patient, explains the doctor.
• In young people, edema is usually just a result of fluid retention or long standing periods. Already in people over fifty, the care should be greater. In these cases, the swelling may be a symptom of heart, liver and kidney disease, as well as other problems such as severe malnutrition, hypothyroidism, venous and lymphatic obstruction ?, evaluates the angiologist.
How to soften
One of the guidelines Dr. Eduardo gives is the use of compression socks. Treatment of fluid retention in the lower limbs varies according to the cause of the swelling. Some clinical treatments, however, help lessen complications at the site, such as the appearance of wounds. The most common is the use of elastic compression socks. They can be found at different pressures, depending on the severity of the edema, but should be used according to medical advice?
Exercise, maintaining a healthy life and lying with your legs above heart level is also recommended. "A period of five to 15 minutes twice a day is enough," suggests Dr. Eduardo.
How to avoid
Physical inactivity and being overweight are some of the problems that cause foot and leg pain. The first guideline for decreasing the likelihood of edema is always the same: maintain a healthy life and avoid physical inactivity. Overweight, for example, is an important risk factor? Points out the angiologist.
5. Pain between neck and head
The pain between the neck and head can be caused by stress and tension at work. "The pain felt in the neck and head can often be due to tensions that cause contraction of the cervical muscles," reports Dr. Alexandra Raffaini, interventional pain doctor.
"Emotional stress and poor posture can cause severe head pain and muscle contractures in the neck and pericranial region, and can radiate to the entire cervical spine and shoulders," explains Fabiana Confalonieri, physiotherapist at the Integrated Specialties Clinic.
Other reasons given by health professionals are involuntary and chronic contraction of the muscles in the back of the neck and scalp, irritability, anxiety, fatigue and over-exercise, as well as poor posture, cervical spine, disc herniation, migraine. Occipital neuralgia.
How to soften
Many activities performed by professionals end up chaining this pain. To alleviate this pain, some attitudes must be changed. First, we need to find the cause of the pain. Investigate if it is bad posture such as high or low table, chair that does not accommodate the entire spine. Try to find the cause of the problem to be able to fix it. And then, stop about 20 minutes and do exercises and stretching ?, Fabiana details.
The recommendation given by Dr. Alexandra is to perform occupational gymnastics. • Occupational gymnastics is a work performed by a health professional that consists of physical exercises directed to a certain professional activity and are performed during working hours. Are these exercises intended to maintain the health of employees in a particular workplace ?, summarizes the doctor.
If the professional does not have this possibility in the company where he works, another option is to take breaks during work to perform stretching. Performing exercise routinely for muscle strengthening also helps prevent the appearance of injuries ?, completes Dr. Alexandra.
How to avoid
A healthier lifestyle is the solution to many aches, including pain between the neck and head. "Correcting posture, sleeping and eating well, exercising regularly and, if possible, avoiding stress are other solutions to this pain," adds the interventionist doctor of pain.
For the physical therapist, the help of a professional may be essential. • Seek preventive treatment with the physiotherapist who will undergo specific exercises, stretching, strengthening, in addition to correcting the improper posture and guiding the correct posture, both in activities of daily living and work, thus avoiding pain crises. ? Fabiana also says that massage and avoiding self-medication can help with these pains.
Many workers are burdened with stress, tension, problems and heavy workload. In addition, poor posture, repetitive movements and a lack of a healthy life end up causing pain throughout the body during a working day. To soften them, it is important to take breaks, stretch and avoid poor posture.
As a way to prevent and avoid pain common to workers, it is necessary to have a healthier life, perform physical activities regularly and, if the pain becomes chronic, seek a professional so that he can give you the best solutions and ways of treatment.
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