Early this year, I skipped a week’s work because I could barely walk (without tears rolling down my cheeks) because of a terrible pain in my back (no, not *ss). Backache, is that a proper word? After a week of rest and painkillers, things went back to normal again.
About three or four weeks ago I started having backaches again. So I started taking the painkillers (ibuprofen) and muscle relaxers (naproxen) again. They seemed to help. A little. Until last week, when the pain really came back like earlier this year. So I figured: now’s a good time to see a doctor. I know, I know, I should have visited a doctor earlier.
Of course, my doctor was on vacation. We moved, but did not change our doctor yet, so I tried calling the nearest doctor here. Typical. On vacation too. So I called the nearest fysiotherapist. On vacation. Why not. I took me quite some time to get somebody not on vacation and willing to examine me within a reasonable short period of time. And waiting for one of them to call me back for an appointment, I was called by the first one I tried. Happily, the nearest one. They called on Monday, and I could come by later that afternoon. Great.
Diagnosis is not so great: sciatica, or in other words a nerve that’s being pressed on. Probably caused by a dislocated intervertrebral disc. The dislocation is common with people doing heavy labour, like construction workers. But also with people doing a lot of work sitting on a chair. Like me. I’m almost connected to my chair, and I must admit, I don’t always sit in the proper position.
Even worse, when when working at the clients office, not all of them give you a proper chair and desk that allows a proper posture.
So here I am, for the time being confined to being at home. Today I tried driving to work (darn, a musquito just bit me in one of my fingers) but that was not a good idea. I had to take some painkillers and muscle-relaxers when I got home and then allowed myself a little horizontal time…
Sitting down is difficult, standing up and going to sit down most of the time very painful, and lying down is best done for an hour at most (when not sleeping at night).
Advice on how to use the computer when lying down is appreciated. Computer is up-here, while the bed is down-there. Laptop has a lousy screen (1024×768 max res, but what do you expect from a Lenovo) so I’d rather not work on that thing too long. I don’t want eye-pain as well 😉