TOS and employment(anyone out here in teaching job)
 

Hi guys,
I want to understand what kind of job you guys are doing? Since we cannot think of working on computers.
Anyone working as a teacher or professor ? I am doing masters to take teaching as a new profession but I am afraid of failure.
Please advise on the job that goes easy with TOS sufferers.

Regards
Ramdas

I am facing a similar situation, and teaching is one of the possible solutions I'm considering. At the moment I am teaching English abroad, which is a relatively low stress job physically. Even so, I am still in pain much of the time.

Do some searches on the forums (keywords job, employment, work, etc.). There are a few threads that touch on this topic. What people end up doing seems to depend a lot on their training and background. It also depends on your specific symptoms (for instance, some people can't use a computer but they can drive a car, some cannot do either, etc. and so forth).

I can't work on computer and driving is painful too and flares my symptoms.
Master degree course is if 2 yrs.I am afraid of tos progression which may impact my paper writing capability.
And again teaching involves writing on blackboard though now a days most teachers use ppts and projectors.
Does tos affect writing? My ulnar nerve is affected and not median.


Regards
Ramdas

I think teaching would involve a lot of paperwork, reports etc...but it could depend on age group, elementary, high school, college.
Reading & grading homework postures is quite the same as computer posture..and I suppose there is a lot of computer use with it also.

My hand writing is very bad , but my TOS came from multiple repetitive motion injuries..hand & arm cramps & tension combined with shoulder & neck problems.

My suggestion is to find out what you can do without repercussions or flares, then look for jobs that fit.

I find being able to move around and do a variety of activities works for me, but it took 2.5 yrs of PT & chiro & ongoing self care to get to that point.

My TOS symptoms developed as I was finishing my MBA and continued as I started teaching graduate school. Working at the computer is a definite trigger for me so creating my syllabuses, lecture materials and grading assignments can cause flareups. I teach a 4 hour class once a week and the lecturing work itself does not usually affect me too badly as long as I pay attention to my posture.

I will say that pushing myself to finish assignments while in school and then creating lectures while teaching made my condition worsen than if I was able to step away from the computer (I think).

Hi JulieJem,

Thanks for the information. I will be teaching engineering students.
At the moment studying for the exam is painful for me since it causes forward head no matter how many adjustments I do.Now since I have taken this course I am having some eye issues because of forward neck posture.
Sometimes I think in office we can keep the posture better but working on computer is a pain.
I have paid lot of money for master's education so I will have to go ahead and complete it.
What are your symptoms ? Did u have any neck troma?

@jo*mar :
What are your current symptom level? Are u completely away from Computer?

very mild symptoms now.. until the cool wet weather hits..or the barometer jumping does it too. Usually an Aleve , infra red heating pad, IF stim, works for me as needed.
I do best with a very ergonomic desktop computer set up at home so I can come & go and take breaks quite often. I only use computer for fun, hobbies/interests, learning about things..
I can only use a laptop for short amount of time, with the screen angle & keyboard limitations they are not a good fit for me for any length of time.

My RSI & TOS was from 15 yrs assembly/quota work and type A work ethic, the last 6 yrs of employment were 10 hr days...:eek:

If only your ulnar nerve is affected, then that's a positive thing. Median/Radial involvement would mean significant issues.

BTW, are you sure yours is TOS and not a cervical issue? Many symptoms overlap.

http://painmd.tv/wp-content/uploads/...-Cervical1.jpg

My case (I think) is of wryneck. One side injured, gets cervical radiculopathy. Other side got TOS.

Computer posture is worsened by tight pecs and hunching. Have you tried stretching every now and then, getting up and generally stretching your forearms, hands and chest?

Since you state only ulnar nerve issues, perhaps by addressing possible crush areas (wrist, elbow) you might reduce your pain.

Is it both arms or one arm? Burning, numbness and or weakness?
Weakness is a more severe flag.

Also, do you get shoulder and neck pain or only arm pain.

Hi Akash,

Mine is bilateral , right side is less severe.I have a definite cervical problem in between c7 and t1. Unfortunately it cannot be seen in MRI. The day it happened while walking I felt something slipped on my left side with little sound and since that day its painful at that point.
It has caused neck muscle spasm and imbalance and then the computer work increased it to take a shape of RSI.I have swelling on left side above clavicle now which wasn't there before a month and it came since m attending masters classes and which causing more ulnar nerve issues on left side.I was having chest pain and slight pain above clavicle but its almost gone since I stopped driving and working. I don't have continuous burning pain and numbness. But I do get funny sensations in middle of palm and sometimes at little fingure.
I am visiting a place in pune now for cervical manipulations and deep tissue.
They have claimed to fix my issue ,let see. You can visit them at Chikittsa.com

Are you back to India?

Regards
Ramdas