MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

I constantly remind myself when walking of what my old sergeant major always shouted at us, chin up, shoulders back and chest out! Not a bad habit to get into. Who said NS never did you any good!
The most likely time for my shoulder to nag me is if it isn't doing anything, like sitting watching the telly or lying in bed. It likes being punished! That's why the Maz exercise appeals to me.....

[Tizer]

There's a lot on the newspaper front pages this morning about a `big breakthrough in fighting cancer'. It's valuable work and a step forward but don't get too excited yet. The method doesn't work for everyone and has serious side effects in some people, including death for some! A usual, the news media is over-egging the pudding. Also, it's just one step along a path being followed by many research groups and there have been several related announcements in the last week that haven't triggered the news hounds and the general public haven't heard about. The Independent has been more balanced and has put out an updated article which urges caution: LINK

[Stanley]

Why let the facts spoil a good story? You are right of course Tiz.... Meanwhile we put up with facts like one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage or stillbirth and the suicide rate amongst those with mental health problems.....

[Sue]

Unfortunately I do an exercise like that when I go to my dance exercise class each Tuesday. The next day my arm is worse and it takes another couple of days to get back to where it was. I shall stick to my Physio exercises and the ones I do in Pilates which are more about building the strength in the muscle. My mobility is now not an issue except when I get the arm in a certain position then I feel it pull on the muscle.

[Stanley]

Shoulders are such complicated joints.... I remember once lifting a carry cot with a very heavy infant in it into the back seat of my Little Fulvia in 1980. I was giving a friend a lift from Lancaster to Nelson. It was an awkward lift and I put something out. I paid for that particular act of kindness for over 18 months and it might be connected with the present minor inconvenience. God wasn't on top of his game when he designed that bit!

[Sue]

Actually God was right we just don't use them in the way they were designed ie for flexibility rather than strength and support

[Stanley]

You're right Sue. My troubles have always stemmed from asking too much from my body..... They used to call it hard work!

[plaques]

They say 'hard work' never killed anybody. It just made you a funny shape!

[Tizer]

UK air pollution 'linked to 40,000 early deaths a year'
"Outdoor air pollution is contributing to about 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK, say the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health. They say diesel emissions have been poorly controlled. And indoor air pollution has been overlooked. Tobacco still poses the biggest indoor threat, but wood-burning stoves, cleaning products and air fresheners can contribute."

It's becoming apparent that the air pollution from domestic log burning stoves in towns and cities is now approaching the level emitted by road vehicles and could overtake it.

[Stanley]

P. That has long been a favourite saying of mine. Funny how the biggest advocates of hard physical labour are the ones who have never had to do it.....
Tiz, I've been watching that report as well. It confirms what I have always said about lack of ventilation, household chemicals and of course open gas rings. I have never been able to understand why gas CH boilers are so heavily regulated while open gas flames in the kitchen are allowed. My theory is that changing everyone over to electric hobs would be such an enormous job and increase the electrical base load so much that we would have to transfer the pollution production to the power stations. Have you ever noticed that when extolling the virtues of 'pollution free' electric cars charged overnight nobody mentions pollution by the power stations or the enormous inefficiency of high voltage power transmission by the National Grid?
As for air fresheners.... I have been warning about them for years!

[Stanley]

I've suspected it for a while but now I am sure that I am developing an arthritic joint in the ring finger of my left hand..... Deep joy!

[Stanley]

My shoulder is quietly repairing itself, the old war wound recedes thank God!
However....



I had been using this big machine vise on the vertical mill and was moving it back to where it lives when not in used. During the move I overbalanced slightly and had to recover myself. The vise weighs about 80lbs and unfortunately I pulled a muscle in my back.... When will I learn!!!! The consequence is a miserable nagging pain. Old age isn't for cissies!

[PanBiker]

I have completed my 4 -5 weeks of stretching exercises for my shoulder. Today was my appointment with Tom the Physiotherapist for an assessment session. The last tranche of 5 stretching exercises has worked well, the angles and reach measurements are showing a marked improvement, I can nearly put my arm straight up before the pain kicks in which is a massive improvement from my last session. He has now added strengthening exercises to add to the regime on top of the stretching ones. Mobility is well on the mend, I now have to rebuild the muscles at either side of the tendon.

I have two extra exercises:

Lay on back, arm straight up but making circular movements in shoulder until tired, I can add a weight to increase effort.

Lay on side, elbow at right angles into side, again making circular movements with forearm and fist, add weight as I progress.

Next assessment appointment in April, getting there.

[Stanley]

Sounds like progress Ian..... The old war wound in my shoulder has almost vanished but been replaced by the one in my back! Bummer....

[Marilyn]

Moan and groan as much as you need to, but keep on moving Stanley.

[Sue]

Mine too Ian. My Physio has signed me off with a bank of follow up exercises. My mobility is now perfect but the strength in the arm is still a lot weaker than the other. I have a one metre length of exercise band and have to pull and stretch it out above my head. Hold it for 6 seconds and repeat for 20 times building up to 30. I tire at about 12 at the moment but I can do it, which I could not a month ago.

[Stanley]

It's being so cheerful as keeps me going....... (ITMA)

[PanBiker]

I have an elastic thing as well Sue, two lengths though with handles or loops at each end. I shall have a go at introducing some use from it. I also have a set of hand weights for exercise which will be useful as well.

[Sue]

When I started using mine I got the greatest improvement of all, but I have to be careful not to overdo it.

[Stanley]

I need new elastic for me back......

[Stanley]

I know I am being a bit of a bore lately with my back but they tend to colour your whole life. I found that Ibuprofen wasn't working and so swapped to aspirin and got more pain-killing effect. Funny thing is that as soon as I have got over the first hour in the morning after taking two aspirins my back is OK as long as I am not sitting down. I also have no pain when bending. It's getting boring and doesn't usually last as long as this. Roll on the day when it starts to recede!
(Apologies for being miserable....)

[Tizer]

Aspirin and ibuprofen both act by controlling the amount of inflammatory prostaglandins but there are many types of prostaglandin and the two drugs have different selectivity against them. Hence, to use the well-known medical term: "it's horses for courses!" (And another medical term, `suck it and see!'

[Stanley]

Apologies before I start for the misery.... One of my problems is that after long term use of both Ibuprofen and aspirin as a prophylactic to stop the first spasm in the morning that triggers off a day of pain I finally decided that they were responsible for the strange, unexplained stabbing pains I was getting. I stopped taking them and the unexplained pains went away. Since then I find that I am very sensitive to anti-inflammatories. They make me feel generally below par. Yesterday I decided to stop taking them and use embrocation and a hot bean bag instead. I detected no worsening of my condition and haven't taken any this morning either. You've got to try everything and listen to what your body is telling you. I suspect that most 'painkillers' are a habit and I am always suspicious of habits!
I'm beginning to suspect that what I did the other day didn't just waken up an old war wound but actually damaged a muscle. If so it's going to be another four weeks until it finally goes away. It takes about six weeks for any lesion to heal completely. Deep Joy!!

[PanBiker]

I'm beginning to suspect that what I did the other day didn't just waken up an old war wound but actually damaged a muscle. If so it's going to be another four weeks until it finally goes away. It takes about six weeks for any lesion to heal completely. Deep Joy!!

Good luck with 4 - 6 weeks Stanley! I have just looked back and I have been on with my shoulder since late October which was when I first went to see the doc. I had been carrying the injury for 5 or 6 weeks before then so mid September when the damage was done. I reckon I have about 70% mobility back in the shoulder and about the same in strength. I am continuing with the exercise regime but it's looking like a long haul job.

[Marilyn]

...and when you are over a certain age, you can multiply all that by the number of spanners in a mechanics tool box!