Is neck tension common when working a telemarketing job? If so, how can I prevent it?

Question

I've worked in a moderate stress level telemarketing job now for a little over a year. Progressively over that amount of time, I've noticed my neck has started to ache non stop all day and night long. I've also noticed that it seems to be more stiff, or thicker, if you will. It literally used to be softer than it is now. The aches and pains also tend to spread sometimes to my mid-shoulder and that middle of the shoulder blades area. I realize that the moderately stressfull job isn't helping the situation, and I've begun to stretch my neck on a more common basis. Are there other things I could do to prevent this constant pain and ache?

Answer 1

Yes, if you are holding the telephone to your head That can really stress your neck. Just sitting at a desk and working on a computer can cause severe neck problems. Use a headset on the telephone. I've enclosed a link for desk exercises that will help.

When you get home place a moist heating pad or hot towels on your neck for twenty minutes.

Massage an analgesic cream into the sore muscles. I find the best cream for pain is “Blue Emu,” You can read more about this cream at http://www.blue-emu.com/

500mg of calcium and magnesium can help with the pain.

Dehydration can cause severe pain in the muscles. I recommend you drink purified water mixed with mineral water 50/50. This will replace the minerals that are exiting your body continuously.

I suggest that adults and children drink 40 ounces of water per 100 pounds of body weight every day. Realize that exercise, ambient temperature, and state of health affect the water needs of your body.

Answer 2

Yes, your job can definately cause the symptoms you are experiencing.

I would suggest you go see a doctor to get a diagnosis, especially because the neck is a sensitive area and a muscle strain in your neck now can lead to more serious problems later.

In addition, because this is a work-related injury, you want to make sure it is nothing serious (or nothing that could lead to something serious in the future) to protect yourself just in case you ever need to file a Workmans Compensation Injury claim. Seeing a doctor ASAP can help to protect yourself and can also help provide documentation of the injury now (in case it leads to more serious damage in the future).

One of the more serious problems that can occur (either now or in the future) as a result of the type of symptoms you are having is something called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (also known as TOS). TOS is essentially a type of nerve compression in the neck/shoulder area that can lead symptoms throughout your neck, shoulder, arm, and hand because the nerve involved is the one that travels from the neck all the way to your hand.

There are several different causes of TOS, and one of the main causes is repetitive strain injury (RSI) and the injury to your neck/shoulder area does fall into the RSI catagory because they appear (based on your description) to be caused by repetitive motion and/or repetitive body position.

TOS is relatively rare, but it is something you want to be careful about - making sure you do not have it now, and also taking steps to make sure that you do not develop it in the future.

Once you see a doctor and get a diagnosis, the doctor can then officially declare that your injury is work related - which means that any/all medical bills for this injury should be covered by your employer, and also means that your employer should offer and allow you some modifications of your work station so that you are able to heal/recover from the injury, and so that you are not aggrevating the injury any further.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

My dad used to have this too because he had a similar job as that. It's because throughout the year you've been in the same position with your neck which is now aching. Just have better posture, stretch occasionally, and take pain relievers, they also have pain relievers for just the neck, back, and shoulders you can take, which my dad took, and it helped ALOT. Take them every mourning you go to work or whenever and you will feel much better

Answer 4

Mate,

You can't do anything to prevent this. I suffered a bit of neck and back pain, while I was working in the 24/7 support. If you wanna prevent it, shift your job to another one, where you will not be dealing with any kinds of Telephonic conversations / Data Entry / Software Development jobs.

Answer 5

Might be symptoms of cervical spondylitis, do not over work at computer, make your driving habits as less as possible. Take health supplements such as evening primrose oil or borage oil, these supplements tend to reduce the pain.
Keep doing neck exercises

Answer 6

No, I never have. That's a job I never wanted and would never take if it was offered to me. It's because I hated it when I had strangers calling me on the phone trying to sell me something, and I didn't want to do that to someone else. I made it a policy to never buy anything or donate any money that way, and have stuck to it.

Answer 7

have a good chair and use a head set