Doctor, looking at my neck x-ray: “The muscles of your neck are in such spasm right now that your spine has lost its curve. No wonder you’re in such pain. What the heck did you do to yourself?”
Me: “I work on a computer all day.”
Doctor: “Ah. That will do it. Right, so here’s a script for anti-inflammatories and a muscle relaxer. Also try hot and cold on it, 15 minutes each, and then gentle movements between each round. You’ll feel better in about a week.”
Me: “In a week I’m still going to need to work on the computer.”
Doctor: “And here’s also a script for 6 months of Physical Therapy.”
Me: “In 6 months I’m still going to need to work at a computer.”
Doctor: “And take breaks and do stretches between meetings?”
Me: “They book me in back to back meetings where I work. I eat lunch at my computer. I have to excuse myself to go pee.”
Doctor: “Um… it sounds like this job is actually, literally, killing you? Can you possibly work someplace else?” *
*note: It wasn’t said as flippant advice, and the doctor was 100%. right. After I got a different job — which took a WHILE — it was in a different corporate culture, one that didn’t believe in filling the day with meetings. I was able to do the stretches I was supposed to do, and also walk at lunch, and my neck is much better now. Not everyone has this choice. But maybe, if your job is killing you too, start thinking about an escape plan. Your body will eventually turn you into a pretzel otherwise. Nothing psychosomatic about that.
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