# Pain.



## Tecton (Apr 18, 2018)

I know this isn't related to construction per se...but
Anyone else out there carrying heavy loads on "old" shoulders and knees? White oak bundles up four flights of stairs, and shoveling mud out of footings is wearing on me. Ibuprofen? yoga? what helps for you guys?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

aspercreme, lidocaine creme & lidocaine patches.

more potent pain meds at night.

Ice is your best friend.

but at some point you will have to start carrying less & hire a grunt.


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## Tecton (Apr 18, 2018)

Thanks. man i'm drenched in arnica and icy-hot. grunt is the way to go I know but...ehh I think I'm the grunt if stuff is gone get done.


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## Irishslave (Jun 20, 2010)

griz said:


> aspercreme, lidocaine creme & lidocaine patches.
> 
> more potent pain meds at night.
> 
> ...


Some old gal I did some work for gave me a whole box of the prescription patches. I'll always remember her 87 years old she gave me some vegetables from her garden and when she bent over I could have sworn she moved like a much younger woman. I should go visit her


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## Tecton (Apr 18, 2018)

I'm not sure what in the hell that is supposed to mean....wish I met her.


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## bwiab (Mar 17, 2006)

in colorado... cbd patches are amazing for arthritis relief... or so I hear... :whistling


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## Tecton (Apr 18, 2018)

I'm not in Colorado. Hah. thanks though


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## Tecton (Apr 18, 2018)

I'll "Rub dirt on it and walk it off" as my dad always said. Thanks guys.


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## tipitop (Dec 3, 2013)

I'm into weight lifting from age 15 I guess. On off till today. Do not have any problem whatsoever. Plus some healthy 20 years of construction where never ever any heavy lifting miss me. I can not advise you for yours situation, just look in exercises and LISTEN TO YOURS BODY. I did probably 10 millions pull ups behind neck and per medicine I should have problems with shoulders. Any way I hope you have idea. Google exercise and, again with big letters, LISTEN TO YOURS BODY.


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

tipitop said:


> I'm into weight lifting from age 15 I guess. On off till today. Do not have any problem whatsoever. Plus some healthy 20 years of construction where never ever any heavy lifting miss me. I can not advise you for yours situation, just look in exercises and LISTEN TO YOURS BODY. I did probably 10 millions pull ups behind neck and per medicine I should have problems with shoulders. Any way I hope you have idea. Google exercise and, again with big letters, LISTEN TO YOURS BODY.


To expand on what Tipi said... Listen to your body when it whispers... eventually it starts screaming loudly and it will be too late at that point to change the damage.


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## tipitop (Dec 3, 2013)

jlhaslip said:


> To expand on what Tipi said... Listen to your body when it whispers... eventually it starts screaming loudly and it will be too late at that point to change the damage.


That is nice said. What is my opinion it is possible fight physical problems with physical exercises. Only problem is only yours body know whats ones. For someone will swimming be that for someone else weight lifting. Obviously when I, or someone else, work that day I do not go work out, only at non work day.


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## sidemouse (Apr 19, 2018)

Leverage, make more trips, slow down.


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## parkers5150 (Dec 5, 2008)

ice cold beer:thumbsup:


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## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

Irishslave said:


> Some old gal I did some work for gave me a whole box of the prescription patches. I'll always remember her 87 years old she gave me some vegetables from her garden and when she bent over I could have sworn she moved like a much younger woman. I should go visit her


What for ? :jester:


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Just be careful dosing on Ibuprofen and the like. It is bad for your body long term. If you find you need it daily get a prescription for another type of anti-inflammatory.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

tipitop said:


> I'm into weight lifting from age 15 I guess. On off till today. Do not have any problem whatsoever. Plus some healthy 20 years of construction where never ever any heavy lifting miss me. I can not advise you for yours situation, just look in exercises and LISTEN TO YOURS BODY. I did probably 10 millions pull ups behind neck and per medicine I should have problems with shoulders. Any way I hope you have idea. Google exercise and, again with big letters, LISTEN TO YOURS BODY.


You got one advantage over the rest of us.

You got a big surplus of cartilage where the rest of us keep or brains.

It's good to have reserve supply.


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## Bull Trout (Dec 6, 2016)




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## tipitop (Dec 3, 2013)

SmallTownGuy said:


> You got one advantage over the rest of us.
> 
> You got a big surplus of cartilage where the rest of us keep or brains.
> 
> It's good to have reserve supply.


You think it work in that way? Will have to look into it. Maybe even you have something in head.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

There is already good thread on this topic.

Don't remember which one...

#1 - stop treating your body like a mule.


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## tipitop (Dec 3, 2013)

SmallTownGuy said:


> There is already good thread on this topic.
> 
> Don't remember which one...
> 
> #1 - stop treating your body like a mule.


Just to put one angle to this wrong or not. This is very well known in body building & trade circle. When you lift weight for sport you do that in most proper way that you can do. When you lift weight for job your target is to do job and it is often done in an awkward way that put yours spine etc at risk. So real job is more taxing at body than weight lifting. Sports like basketball and soccer are more at side of work as in such sports you move to do something.


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## Olden Times (Apr 2, 2018)

Tecton said:


> Ibuprofen? yoga? what helps for you guys?


A twenty year old soccer playing nephew that needs money. Quick on his feet and skinny enough for the smallest, darkest crawlspaces.:thumbup:


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## Sisyphus (Nov 1, 2010)

Depends on the type of pain.... 

If it's in the muscles then strengthen them (as tiptop recommended), stretching them is important if they're too tight. (My lower back hurts when my hamstrings are tight.)

If it's in the joints see the thread on joint pain (http://www.contractortalk.com/f59/glucosamine-380306/).

And, of course, find the least taxing way to get the job done.


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## Mordekyle (May 20, 2014)

Sisyphus said:


> Depends on the type of pain....
> 
> 
> 
> My lower back hurts when my hamstrings are tight.




With your name, no wonder you're always sore.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

stretching & conditioning can work wonders.

as can time in a pool or hot tub.

but sometimes your body is just broken....like mine.

looking at both knee replacements.

sports injuries from my younger days and a crazy wild life.....

both shoulders been repaired and my back hurts most days....

can't imagine trading my life for what i've done...

paying for it but still wouldn't trade much...:thumbsup:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

A bullet right behind the ear, like they do a horse. 


Mike.
_______________


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> A bullet right behind the ear, like they do a horse.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________


Many days I feel like that....

I'm just not ready to get off this ride yet.....

after all my wife swears i'm not much older than 14.....:thumbup:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

griz said:


> Many days I feel like that....
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I'm in the camp that says if I stop things will start hurting worse. 


Mike.
_______________


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> I'm in the camp that says if I stop things will start hurting worse.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________


yes they do, but there are times when a guy just needs rest....

give your self a few more years....:whistling


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## Sisyphus (Nov 1, 2010)

Mordekyle said:


> With your name, no wonder you're always sore.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah, it's been tough. Seems like I'm always going uphill but I think this time I'm going to make......

:laughing:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

A friend of mine is all busted up and hurting from his younger years. Nothing worked for him until he started taking turmeric capsules.


If one thing doesn't work, try another.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm a big ibuprofen fan. Nothing else really works like it, for me.

I try to drink a lot of water too. It's amazing how many people don't do this and wonder why they have muscle aches. Dude, you need that to live. You put oil and gas in your truck, right? Yeah.... 
Also, working through lunch is cool and all, but make sure you're eating well throughout the day. Keep some cashews or apples or bananas around your truck. Something like that that you can put down quick if you're the type to skip lunch. Gotta keep your machine humming. 
Tipi made some great points about the style of laboring you do as well. It's amazing the positions we contort ourselves into just trying to get stuff done. If possible, don't do that. hah. Easier said than done, I know. 
A big one for me was learning to balance load carrying. If you're gonna lug a 50 pound chop saw across a lawn with one hand, for god's sake put a compressor in the other hand. It's better to have 100 pounds evenly distributed than to awkwardly carry 50.


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## sidemouse (Apr 19, 2018)

Yup, water and Ibuprofen, I still have 2-3 of those 500-pill 200mg bottles thou I stopped taking them some years ago... At my age I'd rather feel the pain, I'm afraid if I don't feel it I might hurt myself, pain is a warning sign, it's my body telling me to slow down but water never loses its importance... Drink a good gallon a day of it, oh and by the way it's tap water.

As for carrying heavy loads, ever hear of a wheel barrow?
I'm serious, they even make them with 2 wheels nowadays.
And sorry but I'd rather sling 50 pounds over my shoulder than try and carry 100 
But more often than not if I have to carry a lot I figure out ways to get the load as close to where it needs to go first, then use a wheel barrow.
Why kill yourself?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

hdavis said:


> A friend of mine is all busted up and hurting from his younger years. Nothing worked for him until he started taking turmeric capsules.
> 
> 
> If one thing doesn't work, try another.


Yes tumeric and I take a natural anti inflammatory...zyflamend.

you do not realize you are taking this stuff until you quit.

also 2 table spoons of apple cider vinegar, usually in lemon/lime water helps a great deal.

Bottom line is getting old sucks....


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Turmeric is great, except that it turns anything it touches yellow forever.

There was a health science guest on NPR some years back and a caller asked him to name the single best thing a person can eat. He said broccoli without hesitation. Turmeric covered broccoli.


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## Lee Sadd (May 1, 2018)

Good diet, loads of water, ibuprofen when you need it! I've heard yoga does help. Not quite my style though...


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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

Lee Sadd said:


> Good diet, loads of water, ibuprofen when you need it! I've heard yoga does help. Not quite my style though...




I will agree that lots of water helps big time, most people don’t drink nowhere near enough! 

I have thought about doing yoga too since my back/neck is usually stiff as hell but I just can’t work up the courage to do it! Haha 

But I have heard that it’s fantastic once you get into it


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## tipitop (Dec 3, 2013)

Windycity said:


> I have thought about doing yoga too since my back/neck is usually stiff as hell but I just can’t work up the courage to do it! Haha


Try go to gym and do pull downs or if you can pull ups. It is inline with spine extension theories. Use only like 80 pounds and it will lead to 10-15 repetitions per set I guess. See if it work for you. I do behind the neck pull downs but it depend at flexibility of shoulders if someone can do it. If do not work for you try pull down in front of neck.


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## Mordekyle (May 20, 2014)

Windycity said:


> I will agree that lots of water helps big time, most people don’t drink nowhere near enough!
> 
> I have thought about doing yoga too since my back/neck is usually stiff as hell but I just can’t work up the courage to do it! Haha
> 
> ...




I think you can buy yoga pants online. That will spare you the embarrassment of going to the store and trying some on.


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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

Mordekyle said:


> I think you can buy yoga pants online. That will spare you the embarrassment of going to the store and trying some on.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




Yoga pants make me look fat....


Haha


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## rblakes1 (Jan 8, 2015)

I have wraps for my wrist, elbow, shoulder, and knee. My knee one gets the most use, followed by the elbow one. I also have a tens unit since I tend to get migraines caused by muscle tension in my back. Advil and Goody's pain relief powders as needed

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