Now what?

[Ben90]

I was having a quiet pint when a doctor approached me and said 'Excuse me, do you work with chainsaws?', I replied, and he continued to say that due to the profile of my hands and such, that I'm partcularly vulnerable to rheumatism and if I continue working with chainsaws full time I'll cripple my hands and be unable to work within a few years.

 

I've only been in the arb game for about a year so I suppose it's better to know sooner than later, still, it wasn't something I wanted to hear, but I couldn't thank him enough for warning me.

 

He said I should consider a career change, and I'm all for prevention being better than cure. My main worry is that any other career I pursue will never have that charm that tree surgery does and I'll quickly grow bored. Then again, I'm sure any job I pursue will feel easy as pie in comparison

 

Obviously I'll get a second opinion from my doctor before I do anything drastic. But does anybody else hear about/suffer from rhematism? Is it worth worrying this much about? The Wiki article doesn't look reassuring..

[Highland Forestry]

I'd get a second opinion if I were you mate, and make sure you always wear gloves for work..

 

I get rheumatism in my knee sometimes, mostly during winter and on cold damp days, but that was caused years ago by crushing my knee and dislocating my patella - dosent seem to affect climbing or work too much though.. can be painful at the end of the day.

Not sure about with hands etc as you are always moving and working with your hands in this game - you're doctor friend may have a very good point but deffinatley get it checked out.

[plippy]

does'nt sound good that m8, i would defo go for a 2nd opinion

[Ben90]

Just the fact that he noticed it and knew the exact tool I work with threw me off completely. I mean, all power tools have degrees of vibration. I also don't like the fact that it's noticeable within a year of working with chainsaws. Doesn't spell well for the future.

[taffupatree]

the mother in law suffers quite badly with her hands.....had to have gold injections and all sorts. her fingers etc swell up and she can hardly do anything sometimes. hope you have a good prognosis if you do go to docs.......she swears by a drug called releflex

[Highland Forestry]

Do you use your saw without wearing gloves???

[taffupatree]

just had all the havs testing in work.told us one of the best preventative measures is wearing gloves/keeping hands warm.

[Saw-sick Steve]

Sorry mate, this sounds decidedly dodgy to me. Doctors don't go touting for business in pubs, it's decidedly unprofessional. If you're at all concerned get an appointment with your own GP and try and get referred to a Rheumatologist.

[Ben90]

I do use gloves all the time, and he was a doctor apparently, now he works with animals so I suppose he's not after business.

[Graham]

Sounds like the medical equivalent of the Pikey door knock....