The Dangers of Working as a Freelance Writer

Can working as a freelance writer put your health at risk? The answer is a surprising yes and, believe it or not, for more than the obvious risk of weight gain. Over the past couple of years, I have been suffering the side-effects of having spent several hours a day behind a desk, writing away. Learn from my mistakes and follow these helpful tips for staying healthy while working as a freelance writer.

Let's Get the Weight Out of the Way

When you talk about spending hours on the computer, the first health risk that springs to mind is that rather obvious risk of weight gain. Don't laugh - almost every freelance writer out there has had to address it at some point, particularly if they spend most of their research time online as opposed to hitting the pavement. For many freelance content writers and bloggers, most of our work is performed right here at our desks. Of course, when you're busy writing, you can often engage in bad eating habits.

People with desk jobs have a strong tendency to remain seated for long periods of time and, in many cases, they also eat foods that aren't the healthiest. This could range from sipping on a soda to grabbing some fast food during our lunch break. Sometimes it's easier to just forgo the lunch all together and snack on a bag of chips while we're typing away. We like what's handy and what's there, writers especially - after all, who wants to get up and go heat up a can of soup when you've shaken off that writer's block and feel like you're on a roll?

The solution: The best thing that you can do is set yourself regular times to get up from the computer and go to fix yourself a sensible meal. Doing so will not only help to keep you from junking out over the keyboard, but it also encourages better eating habits and, by eating healthier foods, we are better able to think and function. It's a win-win situation.

If you have the insatiable urge to snack at your desk, cut up some apple wedges, carrot sticks or even grab a little box of raisins. Raw fruits and vegetables are healthy alternatives to snack foods and it's a proven fact that when we get in the habit of eating these healthier foods, our bodies crave them and promote better eating habits. Eating better means writing better - you can't go wrong with that!

Computers and the Increased Risk of Tooth Decay

What? Computers cause cavities? No, no - don't worry that computers can cause cavities. That's about as nonsensical as cell phones giving you brain cancer. However, what we DO at our computers can lead to an increased risk of tooth decay.

Because we tend to get engrossed in what we're doing and we (lazy creatures that we are) don't want to get up every five minutes, it's very common for computer users to get a bottle of soda and sip away at it all day. Believe it or not, it's worse for your teeth if you 'nurse' a bottle of soda as opposed to just tipping it back and going bottoms up. Why is that? Because when we sip at our soda, we're constantly assaulting our teeth with the acids and sugars in the drink, as opposed to drinking it and then giving our saliva a chance to clean it away.

The solution: If you simply MUST have that soda pop, drink it fast and then wash it down with some water or, better yet, some mouthwash. This will lessen the amount of acid and sugars left on your teeth until you can brush properly. If you really want to take care of your teeth and insist upon keeping a drink at your desk, go with a bottle of water. It's the best route for staying hydrated while you write.

Nerve Damage and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

CTS is a big concern amongst freelance writers and typists alike. Occurring when the patient spends too long with their wrists bent in an unnatural position, carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that can also be caused by repetitive motion and strain on the wrist. Over time, this leads to a compression of the medial nerve and can lead to numbness and tingling in the thumb and first three fingers, loss of sensation, weakness in the affected hand and, over time, an inability to grip small objects.

What few people realize is that writers may also experience problems with the ulnar nerve as well. This is the nerve with runs along the back of your arm and over your elbow. If you spend a lot of time with your elbow bent, chin in hand as you research on the web, you also run the risk of ulnar nerve entrapment. Ulnar nerve entrapment (UNE) can result in tingling and numbness of the pinky and ring fingers, as well as the portion of the palm directly under these two fingers. Writers usually experience this first in their non-dominant hand (since we often lean on that elbow more than its opposite), though it can occur in either. Much like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, left untreated, this can cause long-term damage to the nerves.

Any time that you experience unexplained numbness or tingling in your hands, you should contact your doctor immediately - While it may be something like the onset of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Ulnar Nerve Entrapment, it may also be the symptoms of more serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.

The solution: Be sure to pay attention to your writing habits and pay attention to those little messages that our body sends out to us. If you experience strange sensations in your fingers or hands, check with a doctor. You can then discuss what you can do to help prevent it from happening again.

Venous Insufficiency and Other Leg Troubles

I've become the Venous Insufficiency advocate over the past few months, following a rather persistent bout of Cellulitis and having to undergo numerous hospital stays, tests and doctor visits. In the end (or at least I hope this is the end of it all), we discovered that a good portion of my trouble was being caused by a condition known as Venous Insufficiency or Venous Reflux. This occurs when the blood flows down into your leg and then fails to properly pump back up to your heart. The end result is a condition that is very frightening, very painful and very debilitating. Sometimes, venous insufficiency can be as simple as a feeling of stiffness or heaviness in the legs. In my case, the leg swells to a point where the skin becomes so taut and swollen that takes on a shiny appearance - like a balloon that's ready to burst and, in extreme cases, that can actually happen as large weeping ulcers appear in the flesh.

While Venous Insufficiency can also be a hereditary condition, it can become significantly worse in people who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk. The reason for this is because, by walking, we help to pump that blood back up. When we sit, however, the natural pumping action of walking is not only diminished, but we can also compress the veins in our legs, partially pinching them off. This can further the chances that we can develop a condition like venous insufficiency or venous reflux disease.

In addition to developing venous insufficiency, another problem that can be brought about by prolonged sitting (particularly if you do have swelling in your legs) is an increased risk of blood clots. Blood clots can break free and cause serious or potentially life-threatening conditions. If you experience swelling in your legs, you may want to talk to your doctor about having a blood test done to check for blood clots. It could save your life.

The solution: Schedule yourself some activity time, up and away from the computer. This could be as simple as a little time on the treadmill or a walk around the block, but it's important that we get up and move around during the day. From personal experience, I can say that you will find a short walk around the block once a day will be far less painful than a hospital stay and months worth of testing and treatment.

No Slouching! Freelance Writing and Back Pain

This is a pretty obvious condition that many freelance writers suffer from - chronic back pain. As humans, we were designed to be hunters and gatherers. We were not designed to spend most of our existence planted on our posteriors. Spending long periods of time sitting at the computer can commonly lead to painful conditions, ranging from pains in the neck, clear down into the tailbone. Most commonly, writers can experience kinks in the neck, lower back (lumbar) pain and even a condition known as coccydynia which causes extreme pain in the tailbone region.

The solution: There are a variety of wedge pillows and lumbar cushions that can help freelance writers and other desk users to help position themselves and maintain better posture while on the computer. The best solution to help lessen the risk of back pain is to simply get up from time to time, move around and do some slow and easy stretching exercises. Not only will these help you feel better and more refreshed, you'll find you have more energy and don't feel as stiff and tired at the end of the day.

Make the Change Now!

Spending hours at the computer every day can lead to a variety of health problems and freelance writers are one of the groups most at risk from many of these painful conditions. Fortunately, with just a few simple changes to your daily routine, you will find that your time spent at the computer will be more fulfilling, more productive and much healthier in the long run. Good luck and happy writing!

Sources:

Personal experience

http://www.coccyx.org - Information on coccyx pain and specialized pillows