The warm spring weather in Wisconsin is drawing people out of their homes to take on all those projects around the house. There are gardens to be planted, trees to be trimmed, and landscaping to take on. It is this time of year when many acupuncturists see an increase in patients with new injuries. Often these are the result of weekend warrior projects. There is one particular type of injury which people should be aware of and try to avoid. It is called “Rental Tool Buzz”
Rental Tool Buzz usually affects men. The condition is marked by odd electrical type pains, numbness or tingling in the arms, shoulders and sometimes back and hips. This is often brought on by the weekend warrior taking on a big project and renting a piece of power machinery to do the job. (say a rototiller, reciprocating saw, chain saw etc.) Since the tool is a rental, the weekend warrior only has it for a few hours and rushes to get the job done by using the tool nonstop for several hours. The vibrations of the tool and holding a heavy piece of equipment in unfamiliar ways leads to strain and overuse.
This type of injury just takes time to heal. Rest and good food high in protein, as well as massage of the affected areas and application of a sports pain rub will help. Acupuncture and herbal medicine prescribed to reduce pain and heal connective tissue will also help. Prevention is the best course of action. If you are going to rent a power tool for a big project, rent the tool for a longer period of time so you can take breaks and work on the project at a reasonable pace.
Comments