Letters to the Editor of Computer Currents
By Deborah Quilter
First published November 23, 1999

As a longtime reader and a Doctor of Chiropractic, I was upset to read your cover story "Caution: Your Workstation May Be Hazardous to Your Health" (October 26, 1999). Deborah Quilter characterized visiting a chiropractor as denial of the injury. Your printing of such a fallacious and biased article is reprehensible. I have treated many cases of Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI), using not only chiropractic techniques, but also proven physical rehabilitation techniques such as stretching, mobilization, rest, and ergonomic aid. To suggest that chiropractic is not a proper course of treatment has done a great disservice to your readers and the chiropractic profession.

– Daniel Buch, B.S., D.C.                   

Deborah Quilter responds:

A careful reading of my article will show that I did not characterize visiting a chiropractor as denial of the injury. I said people "visit chiropractors . . . to quell the pain." The point was that people often refuse to address the true source of the problem –their continued long hours of computer use.

Your RSI article was very interesting, but I was surprised that there was little discussion of the use of prescription drugs or herbal remedies. Last year, I developed a case of tennis elbow from too much mousing. I "played through pain" for three days: big mistake. The pain spread from my right wrist up into my right shoulder blade. I visited an orthopedic surgeon who recommended the use of a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

After reading about several of its unpleasant side effects, I decided to try plain old rest and some traditional herbal remedies. I became a southpaw one-handed semitouch typist. I also took bromelain, an extract of pineapple (Ananas comosus), and yucca stalk, from the yucca schidigera, herbs reputed to have anti-inflammatory properties. After eight months, I was "cured," although I do have to watch for recurring pain.

– James K. Sayre                   

Deborah Quilter responds:

A brief book excerpt cannot possibly address every aspect of an issue as complex as RSI. If Mr. Sayre reads The Repetitive Strain Injury Recovery Book, he will find the serious side effects of NSAIDs – including ulcers and violent allergic reactions – covered in more detail. Mr. Sayre was wise to look up the side effects of NSAIDs before taking them. But before you rush out and buy herbal supplements, you should understand that no herb has been proven to cure RSI. (I suspect "plain old rest" – nature's way of healing – was in large part responsible for Mr. Sayre's improvement. But the fact that his pain recurs, a widespread phenomenon among people with RSI, belies the idea that he's "cured.")

RSI has many risk factors. No herbal supplement can counteract poor posture, improper workstation setup, faulty technique, or overuse. Furthermore, some self-prescribed herbal remedies can be dangerous. If you want to use herbal supplements to treat symptoms of RSI you should first consult a knowledgeable, trusted physician.

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