Body pain as a new nurse?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 6, 2008

No you're not the only one. When I told my physician about my sore muscles and stiffness, she recommended yoga, and if that didn't help (it didn't) to try coenzyme Q10 100 mg a day and muscle relaxants at bedtime. The coenzyme Q10 helps a fair bit (when I remember to take it) and I reserve the muscle relaxants for really BAD pain.

SC-RN · Jul 7, 2008

Nooooo your not the only one hurting....your normal

I find get muscle cramps in my legs and feet when im in bed that night and everything else hurts too.

I also sleep the following day after my shifts.

I could never get past 2-3 days in a row the latest was 6 consisting of 5 late shifts and one early so that was pretty good i thought i was going to die :chuckle

Although I now have pneumonia for it.

I agree nursing is very hard on the body.

I was prescribed diazepam for all my muscle soreness and stiffness which has worked I just take 2.5mg before I go to bed other wise I can hardly walk by the end of a shift. :crying2:

Chloe'sinNYNow · Jul 7, 2008

Nooooo your not the only one hurting....your normal
I find get muscle cramps in my legs and feet when im in bed that night and everything else hurts too.
I also sleep the following day after my shifts.
I could never get past 2-3 days in a row the latest was 6 consisting of 5 late shifts and one early so that was pretty good i thought i was going to die :chuckle
Although I now have pneumonia for it.
I agree nursing is very hard on the body.
I was prescribed diazepam for all my muscle soreness and stiffness which has worked I just take 2.5mg before I go to bed other wise I can hardly walk by the end of a shift.

Valium for muscle stiffness???? Is your doc trying to get one over on you by trying to ease your anxiety in order to ease muscle pain? This doesn't sound right to me. Perhaps to allow you sleep, it's allowing you to relax, but I don't agree to it being used for this purpose when there are many others he/she could have prescribed or suggested OTC.

Good luck with this. Be careful with this. It's a Benzo (anti-anxiety) agent.

Chloe

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 8, 2008

Low dose Valium is prescribed for spasticity all the time. The usual indications, from Davis Drugs, are:

* Adjunct in the management of. › Anxiety Disorder. › Athetosis. › Anxiety relief prior to cardioversion (injection). › Stiffman Syndrome. › Preoperative sedation. › Conscious sedation (provides light anesthesia and anterograde amnesia). * Treatment of status epilepticus/uncontrolled seizures (injection). * Skeletal muscle relaxant. * Management of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal

Our pediatrician thought about prescribing it for my son, who has spastic hemiplegia, but decided that his sensitivity to sedation made it a poor choice, so we do Botox and physio instead.

LauraKRN · Jul 8, 2008

My first few weeks of externing, I was SUPER sore! My calves, especially. It did go away, though. Make sure you are wearing really good shoes. Crocs don't count! I bought Nike running shoes and the difference is incredible!

JRD2002 · Jul 8, 2008

I am 6'2 and if I don't have my chair up as high as it goes my knees and back kill me when I go home and all of the next morning. Especially on those days where you are up and down constantly something as little as seat adjustment can greatly reduce muscle strain. I work nights so I have a little more quiet time that day nurses but I also try to prop my feet up on another chair for a little while. I know a few nurses that wear compression stockings and they say they help a great deal. Be sure and take the time to raise your beds up to an appropriate work height to reduce strain on the lower back. Also when moving/lifting a patient make sure that you have adequate help. Hope you get to feeling better.

*ac* · Jul 8, 2008

I know how you feel. I live on anti-inflammatories and take acid reducers/blockers to help protect my stomach. I seriously couldn't get through a day without them.

I'm afraid of valium - it has such a long half-life that I don't know exactly when I'd be safe to work again after taking it.

I've been round and round on the shoe issue. Thought I was doing better with orthotics and New Balance, but suddenly my feet are really killing me again. I think the cortisone shots I got a couple months ago are wearing off. Wore Crocs last day I worked, and they were actually better.

It's depressing to me. In a hard-to-describe way, I have the physical/mental/emotional energy, but my body holds me back. Plus I keep getting sick.

imanedrn · Jul 9, 2008

I have fibromyalgia, so every movement is a literal pain for me. I have medication for that, but the pain still persists after I'm on your feet for 12+ hours!

Like you, I can NOT manage 3 in a row, and even 2 pushes it for me, so I take the 2 on / 1 off / 1 on / 3 off OR 1 on / 2 off / 2 on / 2 off route. It seems to work, but there are a few things I've found to help a ton:

(1) Tight pantyhose (or TEDS, if you can get them!). When I don't wear them, I notice a major difference in how the muscles in my legs feel the night and day(s) after. When I wear them, though, my legs feel less tense overall. It's also a breath-taking relief to remove them at the end of the night!

(2) Lots of water! Bring a BUG JUG (not a small bottle) with you and keep it with you wherever you go. We use med carts, so I sit mine right on top. I'm not above taking a sip when I'm with a patient either. My health is just as important as theirs! And any massage therapist will tell you to drink plenty of water after a massage session to hydrate your muscles. The same goes for the overwhelming work of nursing!

(3) Exercise -- of ANY kind. You mentioned being overweight. I dealt with this myself in the past, and I noticed that dropping even 5 lbs makes a big difference, as it helps to lessen the pressure on every part below the weight. I'm at a healthy weight now, but I haven't exercised in a while (due to being sick and moving), and I notice a MAJOR difference.

My light exercise consisted of the treadmill for 30 mins (5 warm up, 20 at around 3.0, and 5 cool down), then some Windsor pilates DVDs (back, legs, or arms -- I alternated them). The treadmill alone helps to loosen & strengthen SOME muscles, but the pilates really helped to tone those supporting muscles -- esp. those that you're using to bend / pull / push / etc. for SO MANY hours a day! While I WAS exercising, I noticed a MAJOR difference in how I felt after each shift (that night and the following day). In general, I felt less fatigued and not nearly as sore. Sounds obvious, yeah... We all know that exercise is good, but I am LAAAZY! What prompted me back into exercising was actually realizing how much better it made me feel physically at work.

Good luck on whatever you choose!

imanedrn · Jul 9, 2008

My first few weeks of externing, I was SUPER sore! My calves, especially. It did go away, though. Make sure you are wearing really good shoes. Crocs don't count! I bought Nike running shoes and the difference is incredible!

I have FLAT feet with an EXTRA bone in each one (yes, they are the WORST I've EVER seen). I initially bought my shoes for running (when I was trying to work up to running years ago...). I realized how good they were, though, so now they're my work shoes.

They're high-end Asics with a STRONG boot, the purpose being ankle stabilization, which is what I REALLY need. Without them, my ankles fall in, then go the knees, hips, and low back. Then I'm a known down wreck! Time for a new pair actually!

pinklola · Jul 10, 2008

i agree nursing is so hard on the body! i am a new nurse but after the first few 12 hr (or 13 hr) shifts i could bearly stand and i am pretty athletic, i am a runner. i bought some new nike shocks (running shoes) plus support stocking and i recently added the dr. sholes 16hr confort insoles :up: and honestly i was so light on my feet after my shift! it made a world of a difference! so highly recommend them if ur feet are aching like mine were! :specs:

RN_in_SC · Jul 11, 2008

I know what you mean. One day = no problem, Two days = ok, Three days (in a row) = OMG it hurts and I can barely get out of bed the next day, not from being tired, but SORE

I had an expensive pair of nursing shoes bought for me as a gift. One day I wore tennis shoes (with the cheap inserts) instead and for the first time - my feet and legs didn't hurt at all after.

Stretching whenever possible is good too. While waiting for medication machine to be available, in the breakroom, etc

Hot bath with epsom salts and when I can afford it - a massage!

Oh and of course the moist heating pad for my lower back (I had back surgery)