The Hazards of Being a Transcriptionist

by Hava Lyon | More from this Blogger

22 Apr 2007 03:00 PM

This blog is part of a series on transcription. If you haven't read the other blogs in this series, make sure to check out the summary page for a listing of all transcription blogs. Thanks!

Although transcriptionists don't run the same health risks as other professions, there are still some very real health problems that transcriptionists can run into.

One is aching and hurting wrists. Many people who type day in and day out end up developing arthritis in their hands and have to have surgery done to repair the damage (my mother just underwent hand surgery for this reason--hi Mom!--and so I can say with certainty that hand surgery is not for the fainthearted.) The verdict is still out on whether typing causes carpal tunnel syndrome or not but just in case, you may want to check out Dvorak keyboards.

Companies push for people to stay in their chair and working for hours on end, but this kind of inactivity is very tough on the body, and can cause some serious physical problems. Blood pools in the legs when you sit in a chair without moving, and this can eventually lead to blood clots which can kill. I had a friend who had a job that required her to sit for hours at a time without breaks (she worked in the newspaper field as the editor, but the same basic concept applies) and she got blood clots in her legs because of it. She became very ill and spent months in the hospital while trying to recuperate. People think "Oh, it's just sitting" but doing so for hours at a time is dangerous. It can also cause back problems. The body is not built for hours of inactivity, plain and simple. If you go onto forums dedicated to transcriptionists, you'll see a lot of talk about different chairs and desks that will help alleviate leg and back problems, which is a great step in the right direction.

Last but not least, eye strain can develop from staring at the computer screen, and deafness can develop because transcriptionists turn the volume up when they can't hear the dictator, and eventually, this will lead to a moderate - severe hearing loss.

If you think you can withstand the rigors of being a transcriptionist, then read on to where I ask the question: Have you got what it takes (to be a transcriptionist)?

Learn more about Hava Lyon

Hello, my name is Hava or Havs (depending on my mood and yours!) I am a freelance writer who writes for several blogs, both paid ones such as this one, and personal blogs.

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