[건강칼럼] occupational disease

As the world changes, people’s lives and occupations change, and various occupational diseases also arise. Infectious diseases such as coronavirus are newly emerging, while occupational diseases are chronic diseases caused by environmental exposure, behavior, and posture. Modern people are mostly office workers who sit in one place for more than 8 hours a day, and they have occupational diseases one by one while using computers and smartphones.

Although there is a difference in degree, the use of computers and smartphones has already become commonplace for everyone from teenagers to the elderly. In particular, if you look at the symptoms that occur while using a smartphone, there are neck pain, shoulder pain, headache, and wrist pain due to the turtle neck. In addition, exposure to LED screens for a long time can cause dry eye syndrome, and early myopia can occur during adolescence. Office workers lack of outdoor activities can lead to vitamin D deficiency, weakening bone density, and can easily lead to osteoporosis in old age. Call center workers or teachers who talk a lot suffer from vocal nodules and frequent sore throats. Stress is an integrated occupational disease that threatens any occupation. Functional gastrointestinal disorders caused by stress and irritable bowel syndrome reduce the quality of life due to frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain. Stress in interpersonal relationships at work can also cause depression and anxiety disorders.

Does the solution to occupational diseases have to change jobs in the end? However, it is not easy to change jobs because they are our lives. In the end, only efforts to correct and supplement are necessary. There are so many different jobs that it is difficult to talk about each solution. In the case of major musculoskeletal symptoms, it should be corrected by correct posture or supplemented by sudden adjustment through stretching. Regular breaks are very important for long-term work. When you are at rest, relax your muscles through stretching and revitalize your body and mind by promoting blood circulation. Looking at the natural colors of the blue mountains in the distance in natural light helps to recover from eye fatigue. These activities can improve concentration and reduce mistakes on the next task. Apart from occupational diseases, if you have habits that harm your health, such as smoking while resting, drinking too much to relieve stress, or binge eating until late at night, you can actually lose your health, so be careful.

In fact, occupational diseases are vast, but there are limitations as they are limited to office workers. Every development and change has both sides of darkness and light. Just as many diseases have been cured with the advancement of medicine, while various diseases have arisen with the development of industry. But it’s nothing to lose. Because we are benefiting from a brilliant medical examination. Occupational diseases are also diseases that eventually accumulate one by one. If there are early signs, don’t ignore them and check them out. If you can’t quit, you have to become a push-pull master for early correction and supplementation.

Munbae Kyung, Director (Samsung Top Family Medicine Clinic)