A common pitfall plagues many computer users: they make assumptions about their pain and do not verify those assumptions. Even though they may spend more time on their computer than performing any other waking activity, when they experience pain, they assume that their pain is due to some other event or activity.

You can avoid unnecessary medical expenses and pain by not underestimating the effects of your computing habits and environment on your well-being.

Even I have been guilty of making this mistake. At one point, I developed chest pain on both the left and right sides of my chest. My first guess was that it was cold weather-related, or a cardiac or respiratory condition. Consequently, I visited my primary care physician and had several tests performed—including an EKG, a blood test, and a chest X-ray—as well as a physical examination. After all of these tests, my physician determined that I was in good health and offered to prescribe some anti-inflammatories or to refer me to a cardiologist. Needless to say, I had spent several hundred dollars in healthcare expenses using my high-deductible health plan and found myself without much to show for it.

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