HOT TOPICS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– be-all solution for some. David Swim of Swim Bros. Building and Remodeling in Ashland, Ky., has three bulging discs, plus the after- math of a two disc-bone fusion in his neck from '08. “The sur- gery helped for a couple years but things started going bad again,” he said. Swim toughs it out to avoid pain meds. “If it gets terrible, I use ice and heat in the evenings on and off and a brace during the days,” he explained. Though Michael Coombs of Kennmarr Enterprises Ltd., Thornnill, Ontario and Nothing But Bathrooms in Newmarket, Ontario, has intermittent pain from one herni- ated and one bulging disc, he uses stretching and medication to con- trol it. “My doctor is recommend- ing the surgery,” he said. “But I’ve heard horror stories of guys doing much worse a year or two after the surgery. So, trying to avoid it at all costs.” Massage and chiropractic Many setters swear by mas- sage and chiropractic for relief. “Massage works wonders for me,” said Matt Byars, Tiling Solutions, LLC of Gaffney, S.C., “The best thing I’ve done is learn that when it flares up, to take it easy for a couple of days.” Craig Griffin, of Griffin Tile & Stone, Griffin Const. Group and an independent Florida tile setter, started as a tile helper in 1980, and has had “way too many years of body abuse.” He sees a chiropractor twice a week. Another tile setter steps up his chi- ropractic visits in the acute phase until healing starts to happen, even going for daily visits for several months. Oliver Ledbetter of Little Tile Guy, LLC in Hickory, N.C., plans on “chiro” every Friday afternoon, then a hot shower and ice before bed. “I don’t have a bulging disc but am in recovery from a slipping one,” he explained. One tile setter advised, “Look into medical massage. If you have an X-ray to guide from, it would be helpful. Medical massage will break your muscle memory and help you re align yourself.” Michael Denis, owner/installer at Denis Tiling Co., in Warwick, R.I., advised, “You should be seeing a physical therapist or chiroprac- tor. Until then stay hydrated and see if someone can pull on your legs while laying on your back for 15-30 seconds at a time. It won’t provide a killer stretch, but may provide some relief.” Supplements, hydration and anti-inflammatory foods Paul Joseph of Precision Plus Home Remodelers, Inc., in Port Washington, N.Y., is the not-so- proud owner of six herniated discs, but he credits a combination of 80 TileLetter | February 2019