OT: Wrist pain

Sorry if it is off topic but I know that our hand is connected to our keyboard. How do you determine if you have gout, tendonitis or cts when you feel pain in your wrist? I got this pain for almost a week now. And I don't know what it is. I don't have medical insurance because I am new to my job and have no benefits yet. How do you handle your wrist pain. I hope it's not gout because gout usually appear in your big toe or ankle. The pain that I feel now is when I move my thumb like "All thumbs up sign" or using a scissor or hitchhiking sign. It's worse in the morning.

Is there a doctor in the house willing to offer 'free' medical advice?
Dr. Rotolo?

Had a similar wrist problem a while back. I put it down to Mice-Itus ???
I decided not to switch the PC on for a week and my wrist problem went.
(OH!!! I also stopped playing with myself for a week Ha!!!!)

Graham UK

Thanks for the response Scott. there is no doctor in the house. I got some friends who had experience with acupuncture medicine. How does it help.

Graham, I wish I could stop using my pc and my keyboard. Those 2 are my main jobs.

danb. My friend suffered a wrist problem and his cure was to use the mouse over the other side with his lefthand. Again, after a week his wrist pain had gone....worth a try.

Graham UK

Danb,

Unless you've been on a high-protein, high-fat diet, I seriously doubt that gout is the problem. You may have some tendonitus, and this could be caused by improper position of the hands in relation to the keyboard, and especially, your computer's mouse. If at all possible, position your mouse on a mousepad that is situated at a height that allows you to keep your wrist as straight as possible and your elbow to forearm position bent at 90 degrees. The same holds true for playing the keyboard. This takes a lot of strain off the joints and tendons, thereby decreasing any possibility of excessive strain and inflamation. Over the counter anti-inflamitory medications, such as asparin will also help reduce the inflamation and aleviate the pain. When using the computer's mouse for extended periods, I would stongly suggest using a wrist brace, one that prevents wrist movements in all directions.

Hope this is of some help,

Gary

(The doctor is now on vacation!)

Danb: I was actually referring to our own Synthzone forum household here, of which actually includes at least one licensed physician (Dreamer) who might be willing to share some (free? ) medical advice about this.

Re accupucture. Yes, I personally have had success with accuputure treatment to relieve hand pain in the past, but I really don't know exactly 'how' it works.

Scott

Sorry, I am afraid I am a bit late here: my colleagues Graham and Gary already diagnosed the condition. Looks indeed like a tendinitis, most likely aggravated by the use of the mouse. A "flat" mouse can help reduce the strain on the hand (the worst ones are the arched mouse like the old Microsoft). Very useful is also the application of a medicated plaster, containing an anti-inflammatory drug (I am sorry, but I don't know the commercial names in USA). If you cannot find them, follow Gary's advice and take drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen or nimesulide by mouth, ideally with a full stomach. Finally, a cicle of treatment with ultrasounds can be really beneficial.
Let's know how the situation evolves.

The doctor has spoken.
Graham & Gary deserve an honorary SZ certificate for their correct diagnosis.

Some good advice has been submitted here... try what has been suggested, but if you see no improvement, bite the bullet and seek medical care. As a keyboard player, the last thing you want is for it to persist or even worsten. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Thanks guys for all your advice. I'll try your suggestions.

danb:
I developed what's called carpal tunnel syndrome. I could lift or pick up heavy items, but attempting to grab my coffee cup or a pencil gave me intense pain. Is this what you're experiencing?
What worked for me, and again, this is just in my instance, was to change my mouse. My new mouse made a very slight change in my forearm postion (we're talking 2 or 3 degree rotation), and it made all the difference in the world. Worked for me...
Just my thots...& Good Luck

Found this information...
http://www.thehelpinghand.com/basic.htm

[This message has been edited by Leon (edited 08-13-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Leon (edited 08-13-2003).]

What about using the Mouse pads with the
GEL PADS attached so that your wrist rests on....very comfortable.

Different strokes...for different folks...
with apologies to Sly Stone.

Hello........I agree with Dnj. Since using a gel filled wrist support with my mouse I no longer have the wrist pain I used to experience daily. I do spend a lot of time on the computer too..........worth the investment! Good luck.

danb. In one of the wife's American Sewing magazines is an article about CTS.
Here is a suggested link to look at. They are possibly trying to sell you something. Ha!!!
www.mousemitt.com

Graham UK



[This message has been edited by Graham UK (edited 08-14-2003).]

Hi Danb,

I had previously experienced wrist pains on my right hand too due heavy use on computers, mouse, calculators and keyboards. After many consultations with friends and doctors, it was not CTS (luckily) but it was a sign that my body (or my hand) is being stressed and if aggravated further will develop into something worse.

There are several ways to help prevent this from happening :

1. Do stretching exercise for your fingers and wrists before and after each work (just like going for physical games).

2. Take breaks.

3. Don't type too hard on the computer keyboard. There are some users who 'bang' the keyboard because it feels good! The harder you type the more stressed your fingers / wrist is.

4. This one takes practice and i had successfully done it. Most people use the right hand on the mouse. Change it to the left hand! This will take away a big load from your right hand fingers and wrist!

Hope the above helps.

Hi Danb,

If all the above good advice does not work.
Try this. As a retired Fitness Specialist and Massage Therapist it is called Accupressure.

Go to the elbow joint of the effected wrist
with your thumb and feel for any small lump on the inside of the joint. Just beneath or above the joint.
If you find one and it is sensitive to the touch. Press down on it lightly with your thumb and hold for a few seconds and increase the pressure. Then release and do it again for about 5 times. No more.
Most of the time the lump will almost disappear and the wrist pain will be gone. Try it again later in the day when it is not so sensitive.

Alex

Thanks for all your advice. This is a wonderful place. All your advice are good and I tried them and it relieves the pain. How long should I do this before the pain is totally gone? The ice pack or cold oack is very good. Some of my friends recommend some nutritional supplements like Glucosamine. Anybody tried this before. They claim that it is good for joint. Oh, well... I guess if your're getting older you feel a lot of something different in your body. I'm 45 now but I don't feel that old yet. I guess music is making us feel a little younger. Thanks a lot for all your help. You guys been great.

Dan

I too experienced wrist and arm pain from prolonged use of a mouse. The solution recommended to me was to invest in a quality trackball. It has made a world of a difference -- pain is gone. I personally own and recommend the Microsoft Trackball Explorer -- it's not cheap (could be as high as $80), but it's changed the way I work. I've even programmed it to allow me to double-click with a single press (it has several buttons, all fully programmable). It took me a few days to get the hang of using it, it's not quite like a mouse, but it was well worth it. Enjoy.

For what its worth, wrist pain I was experiencing from the conventional mouse disapeared when I started using a combiniation of:
1. A wrist pad
2. Trackball Mouse - the kind you move with your thumb and click with your fingers. http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouse/tbo_info.asp

The other kind of trackball, whrere the cursor is moved with your fingers and you click with your thumb did not help my situation for some reason.

Eddie

One important point that I haven't seen mentioned is technique on the keyboard. Be very sure your posture and your chording techniques are correct. Also, try not to play tense and hit the keys very hard. Your fingering is very important as improper fingering can torque your wrist and contribute to wrist pain.

Al