I have carpal tunnel, it hurts, what do?

[Kankurette]

I'm a freelance translator and I type a lot, and for the past couple of weeks, my right wrist has been hurting like hell (no, not because I've been wanking too much, perverts). Sometimes it's bearable but other times it hurts a lot and radiates down into my elbow or even my shoulder, and my arm feels heavy and stiff, which is really irritating because it's affecting my ability to do my job. I also did arm weights at the gym last weekend and it was a bloody stupid thing to do because it aggravated it, so tomorrow is leg day.

I've told my project manager and she suggested getting an ergonomic keyboard, but I'm wondering if it's worth it. My wrist rest doesn't help either. It MIGHT be arthritis as I've got early onset osteoarthritis, it runs in my mum's family, but it's pissing me off. I've been taking painkillers for it but it's been very bad recently - I'm wondering if it might be worth asking for steroid injections.

Anyone else had carpal tunnel syndrome and if so, what helped?

[madhair60]

We take sour sips from life's lush lips
And we shake, shake, shake hips in relationships

[bgmnts]

What does the doctor say?

[beanheadmcginty]

Jumbo wank?

[drummersaredeaf]

I am the RSI expert and will happily elaborate on this malarkey.

I'm the carpal tunnel king: two unnecessary surgeries and a billion MRIs to establish it's something else.

First step: do the test where you bend your wrist at 90 degrees

[drummersaredeaf]

Don't wanna say if mine was a wanking issue or not.

[Kankurette]

I haven't seen a doctor yet.

[madhair60]

carpal karaoke

[drummersaredeaf]

I haven't seen a doctor yet.

Tinel and Phalen's test. Now.

[Underturd]

Chainsaw for one arm, you might need some help for the other arm.
Sorry you're having to put up with it though, it sounds horrible.

[Uncle TechTip]

I recommend a nice chair.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

Use your left hand. It feels a bit like someone else is doing it then.

[madhair60]

Chainsaw for one arm, you might need some help for the other arm.
Sorry you're having to put up with it though, it sounds horrible.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

carpal karaoke

I like this one it's very good

[JesusAndYourBush]

I got a bit of carpal tunnel a few years ago and I realised it was because when I was reading webpages I'd keep my hand on the mouse, using the scroll wheel to scroll down the page, but then keeping my hand on the mouse for when I needed to scroll again, applying pressure to the wrist.

So I changed technique and instead of scrolling with my right hand on the mouse I used my left hand to tap the arrow keys on the keyboard, and that meant a lot less time with my right hand on the mouse.

So something to consider if bad mouse technique is contributing to any carpal tunnel symptoms.

[lauraxsynthesis]

I had it years ago then a drummer friend recommended drummer arm warm up techniques and I added various stretches recommended for CP. I don't do them every day anymore but haven't had wrist problems for like 20 years now. Currently I do get some pain in my mouse arm shoulder because I forget to stop holding the mouse all the time.

[Vodkafone]

@Kankurette - you said you have a project manager but also that you're freelance, so I'm not clear if you're employed or not. If you're employed, work should sort you out a DSE assessment. If not employed, ergonomic mice and keyboards are worth trying but you will probably want to borrow/try them first. I have barely used a mouse for years, even the ergonomic ones fuck me up. Combination of track pad and keyboard shortcuts works really well for me.

[Jasha]

Search for Cal Crutchlow arm pump surgery, just not while you're eating your tea

[Shaxberd]

A couple of years ago I had a bout of this which lasted a few months. Ended up entirely overhauling my desk setup (I work at home) to reduce the strain it was putting on my right arm.

Some things that I found I needed to take into consideration:
- not just the height of the desk, but how far you can get your chair under it - having to lean forwards adds strain over time
- size of the keyboard, I now have a tiny one because it means less moving my hands size to side
- mouse design, I use a Logitech trackball because it's comfy on my wrist and shoulder and I don't have to move it around the desk

I know it works because whenever I'm in the office and not using my usual set up, I come home with a sore right arm and shoulder from all that moving it around. If you're working a desk job it pays to be a picky bugger about your equipment.

[madhair60]

i'm not surprised you have carpal tunnel with all your carping on!!!

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Kanks wrist declared too fucked to show

[PlanktonSideburns]

I had this, don't any more, and I'm basically typing ALL the time

First bit - listen to drummersaredeaf, he advised me good on it.

ALSO!

doing the thing of squeezing a balled up sock in your hand and slowly rotating hand, opening and closing elbow joint seemed to really help, basically did a sort of freestyle  jazz thai chi every morning on my bike commute to work and that seemed to help loads

You've probably got your office ergonomics down if you're a translator, when I got mine my desk was an upturned cupboard and my chair was a flightcase, probably why I got it. I also got one of those trackball mouse with a big ball on it, and one of those wanky split keyboards, ainchent Microsoft one for tenner off ebay, that seemed to really helped

Also got taught a few chi-gong moves from a guy who said he was a chrome polisher for Mercedes in a pub called Station Hop in levenshulme- he was a regular, can't remember his name now, but you could ask for him, would reccomend it as an experience

Hope it fucks off PRONTO

[drummersaredeaf]

Yeah, I thought I'd never work at a desk again and could barely hold a knife and fork at one point. And I know this forum HATES guitarists, but playing those sweet Bon Jovi solos was the only happiness I had. Instead, I learned this one neat trick to solve all of your RSI related pain:

Spoiler alert

Two carpal tunnel surgeries, the second to fix the mess the first caused (and it was unnecessary), lots of years working in low paid jobs to avoid the pain then years paying all sorts of quacks to manage the pain until finally my wanking paw starting working again when I was unsupervised for years of a PhD. Turns out it was the neck/posture all along: thoracic outlet syndrome

[close]

So ya, that's why my advice is to make sure it is actually your wrist. Whatever it is the tech has advanced loads in the last however many years. I was looking at weird alternative keyboards and all sorts, but you can just talk at the fucking thing now.

[thenoise]

Ergonomic management keyboard



That's right, sweetheart.

[shoulders]

I had it years ago then a drummer friend recommended drummer arm warm up techniques and I added various stretches recommended for CP. I don't do them every day anymore but haven't had wrist problems for like 20 years now. Currently I do get some pain in my mouse arm shoulder because I forget to stop holding the mouse all the time.

This seems worth a try, seating position is also vital, so if you're even slightly stretching or in a stress position that gradually magnifies over the course of a day. Also agree with the post regarding mixed use of keyboard and mouse for scrolling.

I developed tendonitis all through a rubbish office chair and work position, being 21 at the time I had no idea what was happening and didn't make the connection. Hasn't flared up in years, leaving only the new, exciting middle aged issues to deal with.

[Kankurette]

Use your left hand. It feels a bit like someone else is doing it then.

My left hand is my dominant hand.

@Kankurette - you said you have a project manager but also that you're freelance, so I'm not clear if you're employed or not. If you're employed, work should sort you out a DSE assessment. If not employed, ergonomic mice and keyboards are worth trying but you will probably want to borrow/try them first. I have barely used a mouse for years, even the ergonomic ones fuck me up. Combination of track pad and keyboard shortcuts works really well for me.

I'm self-employed.

[Fabian Thomsett]

Have a laquer and a wank.

[Jerrykeshton]

Split keyboard and a trackball.  You'll never look back

[PlanktonSideburns]

The look of revulsion my nephew gave my trackball and old timey off white keyboard haunts me to this day

Yes you can play Dark Souls three

Yes you have to use what looks like the controls for an MRI scanner to do it

[dissolute ocelot]

Someone I used to know had acupuncture for it, which sounds bollocks, but sticking pins in your hand has to have some effect?