Carpal Tunnel: Things that have helped...
 

I've been trying numerous methods short of surgery, to help with carpal tunnel. I just want to share some of the things that have really helped.

1. My desk is metal / glass, and my mouse pad is metal. These are very cold surfaces, especially since I like to keep the room temp around 65. Anyhow, this has helped significantly... Those warm fingerless gloves that you find all over for like $3.00. Get some and wear them when you are working. If you can't find those, these work pretty good also...
http://www.handeze.com/fingerless.htm
Either way, try to find some that cover your wrist also.

2. Stretching out your hands. Here are some videos to illustrate the "How"...
http://www.expertvillage.com/search....nnel+stretches

3. If you can see a doctor, try getting some lidocaine cream. Put this on after a hot shower. Apply it to your shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands.

4. Stop sleeping on your side!!!!! Force yourself to sleep on your back. This has helped significantly. When you sleep on your side, you are putting pressure and stress on your shoulders, as well as cutting off circulation to your arms and hands. Not only will this make your CTS worse, but it can lead to other (more painful) disorders.

5. Take breaks every hour or two for 15 to 30 minutes if you can.

6. Stretch out before getting to work.

7. Sit up straight at your desk, and don't lean on your elbows on a hard desk.

8. Roll your head around about 5 to 10 times each direction. I get a "crunchy" sound at the base of my neck when I do this... just keep doing it until it rolls smoothly.

9. If you have TMJ, believe it or not, this may be one of the main contributors to your pain. Teeth grinding and constant stress in the jaw, radiates down your neck, into your shoulders then down your arms. Try wearing a mouth guard when you sleep to help relieve this.

10. Exercise your arms. Push Ups, Pull Ups... whatever you can do to help build up muscle around your wrists and hands, without causing damage to the wrists. This reinforces the padding around the actual "Carpal Tunnel" and makes it less likely to collapse, causing little to no hand circulation.

11. When you take your breaks, wrinse your hands in warm to hot water for a few minutes.

That's what I've come up with so far. I do all of these now. The pain is still there, but not nearly as much (Probably about 20% of what it was). Just the gloves alone cut the pain out by about 40%. The back-sleeping another 20%.

How old are you tootsie?

sucks man, 12+ computer years i havent had any problems

Almost 35, been on a keyboard for about 27 years. Started having these issues around the age of 15.

Wow. Almost same age.

I have been on keyboard since, around, 11 I think. That was when my school district first had gotten Apple IIe. I signed up for after school program to learn about them.

Then that Christmas received a Tandy. That was junk, so next year I was given an IBM. Been on them ever since. Been on a computer probably 12-14 hours a day (on average) all my life.

Good luck BROtha.

Yeah, my first computer was an Apple IIC then an Apple IIE. Do you have any hand/wrist/shoulder pains?

Recently, my fingers started twitching terribly. I'll be in the middle of doing some Photoshop pen work, and my fingers decide to click for themselves in places I don't want them to. Extra lettterrs when typing etc... LOL, it's annoying... but that's why Undo exists, I suppose.

been working "online" since I was 12-13 im 26 now. No real problems

I lay my hand flat on my legs or desk when not typign or using the mouse. I stretch my fingers every 10-20 min also.

I used to for a few years on and off. Especially shoulder.

I solved the problem with new chair, raising it all the way to the top, and putting a towel under my left elbow. Since then, I really have not had any issues.

.... unless.... I play too much Madden and just use finger tips for games after game.

Ergonomic keyboards work wonders for preventing carpal tunnel.

I found switching up my setup every month or so helps. Move my chair higher or lower, change my monitor height. I have 3 mice I switch between.

I did find out I was a "head forward" meaning I stuck my head out when working and it caused all kinds of neck problems and headaches that finally caught up with me. Making sure to keep my head back cleared it up in about 3 days. Sometimes it's really simple stuff that helps.

Ah, yes. I forgot to mention that. Ergo mouse + keyboard have helped also.

lol, yeah the "Turtle Neck", this leads to leaning on elbows and other badness. I have my monitors almost right in my face now, so I don't have to lean-in to see them. Also increased my overall font-size to help with this. I try to "Zoom" before I lean now.

Yeah, I was doing the same.

I changed the lighting in office to blue light, and upped the wattage (see better), switched out all monitors for flat screens (better res), along with new keyboards, mouses, but the towel and chair were the biggest for me.

When my shoulder or arm hurt. I am either playing Madden or some video game without a break, or my chair is sitting lower than the highest position and effecting my elbow and shoulder.

It is ALWAYS the left one.

Try massage your arm yourself... I do this while watching tv.. Like rub the fingers towards your nails, and dig your fingers into your arm, do your lower arm... and your upper arm too, and dig into the part where your lower arm meets the upper; the fleshy part opposite your elbow... you can feel the tension everywhere.. and then the shoulders too...

you can really feel it when you massage your arm. i think heat massage would help to, for example heat all the affecting areas with a hot heating pad and then massage yourself...

i read that massage can really help to heal and get teh blood flowing

Try massaging your forearm and biceps.. you'll see what i mean... it feels really good

interesting seeing your #11

One of the things that has seemed to help me tremendously is washing dishes. I know it is not the most exciting thing, but I cook a lot and randomly wash dishes 2-3 times a day in hot water. It feels so good on my wrists and hands, and its been like therapy. I don't have the problems like I used to have.

Honestly, it might even keep me from installing a dishwasher, it helps that much.

and your girl will love you for it! :1orglaugh

:1orglaugh A workout can help you with your overall posture. But it is impossible to "build up muscle around your carpal tunnel as a padding".

what helped me a bit on the neck
http://images.tigerdirect.com/skuima...56-main-ca.jpg

and for the keyboard/mouse i had to get a trey
http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...n_2045_1371805

but im still looking for the perfect mouse.... i liked my kensington expert trackball but it broke, im using the evoluent vertical mouse and i really dont like it i need a new mouse asap!

Using an apparatus such as this...
http://www.aiyafitness.com/pics-inv-..._hand-grip.jpg

Or this...
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....ress_ball.jpeg

As well as doing pull-ups, push-ups etc...

Strengthens the following muscles (among others in the hands and forearm, but for this response, these apply):
Abductor digiti minimi
Flexor digiti minimi
Adductor pollicis
Flexor pollicis
Abductor pollicis
Opponens digiti minimi
Opponens pollicis

The Abductor digiti minimi, flexor digiti minimi, flexor pollicis, abductor pollicis are all technically "around", however connected by the transverse carpal ligament. Strengthening these muscles flexes the carpal ligament and causes it to extend and contract, effectively "working it out", and causing it to be more plyable. The larger the muscles that are "around" this ligament, the more you will rest your wrist on your hand muscles, rather than the actual ligament on a flat surface, compressing the median nerve below it.

2c.

To the OP - you still using a mouse? If so try a wacom tablet - been using for 10 years+ puts a more familiar hand writing stress on you rather than click with the index finger. Helps heaps.

Works like a charm.
http://www.giftmonger.com/acatalog/g...ess-ball-2.jpg

Washing dishes seems like a good idea.

I do wash dishes a lot, the only thing is that I always used dishwashing gloves so therefore I never really felt the therapeutic effects of warm water on my bare fingers/wrists.

Do you mean you have to wash it with bare hands without wearing gloves?

I actually get creeped out touching dirty dishes and food with my bare hands, that's why I always use gloves.

yeah I do it with bare hands. I used to wear gloves too, but then if your hands sweat in them they get gross anyways.

I guess it depends on your kitchen, the nasty food dishes thing. We are also vegetarians, so I do not cook meat which makes it easy to clean the dishes. And I use paper towels to wipe off any messy plates first anyways.

But nothing compares to the hot water dish washing, it feels so nice on the wrists.

I've been planning to try the evoluent, what do you dislike about it?

Does anyone have a recommendation for an affordable tablet to use? I don't need anything fancy as I won't really use it for drawing or graphics, just as a mouse alternative.

bump for relief

great post thanks
 

i need one of these

http://images.tigerdirect.com/skuima...56-main-ca.jpg

Good post.

Another thing that helped for me was to switch hands every 1/2 hour or so. ..Setup two mice, a right handed one, and a left handed one. At first the dexterity in your non dominant hand will have you going all over the freak'n place, clicking on midget porn sites and shit, but in no time the dexterity will come. Moving away from only using your dominant hand all the time will help big time.

DUDE!! Get the surgery! I had it done last year on both hands, The first one in June on my left hand MY Fret board hand it took a few days and I was playing the guitar again BUT COULDN'T Do any bends or hard fret board work for a good month in 2 months I was able to lift things good and in 6 months its was like I never had it done...

now for my right hand It was done two days before Xmas the next day I was playing the ax, took a month till I could lift its march/APR and I'm back to benching 315lbs I know its not a ton lol now I did NOT GO for the numb the arm up bullshit I told them once KNOCK my fat ass out, that was the best fucking dream and sleep I have ever had, on the 2nd one I couldn't wait till they knocked me out, hell I wanted to see how long I could fight it, haha I LOST good luck and if your shit if hurting now and falling asleep etc.. don't waste time if you have insurance because it can leave you pretty fucked up if not taken care of..

ps: SHop around for a good doctor because if you find a shit one you will wish you never did it!

My tip is learn to use the mouse with both hands. I am left handed so generally use the mouse with my left hand but every so often I'll swap to right handed for a while.

Another tip I have is to finish your work fast and then get the fuck off the pc! and dont waste time refreshing emails, refreshing stats, msg boards. etc

work as fast as u can and then leave the house and take a walk or something, or even watch tv. just to get away from the pc

oh and another tip i have is to download this program http://www.rsiguard.com/

it clicks for u, so if u point the mouse at something for more than a split second it clicks it for you, u can also program so it will click super fast, like less than a 10th of a sec or slower... whatever u want..

i think its the clicking motion of the mouse that aggravates the wrist

at first the program will be annoying cause it randomly will click shit if u move around the mouse in certain way but once u get used to it, it helps a lot! try it!