11–19 of 19 posts
I cured myself within a year mostly by using ice, and I also took aspirin. I am not a doctor: this is just what happened to work for me.
You might also try searching for "anti-inflammatory diets" to help carpal tunnel syndrome, sore knees, etc. My wife and I adjust our diets to help prevent inflamation.
- Take a couple days break from hardcore typing/computer use
- Ordered the Anker vertical mouse and Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 Keyboard from Amazon
- Resume Exercises that worked years ago
- Take anti-inflammatory turmeric laced foods and resume taking some Omega 3 capsules I was taking before
Thanks for all the advice - I hope my typing is back to pain-free soon! Thanks again.
* Whenever your hand feels pain, stop typing, and take a break.
* If you have a PC at home and work, you may want to have one type of mouse at work (standard) and another at home (ball and button). Use the mouse with your right hand for half an hour, then switch to your left, then your right. If your right hand uses a mouse and hurts, use your left hand for the mouse half the time! It takes a little adjusting, but it is better than hurting your hand.
* People tell me this gets progressively worse and worse if not dealt with. You're looking to deal with it which is good, so keep on top of it.
- moving the mouse to the left (you get used to it in a week); this reduced the pain in my right wrist by half. Most of the pain on the right wrist now comes from using the arrow keys.
- getting a Typematrix 2030; adds spacing between wrists, has softer keys, leads to less movement for Enter key
- switching away from qwerty; this was twice as valuable, because I also finally learned to type properly.
I also found hanging on my fingers from a pull-up bar and rock climbing helped my hand and fingers heal.
If it's an RSI and not getting better from breaks, I'd recommend Active Release Technique (http://www.activerelease.com/). I've been going to an ART provider for a knee injury, but since I'm there they also work on my wrist and it's been helping. The 2 places I've been are classified as chiropractors for insurance purposes, since they're chiropractors who also practice ART. This has its pros and cons - you don't need to get a referral to go, but you could be limited on sessions.
Even if it is Carpal Tunnel in your case, "It's Not..." is a superb book on RSIs and RSI-like conditions: well worth picking up.
A few things I can recommend: (1) Switch to the Colemak keyboard layout -- it significantly reduces the work your fingers have to do. (2) Vary your mousing devices/behaviors. I love Kensington trackballs, and they're much easier on my wrist than a mouse, but after awhile I get pain in my thumb (because with a trackball you typically use your thumb to left-click rather than your index finger), so I switch back to a mo…
A few things I can recommend: (1) Switch to the Colemak keyboard layout -- it significantly reduces the work your fingers have to do. (2) Vary your mousing devices/behaviors. I love Kensington trackballs, and they're much easier on my wrist than a mouse, but after awhile I get pain in my thumb (because with a trackball you typically use your thumb to left-click rather than your index finger), so I switch back to a mo…