Mouse hand, wrist and arm are tingling

[Monkeyleg]

I thought I'd solved this problem years ago, but it's back. I'm spending so much time at the computer that my hand, wrist and arm tingle all the time, whether I'm at the computer or not. Sometimes, when I'm at the computer, the tingling becomes painful.

The keyboard is positioned such that my arms and wrists are above it. The mouse requires me to bend my wrist, probably too much.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[lee n. field]

Any suggestions are welcome.

Get a wrist brace, the kind that velcros around your wrist, and has a stiff plastic or metal piece that goes up over your palm.  Sleep with them on.  When you sleep, you tend to curl your wrists, and that's not good for carpal tunnel.

Also, Micro$oft Ergo keyboard, the ones that are humped in the middle and split.  I like them a lot.  Real cootie magnets though, they get disgusting in short order.

[Unisaw]

+1 on the Microsoft ergonomic keyboard.  The MSFT natural ergonomic mouse is also quite good.  It takes a little while to get used to it, but I'll never go back to a more traditional mouse.

[Gewehr98]

I did the same, and bought a MS Natural 4K keyboard, MS optical trackball and gel wrist rest.  Carpal tunnel syndrome and similar injuries are no fun.

[Fly320s]

Switch hands, too.

Exercises might help.

And stop surfing "that" internet. 

[Monkeyleg]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure if a Microsoft keyboard works with a Mac. That's how much I know about 'puters.

As for not being on the internet, that's my job, so it's not easy to get away. (Being here on APS is one of my escapes).

[RocketMan]

Monkeyleg, lee's advice about sleeping with the brace on your wrist is what my wife did.  She spends hours at the computer each day, and it worked wonders for her.  Give it a shot.

[MechAg94]

I haven't tried the ergonomic mouse.  I might have to look for that.  I do have the ergonomic keyboard and like it a lot.  It helps if you know how to type correctly. 

I am left handed and in the past have switched to using the mouse left handed for a while. 

[lee n. field]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure if a Microsoft keyboard works with a Mac. That's how much I know about 'puters.

USB keyboards will work.  Not sure how the apple keys will map, check system preferences once the keyboard's installed.  Chances are real good it'll be recognized and configured without you having to do anything.

[charby]

I used to get that all the time but I found out playing 18 holes of golf worked out the tingles in the arm. I got tired of the cost of golf and I gave my clubs away last year so I am trying to fgure out a new activity for range of motion for my mouse hand.

[erictank]

Monkeyleg, you might try checking for trigger points in your hand, wrist, and arm - they can sometimes present symptoms similar to carpal tunnel. 

[Grandpa Shooter]

Do what I did.  Buy some remote land, clear the trees in the roadway with a chainsaw, dig out the cap rock with a 12 pound pick, hook two logs up behind the jeep and drag the driveway.  Spend 10 days away from people, traffic and computers, and behold, my wrist and arm don't hurt.

Of course the rest of me hurts like H...

[Monkeyleg]

Somewhere in the house I have one of those braces. I'll have to go looking for it.

As for golf, clearing trees, and digging out rocks, no thanks.

[Chuck Dye]

Your symptoms more than vaguely resemble some I experience from a couple of herniated discs, C4-5 and C5-6, as verified by MRI scan.  Professional advice may be in order.

[Monkeyleg]

You mean Gewehr98 isn't a professional?

[Stevie-Ray]

The ergo keyboards are definitely a limbsaver. You might try a wireless trackball, like Logitech's. Just sit it in your lap. The wife and I both have them and they are worth their weight in gold. I have CTS, and haven't been bothered by it for years. Of course, keeping the wrists straight during workouts helps, too.

[Gewehr98]

Nope.

I'm not even close to being professional.

Although, are you sure your massive abscess isn't causing you problems in your hand/wrist/arm?   

[Bogie]

Welcome to crappy tunnel...

Put pillow under the wrist. Consider a different angle for the mouse, etc...

[Monkeyleg]

Although, are you sure your massive abscess isn't causing you problems in your hand/wrist/arm?

Maybe because I was gnawing at my arm?

[Azrael256]

Professional advice may be in order.

I always find it amusing when somebody asks for medical advice here.  Like this group of jackasses has one qualified medical opinion between us.

Before you spend the $500 on all the wireless, infra-red, ergo-natural, gps-guided whiz-bangery, how about $50 to talk to... oh, I dunno... a DOCTOR?

I'll admit, I'm guilty of this myself.  I tried for a week to figure out why my jaw was swollen and sore once.  My mother, a nurse, finally hit me over the head and said to "go get a &^%*#@$ x-ray, idiot." 

And yes, they x-rayed my head and didn't find a thing.

[Bogie]

Uh, been there, done that, got the wrist braces, the ergo keyboard (at least it kept the office Lusers off the thing...), and a pillow for the rodent wrist. I think that's what helped most.

[GigaBuist]

Try taking a break every 15-20 minutes and stretching your forearms out.  Finger tips of one hand in the palm of the other and press.

Try and do as much as you can with a keyboard.  Continual use of a mouse is what gets me, and I'd say with 90% certainty that it's just the scroll wheel that does it in my hands.  The less I use a mouse the better off I am.