Hand health

[Anonymous No.1939584]

Hey guys, since summer I have had problems with my right hand and it's been gradually getting worse. After a couple months I also started having problems with my left hand, though less noticeable than my right hand.

The blue on the image shows where I have problems. I feel numbness, pain and/or just an sort of awkward sensation in the wrist, the forearm (all the way up to the elbow), the palm and the fingers, especially the index finger (in the right hand it nearly feels as if the index finger is "detached" from my hand). I mainly get these sensations when typing, writing by hand or drawing, but my hand always feels weird, even when not doing anything. It feels like it's never at rest. I have forgotten how my hands are supposed to feel.

Should I see a doctor or something? Do you guys have any tips on getting rid of this?

[Anonymous No.1939586]

health tip- if doing something hurts your hand STOP

its early stages of carpal tunnel. if you draw and type a lot without taking frequent breaks you risk straining the muscles in your hands. Go three or four days without doing either drawing or typing and your hands should go back to normal.

as for solutions, well its mostly form correction. Either get a more ergonomic keyboard that lets you type more normally, draw with the entire arm instead of the wrist, or take a 15 minute break every 30-60 minutes of drawing. preferably all three.

[Anonymous No.1939589]

sounds really bad you should see a doctor

[Anonymous No.1939597]

>>1939586
Thanks for the reply.
How can you tell it's early stages? I've had this for 5 months now, will going 3-4 days without drawing or typing make my hand normal again?

>if doing something hurts your hand STOP
By "Stop" do you mean taking a break? thing is I'm still in school, and I have to write/type a lot.

>take a 15 minute break
Should I also do some sort of exercises too, or will simply stopping for a moment also help?

[Anonymous No.1939598]

>going to the internet for health advice

[Anonymous No.1939600]

>>1939598
Yeah I'm an idiot, but it's better than doing nothing? I'll probably try to see a doctor.

[Anonymous No.1939605]

Stop drawing. Don't write or type unless necessary. Try stretching and massaging your arms in the mean time. your hands are already hurting that is a big sign, it means the nerves and muscles have been getting pinched for an extended period of time. See a doctor if its already been months since they've been getting numb, carpal tunnel sucks ass

[Anonymous No.1939607]

>>1939605
Thanks for the reply
Stop drawing until hands get better or completely cured?

[Anonymous No.1939618]

>>1939600
God OP you're as numb as your hands.

Go see a doctor. They can tell you how badly you fucked up by not going to see them earlier. They'll probably give you a brace for the wrist that you can take on and off that will limit the use of your wrist. Wear it as often as they tell you to.

[Anonymous No.1939627]

>>1939618
Thanks for the reply.
I'll go see a doctor then.

[Anonymous No.1939636]

GO TO A FUCKING DOCTOR

meanwhile, do this excersices before you draw or everytime you feel pain:
http://youtu.be/Ta6Q3W6_u0g

BUT FOR THE LOVE TO YOUR HAND, GO TO A FUCKING DOCTOR!

[Anonymous No.1939638]

>>1939636
Thanks for the reply. I have been convinced, I will go see a doctor.

[Anonymous No.1939646]

>>1939636
Not him but you must be not from Burgerland as going to the doctor here is writing you up a debt sentence towards bankruptcy. You can't simply just "go" to a doctor without pulverizing your wallet.

[Anonymous No.1939648]

You're too young for these kinds of problems, you should definitely go see someone.

[Anonymous No.1939658]

>>1939646
I live in Norway, free healthcare.
>>1939648
Yup, 16 is too young, I'll go see a doctor.

[Anonymous No.1939661]

>>1939646
I live in Norway, free healthcare.
>>1939648
Will do.

[Anonymous No.1939670]

>>1939597
>By "Stop" do you mean taking a break? thing is I'm still in school, and I have to write/type a lot.

No you don't. Talk to your teachers, tell them you're getting a serious RSI and ask tif you can record lessons. As for the papers and homework, talk to them privately and see if you can get a reduced workload.

If they say no, fuck them. You can always redo a school year, but you can get your hands ruined for life if you don't rest now.

There is nothing you can draw, type, or write that's more important than protecting your only two hands. Nothing.

You go to that doctor, you come back, and you play the disability card if you have to.

[Anonymous No.1939848]

>>1939670
What this guy said. Your school will probably want to see some sort of official letter/clarification from your doctor as well to get the accomodation, but that shouldn't be hard to get.

[Anonymous No.1939853]

>>1939584
Stretch often.
If you are in pain:
Do see a doctor. Do take a break.

[Anonymous No.1939855]

>>1939853

[Anonymous No.1939885]

My wrist was absolutely fucked up.
Couldn't use my mouse or continue drawing for weeks on end after a hefty drawing session.

Start doing stretches and get a trackball mouse. Fixed all my problems.

[Anonymous No.1939897]

>>1939584
The pain in the index finder sounds like carpal tunnel indeed, but on the arms and little finger suggests cubital tunnel instead.
I had almost your same symptoms.
Do you often rest your elbows on something rigid, like the arms of a chair or a desk? Or do you literally rest your body on your elbows for long periods of time? If youdo, you could be developing cubital tunnel. This doesn't exclude the possibility of you having carpal tunnel too, but yeah, if you feel like you do these kind of things than STOP, immediately. Get a chair without arms, and never rest on your elbows for the rest of your life.

[Anonymous No.1939917]

>>1939853
>>1939855
Thanks for the reply, and the exercises.

>>1939885
Thanks for the reply, I'm getting a trackbar mouse hopefully that will help fix my problems.

[Anonymous No.1939925]

>>1939897
Thanks for the reply. I'm not too sure about what you mean with resting my elbows on the desk. Do you mean like in pic 1 and/or pic 2? Should i have my hands "hovering" over my desk or have them hang down naturally?

[Anonymous No.1939929]

>>1939925
Number 2 is the one which could realistically cause the cubital tunnel syndrome. Number 1 might start to feel uncomfortable too but only once the symptoms start worsening, at least in my experience.
>Should i have my hands "hovering" over my desk or have them hang down naturally?
A problem might arise anywhere a nerve gets pinched. Ideally yes, you should be hovering, or at least not pressing down. For instance if you put your hand on your lap, you should feel it as a neutral position. That's how it should feel anywhere else too.

[Anonymous No.1939936]

>>1939929
By resting your hand on your lap I mean like this. Or however you feel most natural really.

[Anonymous No.1939941]

>>1939929
>>1939936
Okay, thanks, I understand.