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How many here are having problems with their hand that operates the mouse... I get an awful pain in the hand in the Muscle, that the hand rest upon. It turns red and gets very sore.... Is this Arhtritis? It's not in the joints.
Also this past weekend when using the Airbrush my hand Cramps up something aweful... I have to set the brush down and shake the hand to bring it back to life... turning 50 sure sucks.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Neil I get it realllly bad. It's been bugging me for about two years. My thumb does these weird clicks and cracks, and sometimes just plain freezes up on me. And aches. It got so bad I finally went to the Dr. I thought it was carpal tunnel, since my mom and two siblings have had that surgery. It's tendonitis. He prescribed a low-dose anti inflamatory that I never refilled because it didn't do anything. Also a thumb spica splint, which I wore at night until the dog made off with it. That helped somewhat but I can't find it.
Last weekend I overdid it and my shoulder flared up, it was also tendonitis and it worked its way down into my thumb. The Dr prescribed 600mg ibuprofin, ice, and rest. Ha! I had too many signs to rest it much. Painted ones. Growing old is no picnic! Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Try using Ligaplex.. Find it at the Health Food Store. I started taking 2 tablets a Day and after a week or so... No more pain.. I can even hold a Paint Brush for an Hour or so without Cramping. (not that I use a Paint Brush A lot)
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Cramping when using an airbrush is not uncommon if you only use it occasionally. I use to use one on a regular basis and after awhile the cramping stopped. Nowadays it only gets used a couple of times a year and I cramp.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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Neil, My left hand would cramp something awful when I played guitar. It got really embarassing when I was playing in front of a crowd because it hurt so bad I would have to quit and sit out a couple of songs til the swelling went down. Oddly enough, it never did this when I was playng a banjo. Anyway, 'pycnogenol' really has helped me. I take a capsule every day, but would suggest you see a doctor first.
My right hand has been sprained, broken and operated on numerous times. For all intents, I shouldn't even be doing this work for a living, but staying ahead of the problems and forming good work habits are important.
An airbrush may not be a heavy item to hold, but because you're doing delicate work, triggering it for prolonged periods can be tiring. Taking an occasional 2-3 minute break can keep you from that need to "shake it out".
Avoid repetitive movements. If you're going to be on the computer for lengthy turns, break it up every half hour or so. (This is also a good practice for your eyes as it keeps you from staring into the screen too long.)
Again, If you're still having troubles, see a doctor. There are any number of things that go wrong when you have 23 bones, multiple ligaments and tendons and dozens of small muscles involved.
Trust me. In this line of work, taking care of any hand ailments is not only good sense, but quite possibly the most important investment you can make toward your future.
Rapid (Currently painting with 4 bone fusions in right hand.)
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Thanks Guys, I do have an appointment this wednesday for a Complete Physical... Ouch...I have a list of what to ask him. Wayne I have the same problem when Playing the guitar, sometimes my left had cramps beyond pain..just certain chords really, well Bar Chords just about any of them.
Thanks Again... nice to know I'm not the only one.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Its they way you are resting (or not) your arm and hand that is causing repetitive injury. It takes a long time to start it. But once there it stays with you.
The cure will take a few weeks. However, it will mend if you take the steps to make sure things are supported correctly.
Mouse elbow or mouse wrist is a common aliment with heavy mouse users. Mouse elbow is a sore elbow that nags at you. It will get worse over time. Finally you will find pain when just shaking someone's hand. Usually it is aggravated by using a mouse while letting your elbow dangle of the desk.
Mouse wrist and mouse palm is another manifestation of mouse overuse without good support. The palm starts to feel pain because the hand is resting over the mouse and putting pressure on the major nerve in the palm of the hand. Same for the wrist. Some call is carpel tunnel and get surgery. But, if the hand and arm is supported well the pain will subside in a while. ( a couple of weeks).
I am no doctor of course. But I observed these complaints at a huge computer center (several hundred persons) a number of years ago. After the center spent thousands on med bills and pain remedies complaints they did a study. After the study suggested proper arm supports nearly ALL of the complaints went away.
The cures... IT all lies with the support methods. The entire arm has to be supported somehow from the elbow down.
I use the arm of my chair with the mouse near the edge of the desk. That way the elbow and wrist is fully supported with the wrist straight out. Only the fingers move the mouse around. I have no pain. But, at one time I did and it was so bad that I couldn't hardly turn the key in my car. At night it would wake me. After getting a good arm support system set up all pain is gone and has never returned. It almost returned when I worked at a place that didn't "get it" and would not supply a good way to work with good support. Is it any wonder they had the same problems the other computer center had? I felt the problem returning in my arm and promptly quit after the owner told me I had to stop recreating. I laughed a couple years later when he lost a huge law suit over a repetitive strain injury to several of his workers.
So, Some rest the entire arm on the desk. Either way it takes the pressure and strain from the ligaments and joints where the pain develops.
For the keyboard. Your wrists must be straight out from the arms. Any bending will eventually cause pain in many people.
And that is what I learned long ago after working with more than a few who suffered mouse pains.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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Neil...Do not take chances with this. If you do not get satisfaction with one doctor, go to as many doctors as it takes to find out what is wrong. I eventually found some satisfaction from an orthopedic hand specialist.
Without getting too lengthy, I too lost some use of my hand. Developed some nasty habits of holding brushes and pencils along the way to conteract the problem. After years of "living with it", the doctor discovered that I had and extra artery in my arm that had compressed the nerve in my elbow. He said I was lucky if 10 percent of the signal was getting through to my hand. A long incision in my arm that looks like a shark bite and 30 stitches later he was able relieve the compression. It has taken a lot of therapy and patience on my part regain at least most of the use of my hand. It may never be as good as it used to be, but it is much better that it was.
Good Luck
-------------------- Gary Winebarger Art & Sign Conover, NC Posts: 88 | From: Conover, NC USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Jon to Jon.... I have been taking Fish Oil every day for a couple months, and now that I think of it, my wrist and hand has been much better lately...
I was also having elbow pain before I started taking it, and that is gone as well.
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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What Curtis said, I use the arm of my chair and a "wrist" mouse pad that has a cushion on it, this way only usually my fingers do the walking. I have a bad wrist/forearm from shattering it many years ago and before i went to this technique it would get plenty sore. I also take Glucosamine/Condroitin. I started that after a vet put my dog on it and it really helped with her legs. Animals don't get a "placebo effect" so I knew it worked.
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hey neil, before you get surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome ask to see a specialist for thoracic outlet syndrome, identical tingling, numbness and sore weak wrists /hands for both, but it originates in the upper spine, i think both are considered repetitive strain injuries, b12 and accupuncture are both said to help
-------------------- Pete Payne Willowlake Design/Canadian Signcrafters Bayfield, ON
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Mouse pad with a gel wrist support. Like a few others, my arm rests on the chair armrest, the bottom of my hand is on the gel pad. Fingers move the mouse so the wrist is supported by my hand... no pressure on the wrist. All my wrist and hand pain went away in a couple weeks when I started using it.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5397 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Lots of great ideas- gel-supports, fish oil & glucosamine, but I found some years ago, my thumb started to lock up (in the pre computer days), and it made holding a can of paint hard, the lock-up was that inflexible.
I sawe a chiropractor about it, thinking maybe it was arthritis, and he put me on this little electric shock zapping thing for half an hour- zapping my thumb. It's been fine ever since, and that was 21 years ago.
His theory was that your body gets lazy, and 'forgets' how to control certain nerves, and you slowly get out of kilter due to that. The zapping with the sports-med shock thingy was in essence, reminding the brain that there were muscles there than needed reactivating, and then doing just that.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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My fingers are ok.... my hips suck. getting old is a beach.glad I played hard when I was young,at least I look younger than I feel.what me worry????
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I may need to get things checked out as well.
I was working on a rush job for a client yesterday. I was using a lettering quill on a routed panel. After about 15 minutes, my hand started to go numb. I was having a really difficult time holding the brush.
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CT Cream.........Gavin turned me on to it..........no sense in me talkin about it. It does what it says it does.....http://cgi.ebay.com/CT-Cream-ACP-Breakthrough-Pain-Relief-FREE-SHIPPING_W0QQitemZ180326282579QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item180326282579&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_t rkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
-------------------- R.T.Thomas,AirDesigns/Sign And Airbrush Studio rtart1@earthlink.net
Hattiesburg,MS 39401 Shop 601-584-1000 Cell 601-310-5901 Proud supporter of LETTERVILLE!
"Ahhhhhh.......Juicy Fruit." Posts: 547 | From: Hattiesburg,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I've got something you ALL will want to use. Check out this website www.prevent-rsi.com. My uncle developed this program which prevents rsi(repetative strain injury) ie: carpel tunnel. Another thing which would likely take your pain away is going to see a Hellerwork practitioner. Look up hellerwork on the internet and you'll see what it's all about. It's a type of structural integration which deals mostly with the facal system in the body. They can do unbelievable things in just one session. Hope you take the time to look into these things.
-------------------- Jon Rudy Just Sign It! Nipawin, Sask. Posts: 8 | From: Nipawin, Sask. | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hey Jon, nice name. I clicked on your link about 100 times until my wrist hurt too bad to do it anymore.... then I figured out the period was killing it. Here you go... www.prevent-rsi.com
I don't know if his program works or not, but I did the sample video, and I have to say it's a cool idea, regardless... and the animation is great.
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Hey Neil, get yourself one of those two-pound sledgehammers.....hold it about shoulder high by the very end of the handle. Now position your right foot under the head of the hammer and drop it. I guarantee the pain in your wrist will be forgotten!!
Seriously, I've had pains in both wrists for years. Not only the sign business, but years of doing body and mechanical work, mostly without power tools. Some days, I come in from the shop in tears. I just don't like the prospect of being cut on, so I grin and bear it. One thing I find helps me is to soak both wrists in a sink full of hot, hot water for awhile.
I used to have pains while playing the guitar also; but then I realized the pain was in my ears. I don't play the guitar.
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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