Keyboard is hard ... What should I do if typing and mouse operation hurt my wrists and fingers?

What if my wrists and fingers hurt ...?

"I have a pain in my knuckles due to overuse of my computer." "When I use a mouse, I feel a sense of discomfort in my wrist." I think there are many people who have this kind of experience. People who use computers in their daily work tend to overuse their hands, but it seems that some people hurt their finger and wrist joints due to excessive typing and mouse operation. [Image] "Supporter" that I sometimes use when I have a sickness flame "Sometimes my fingers hurt and it's hard to hit the keyboard" "When I type, my joints hurt like a" jammed finger " There are various voices such as "What is the best guideline for going to the hospital?" We asked Tomohiro Terao (Orthopedic Surgery), director of Ochanomizu Cell Clinic, about the pain in his fingers and wrists caused by typing and mouse operation too much.

Possibility of sickness and arthritis

Q. Is it true that typing on a computer or operating the mouse too much may cause discomfort or pain in the fingers or wrists? Mr. Terao: "It's a fact. It's true that typing and mouse operation can cause pain. The most common is arthritis. People who need to use a computer for work can put up with the pain. I think that I often come to the hospital after I continue to use it and my symptoms become stronger. "Arthritis" that causes inflammation of the joint itself and "Nervous pain" that stimulates the nerves that connect from the wrist to the fingertips. In addition, when arthritis occurs, symptoms such as "swelling", "heat feeling", and "pain when touching (tension)" appear in the inflamed "ken" part. The more severe the symptoms, the more pain you will feel even when you are at rest. "Q. It seems that some people who have pain in their finger joints when typing feel" pain like a stab. " But is it different from a finger? Mr. Terao "Jammed finger is a symptom caused by a finger injury caused by applying a large force to the fingertip, and includes various pathological conditions. If you feel" pain like a jammed finger ", you probably have arthritis. The pain caused by typing is not exactly the same as the injured jammed finger because it does not result from an injury, but it is similar in that it causes inflammation and pain. "Q. What should I do if my hands, fingers, or wrists feel uncomfortable due to overuse? Mr. Terao "Basically, you can expect improvement by not overusing the computer and resting the affected area. However, if you overuse it, resting alone may not improve it. If the pain does not go away even with over-the-counter poultices, or if the pain persists for more than a week, we recommend that you go to an orthopedic surgeon. "Q. What kind of treatment do you have when you go to the hospital? Will you do it? Mr. Terao "I prescribe swallows, patches, and ointments to reduce pain and inflammation. If the symptoms are severe, I may fix them with something like a cast, or I may prescribe a supporter. By the way, although it is not a hospital, if you are not good at it, you may want to take a cast or a cast. You can go to the hospital immediately. When it is difficult, icing and fixing (supporters) are effective as first-aid measures that can be taken at home. Over-the-counter ointments may also be effective. "Q. Daily life to prevent pain in hands and fingers due to excessive operation of the computer What is good to be aware of and act when operating a computer or a computer? Mr. Terao: After all, it is important not to overuse the computer, but in reality it is often difficult to reduce the opportunities and time to use the computer. In that case, work while taking breaks as much as possible. It is important to stretch your shoulders and sides of your body (sides of your body), which may reduce the strain on your hands, so it is a good idea to stretch on a daily basis. Also, typing and mouse operation. By putting a cushion under your wrist when you do this, you can reduce the extra burden on your wrist and make it harder for you to get pain. Sometimes you can't get rid of the pain. It's important not to work too hard. "

Otonanser editorial department