Hand pain when typing limited

[SpAmRaY]

So does anyone else experience hand pain if you stop typing for a few days?

For example on my recent vacation I was keyboardless for about 9 days and had some major hand pains but they seem to have dissipated now that I'm back to typing on my mechanical again.

I realize this sounds odd but at the moment can't think of better wording.

[adder]

It happens to me too over holidays. I have RSI for some years now though. In my case, it was my doctor that pointed out to me the lack of typing as the source of my pain. Of course, after some days, it finally goes away, but the the holidays are over and the vicious circle starts again!   

[Elrick]

For example on my recent vacation I was keyboardless for about 9 days and had some major hand pains but they seem to have dissipated now that I'm back to typing on my mechanical again.

Explain the pain, was it numbness, pins and needles in a finger or a few?  Hand soreness due to arthritis perhaps (have no idea how old you are, so don't get offended with this question)?

Weather has an effect here as well, too cold and cramping up occurs easily, hence the heat is your best friend.  Muscles and joints require some limber exercise's as you get older to help adjust them with any repetitive tasks required over a long period of time. (I have to do this every evening or early in the morning before my shift starts).

Also don't forget any medications that can cause that type of pain due to major side effects from beta-blockers, some anti-migraine medicines, decongestants and even excessive amounts of caffeine can cause that problem (happened to me). If you like to use amphetamines and cocaine that can cause that type of pain (don't get angry for me mentioning this because I have no idea what you are taking on the side).

If it is RSI then you're stuck with that acute pain for some time to come.  Don't forget to take some Vitamin B6 from chicken, beef, wheat germ, fish, peas, spinach and eggs that will keep your tendons lubricated and hopefully avoid that major pain.  I always loved fish and english spinach and so far the fingers and forearms have healed themselves over time, as long as I change the routine on how I use my fingers/hands.

[yakitysax]

Also don't forget any medications that can cause that type of pain due to major side effects from beta-blockers, some anti-migraine medicines, decongestants and even excessive amounts of caffeine can cause that problem (happened to me). If you like to use amphetamines and cocaine that can cause that type of pain (don't get angry for me mentioning this because I have no idea what you are taking on the side).

If it is RSI then you're stuck with that acute pain for some time to come.  Don't forget to take some Vitamin B6 from chicken, beef, wheat germ, fish, peas, spinach and eggs that will keep your tendons lubricated and hopefully avoid that major pain.  I always loved fish and english spinach and so far the fingers and forearms have healed themselves over time, as long as I change the routine on how I use my fingers/hands.

Do you have a peer reviewed source on B6 helping? Whenever I was researching that I never found anything that was both peer reviewed and conclusive on it helping RSI/CTS. I did find info that Omega-3 (when obtained via food ideally) helping though. RSI is a ***** to recover from, especially if your work requires heavy keyboard usage.

[Elrick]

Do you have a peer reviewed source on B6 helping? Whenever I was researching that I never found anything that was both peer reviewed and conclusive on it helping RSI/CTS. I did find info that Omega-3 (when obtained via food ideally) helping though. RSI is a ***** to recover from, especially if your work requires heavy keyboard usage.

RSI is basically the actions that are repeated constantly, hence for keyboard users you guys are stuffed with the pain unless you stop typing and leave it for some time or alter your actions to do something else while the ligaments relax.

I've only been taking B6 in a dietary form because I don't believe in taking special tablets to get that required amount.  I tend to manipulate heavy objects in cramp spaces hence my fingers and hand would cramp up after a while.  When I started eating lots of barramundi, salmon and fresh sardines together with spinach, eggs and wheat germ the intense pain eased away and eventually stopped.  If you're waiting for a specific drug to inject or take then you'll be waiting in line for years for that to occur.

Diet is perhaps the last resort because what else could you do?  If I had waited for my Doctor to tell me what I need to do to relieve this pain I would perhaps chop off my own arm to stop the misery.  In the end all you could do is experiment with diet/food and find that special niche in which that pain starts to ease and/or disappear quickly when you have to work.  Don't ignore other ways less traditional than relying on so-called "peer-groups" to signify a specific end to this type of pain - because no one has done that yet.

[yakitysax]

Do you have a peer reviewed source on B6 helping? Whenever I was researching that I never found anything that was both peer reviewed and conclusive on it helping RSI/CTS. I did find info that Omega-3 (when obtained via food ideally) helping though. RSI is a ***** to recover from, especially if your work requires heavy keyboard usage.

RSI is basically the actions that are repeated constantly, hence for keyboard users you guys are stuffed with the pain unless you stop typing and leave it for some time or alter your actions to do something else while the ligaments relax.

I've only been taking B6 in a dietary form because I don't believe in taking special tablets to get that required amount.  I tend to manipulate heavy objects in cramp spaces hence my fingers and hand would cramp up after a while.  When I started eating lots of barramundi, salmon and fresh sardines together with spinach, eggs and wheat germ the intense pain eased away and eventually stopped.  If you're waiting for a specific drug to inject or take then you'll be waiting in line for years for that to occur.

Diet is perhaps the last resort because what else could you do?  If I had waited for my Doctor to tell me what I need to do to relieve this pain I would perhaps chop off my own arm to stop the misery.  In the end all you could do is experiment with diet/food and find that special niche in which that pain starts to ease and/or disappear quickly when you have to work.  Don't ignore other ways less traditional than relying on so-called "peer-groups" to signify a specific end to this type of pain - because no one has done that yet.

What I did was 1) avoid all unnecessary hand use 2) stretches every day 3) frequent, timed breaks while working 4) iced my hands 5) NSAID and after about 4 months recovered mostly, and after about a year I think my hands are better and more durable than they ever have been, plus I am dominant at thumb war now. I basically went with the carpet bomb approach to recovery.

[Grim Fandango]

I have never experienced such a thing. But maybe, and this is just a guess, it is not about just the typing, but also about exercising your hands. Perhaps without specifically typing, there are other things you can do to prevent this sort of pain.

[SpAmRaY]

For example on my recent vacation I was keyboardless for about 9 days and had some major hand pains but they seem to have dissipated now that I'm back to typing on my mechanical again.

Explain the pain, was it numbness, pins and needles in a finger or a few?  Hand soreness due to arthritis perhaps (have no idea how old you are, so don't get offended with this question)?

I would describe the pain as an ache and also cramping shooting pain through my fingers with stiffness.

It could be arthritis I suppose.

[yakitysax]

I have never experienced such a thing. But maybe, and this is just a guess, it is not about just the typing, but also about exercising your hands. Perhaps without specifically typing, there are other things you can do to prevent this sort of pain.

To me it felt similar to plantar fasciitis except with my hands, the treatments and avoidance were similar (ice, stretching, rest).