What can I do to save you, my "mouse hand"

"Mouse hand" may seem like a minor problem, but if it is not taken seriously, it will become a big problem and affect normal work and life.

Xiao Zhang is a designer who often works day and night to rush design plans. He sits in front of the computer from morning till night, with his hands on the keyboard and mouse. Recently, Xiao Zhang's right wrist, which is used to operate the mouse, has been in severe pain. His thumb, index finger and middle finger on his right hand are also weak, and even brushing teeth and twisting towels are difficult. He was very worried: "Is it possible that I have the legendary 'mouse hand'?" He rushed to the hospital for treatment. After examination, Xiao Zhang did have carpal tunnel syndrome, which is commonly known as "mouse hand" by ordinary people.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common peripheral nerve compression disease. It is caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, resulting in movement disorders and abnormal sensation in the wrist.

People who use computers for a long time are prone to "mouse hand". "Office workers" and "gamers" repeat the actions of typing on the keyboard and moving the mouse every day. The repeated and excessive movement of the wrist joints causes the median nerve to be squeezed, and the parts controlled by it will experience symptoms such as muscle weakness, slow movement, pain, numbness, swelling, and burning. In addition to tendon strain and inflammation caused by excessive use of the wrist, wrist trauma, sprains, cysts, carpal bone hyperplasia, fractures, dislocations, etc., may change the environment inside the carpal tunnel, causing the carpal tunnel to narrow and the median nerve to be compressed.

Two tests can be used for preliminary judgment. Two simple tests can help you make a preliminary judgment on whether you suffer from "mouse hand".

Wrist flexion test (Phalen test): Apply appropriate external force to flex the wrist 90° for 60 seconds. If numbness, pain and other abnormal sensations appear and worsen in the area innervated by the median nerve, i.e. the palm surface of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger near the middle finger, and the middle section and fingertips of the back of the hand, it is positive.

Percussion test (Tinel test): Percuss the middle part of the palm side of the affected wrist. If there is a discharge-like numbness or fornication in the area innervated by the median nerve, it is positive.

Actively treat the disease and don't just endure it. If you suffer from "mouse hand", don't just endure it and be sure to actively treat it.

1. Minimize activity and give your wrists adequate rest. Mild symptoms will generally ease on their own. If rest does not relieve the symptoms, massage the forearms, wrists, and fingers, and apply topical drugs that have the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and relieving inflammation and pain. For more severe symptoms, oral nerve nutrition drugs, painkillers, acupuncture and massage, and physical therapy such as laser, ultrasound, and ultrashort waves can be used.

2. For those with severe pain, local blockade treatment within the carpal tunnel and acupuncture knife treatment can also be selected.

3. If the above conservative treatment is ineffective, symptoms recur, the skin of the thumb turns pale, and the muscles atrophy significantly, surgical treatment is required to loosen the carpal tunnel and relieve the compression of the median nerve.

Maintain correct posture If you cannot avoid long-term use of keyboard and mouse, you can prevent "mouse hand" from the following aspects.

Choose a suitable mouse. You can choose an ergonomic mouse and keyboard. A mouse with a larger arc has a wider contact surface, which helps to disperse the force of your fingers.

Maintain a correct posture. The height of the desk and chair should be appropriate, and you should sit upright with your upper arm hanging naturally, forming an angle of about 100 degrees with your forearm. Try to keep your forearm and the hand on the keyboard or operating the mouse in a straight line. It is best to put a cushion under your wrist for support.

Perform hand exercises: 1. Place the affected wrist in a neutral position, with the palm facing inward and the back of the hand facing outward, make a fist, and hold for 5 seconds; release the fist, put the five fingers together, straighten the fingers, and hold for 5 seconds; continue to bend the palm and fingers toward the back of the hand, and hold for 5 seconds; spread the thumb and keep it in the same plane with the other four fingers, and hold for 5 seconds; press the thumb with the other hand.

2. Stand the palm of the affected side upright and hook the fingertips, that is, flex the interphalangeal joints, and keep the metacarpophalangeal joints still, like a hook punch, hold for 5 seconds; clench the fist, hold for 5 seconds; straighten the fingers and bend the palm toward the palm, that is, keep the interphalangeal joints still, flex the metacarpophalangeal joints, and make the fingers and palm approximately at right angles, like a tabletop, hold for 5 seconds; straighten the distal knuckles, flex the proximal knuckles and metacarpophalangeal joints, like a straight punch, hold for 5 seconds.

3. Apply appropriate external force to make the wrist excessively flexed, that is, the palm is close to the forearm, hold for 5 seconds and then relax. This action is the same as the wrist flexion test done above.

4. Apply appropriate external force to overextend the wrist, that is, bring the back of the hand close to the forearm, hold for 5 seconds and then relax.

5. Stretch your fingers and touch the palm of your hand one at a time while keeping the other fingers as straight as possible.

6. Spread your fingers, with the tip of your thumb touching the tip of your index finger; release your index finger, with the tip of your thumb touching the tip of your middle finger; release your middle finger, with the tip of your thumb touching the tip of your ring finger and the tip of your little finger in turn.

The above movements can be done 5 to 10 times in a set, and 3 to 5 sets per day.

If you don't have time to do finger and wrist exercises, you can also use a simple method - crumple paper to relax your wrists and fingers. Choose a hard paper, crumple it into a small ball, then unfold it, crumple it into a ball again, and repeat this action. It is not limited by time and place, and can be done repeatedly. Printed paper, newspapers, etc. that are readily available are good choices.

"Mouse hand" may seem like a minor disease, but if you don't take it seriously, it will become a big problem, causing irreversible damage to the hand function and affecting normal work and life. Therefore, you must pay more attention to it and take effective measures to actively prevent the occurrence of "mouse hand".