Pain In My Wrist Every Time I Write/Type

[JannCakes]

Okay... So, I'm still a healthy, 16 year old female who's pretty normal with no major health conditions. I am crazy for writing. I love to write stories, novels, essays - everything. I just love to write. For the past year now I've noticed that writing for a certain amount of time will bring pain (some times severe pain) to my wrist and thumb. Considering I live for writing and typing (how else am I going to write my stories), this gets very bothersome. I've tried wearing wrist braces (it was suggested by a few people) but then I just end up writing while wearing the brace and it gets pretty painful. Some times I could write for hours and not feel the pain but some times the pain gets so bad that my  hand spasms and I drop my pen or have to stop typing and stretch my fingers. My right hand (the one I use to write/draw/type etc.) is also a bit more swollen than usual... Especially around the thumb area. I had a period in time where I always cracked my thumb so now it's always swollen around that area. My veins also tend to pop out more on that hand and in the morning I wake up with cold fingers on that hand only as if I had lost circulation in it... Sometimes I think that maybe the IV I had put into my hand a while ago might have done something to my veins but that's probably not the case...

Considering I love to write, I want to know if this anything to be concerned about or if I should just leave it alone and say it's all in my head... Any help?

[idontknow77777]

what you have is either carpal tunnel or texting thumb it is happening more often for texters or typers you might have to get surgury but not usually unless its really bad i have both of these but i didnt get surgury and when you wear braces dont write with them on you can do other stuff its to help in general(but it wont heal anything). but for the pain and help go to a physical therapist  

[mkh9]

No problem, ask away. Well, I don't think it is a good idea. But i have never heard of an association with craking the wrist and carpal tunnel. If you are double jointed, then there is a higher proportion of people with carpal tunnel and being double jointed.
mkh9

[JannCakes]

I have another little question ^^' Sorry if I'm being bothersome, I just like to be informed... If I crack my wrist (since it's become a habit now to crack my write for I don't know what reason... Sometimes when I write too much I just have to crack it to relieve it...) does that worsen the carpel tunnel or is it just something that people do like cracking their knuckles?

[mkh9]

Hi, well  during surgery they cut the tranverse carpal ligament in half lengthwise to relieve pressure on the median nerve in the wrist at the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is a name for an area in the wrist which has several bones around which the median nerve passes through a canal. When inflammaed the nerve causes pain and numbness especially at night. If you let the condition go you can get permanent nerve damage and permanent numbness and atrophy of the muscles involved. They usually suggest modifying what you do and wear very loose braces at night so you don't curl your hands when you sleep. Also, they may give you a cortisone injection at the wrist . Surgery is about 90% effective but you can get adhesions and also rare cases nerve damage. It takes quite a while to recover as you first have to heal from the surgery (I haven't had it) and then have physical therapy to get your strength back. I would ice the area and cut back on typing., Take 30 mintue breaks every hour or two. Do specific hand stretches and then if your family will allow it get a cortisone injection and see how you do. This will help for a while. They may want to get an MRI or a Xray of the wrist(s) to see if there is something else going on, such as a fracture, or genetic abnormality. I have chronic wrist tendonitis in both wrists and cannot do my job anymore as a microbiologist. It is hard to not be able to do what you want.  Anyway, I hope this helps.
mkh9

[JannCakes]

What exactly happens when they have the surgery?... And what exactly is it that causes carpel tunnel?... I've always been so curious... Also, how long would the recovery period be after the surgery because I'm in my last year of school which ontop of my leisurely writing adds on a lot of writing and it would be torturous if I had to wait a long time to recover D:

[mkh9]

I agree with the two posts above. I worked hard to become a microbiologist and then they worked me so hard doing repetitive pipetting and typing that I have permanent tendonitis/de quervains tenosynovitis. I can't do my jobs any more and don't know what to do with all my experience. Yours sounds like carpal tunnel from too much typing and typing with bad ergonomic technique. You will have to limit yourself for a while get diagnosed. Try to ice it (wrap the ice pack in a light towel) for about 20 minutes at a time a few times a day and that will get the inflammation down. The doctors like to give you a brace but there is no real data that proves they help except after surgery. The doctor may perscribe something for you but since you are so young it may be different treatment. You can't keep doing the same amount in the same way of typing or any repetitive motion. I ignored it and now I am chronic. I hope you take this seriously.
take care,
mkh9

[Tuckamore]

Hi Jann,

I agree with gertrudemm. You are pretty young to have Carpel Tunnel but it is not unheard of... or something similar to this condition.

I had CT also and required surgery. I waited too long and have some permanent nerve damage. Please discuss this with your parents and have your pain evaluated.

Best of Luck,
~Tuck

[gertrudemm]

Hi Jann,

My husband went through almost the exact same thing, he is a construction worker and uses his hands constantly it took 4 doctors to diagnose him with carpal tunnel syndrome. Do your hands go numb? Even a little? If so please help yourself to a doctor visit and DO NOT let them tap on your wrists! Seriously! It will send you through the ceiling! Best of luck if you get diagnosed get the surgery and you should be able to continue to write and type however if it is carpal tunnel and you dismiss it you may end up with more damage and may not be able to continue with what you love. I had a friend who had carpal tunnel surgery when she was 10 years old so you to my knowledge are not too young if that is ever said to you. Best wishes!