“Mouse hand” seems to be a minor problem, but if you do not pay attention to it, it will drag into a big problem, affecting normal work and life.

Zhang is a designer, often day and night to catch up with the design program, from morning to night sitting in front of the computer, hands not away from the keyboard and mouse. Recently, Xiao Zhang operating the mouse of the right wrist pain, the right thumb, index finger and middle finger can not make strength, even brushing teeth, wringing towels are difficult. He was very worried: “I should not have the legendary ‘mouse hand’ it!” He rushed to the hospital. After examination, Xiao Zhang really got carpal tunnel syndrome, is commonly known as “mouse hand”.

“Mouse hand” how to get carpal tunnel syndrome, is a common peripheral nerve compression disease, due to the median nerve in the carpal tunnel pressure and show wrist movement disorder and feeling abnormal.

Long-term use of computers are prone to “mouse hand”. “Office workers” “game party” every day repeated typing on the keyboard and move the mouse action, wrist joints repeatedly, excessive activities, resulting in the median nerve is squeezed, the parts subject to its innervation will appear muscle weakness, slow movement, pain, numbness, The muscles innervated by the median nerve will suffer from weakness, slowed movement, pain, numbness, swelling, burning and other symptoms. In addition to the inflammation of tendon strain caused by overuse of the wrist, wrist trauma, sprain, cyst, carpal tunnel hyperplasia, fracture, dislocation and other causes may change the internal environment of the carpal tunnel, resulting in narrowing of the carpal tunnel and compression of the median nerve.

Two tests can be done to make a preliminary judgment Two simple tests can help you initially determine whether you suffer from “mouse hand”.

Wrist flexion test (Phalen test): Appropriate external force is applied to flex the wrist at 90° for 60 seconds. If the area innervated by the median nerve, i.e. the palm surface of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and the half of the hand near the middle finger, as well as the middle section of the back of the hand and the tip of the finger, abnormal sensations such as numbness, pain and other sensations and aggravation, then it will be positive.

Percussion test (Tinel test): Percussion on the median area of the palm side of the affected wrist. If the area innervated by the median nerve has a discharge-like numbness, pain, or ankylosis, it is positive.

If you suffer from “mouse hand”, don’t take it hard, you must be actively treated.

1. Try to minimize your activities so that your wrist can get enough rest. If the symptoms are mild, they will generally resolve on their own. If the rest can not be relieved, you can rub forearms, wrists, fingers, external use of blood circulation, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs. For more severe symptoms, you can take oral nutritional nerve medication, painkillers, acupuncture and massage, and physical therapy such as laser, ultrasound, and ultrashort wave.
2. For those with severe pain, localized closure therapy within the carpal tunnel and small needle therapy can also be chosen.
3. If the above conservative treatments are not effective, the symptoms recur, the skin of the thumb turns white, and the muscle atrophy is obvious, then surgical treatment is needed to loosen the carpal tunnel and reduce the compression on the median nerve.

Maintain the correct posture if you can not avoid long-term use of the keyboard and mouse, you can from the following aspects to prevent “mouse hand”.

Choose the right mouse. You can choose an ergonomic mouse and keyboard. A mouse with a larger curvature and a wider contact surface will help to spread out the strength of your fingers.

Maintain proper posture. The height of the desk and chair should be appropriate, sitting upright, the upper arm naturally hanging down, and the forearm at an angle of about 100 °. Forearm and placed on the keyboard or operating the mouse hand as far as possible to maintain in a straight line, the best in the wrist under a soft pad for support.

Hand exercise：

1. The affected side of the wrist in a neutral position, i.e., palm inward back of the hand outward, make a fist, hold for 5 seconds; unclench the fist, five fingers together, straighten the fingers, hold for 5 seconds; palm fingers continue to the back of the hand to continue to bend, hold for 5 seconds; unfolding the thumb and keep and the rest of the four fingers in the same plane, hold for 5 seconds; with the other hand to press the hand thumb.
2. The palm of the affected side is erect, hook the fingertips back, i.e., flex the interphalangeal joints, the metacarpophalangeal joints do not move, resembling a hooked fist, hold it for 5 seconds; tighten the fist, hold it for 5 seconds; straighten the fingers, bend the palm toward the center of the palm, i.e., the interphalangeal joints do not move, flex the metacarpophalangeal joints, the fingers and the palm of the hand are at right angles to each other, resembling a desktop, hold it for 5 seconds; straighten the distal phalangeal joint, flex the proximal phalangeal joints and metacarpophalangeal joints, resembling a straight fist, hold it for 5 seconds.
3. Appropriately apply external force to make the wrist excessive palmar flexion, that is, the palm of the hand close to the forearm, hold for 5 seconds and then relax. This action is the same as the wrist flexion test performed earlier.
4. Apply an appropriate external force to hyperextend the wrist, i.e., bring the back of the hand closer to the forearm, hold for 5 seconds and then relax.
5. Stretch out your fingers and touch your palm with one finger at a time while keeping the other fingers as straight as possible.
6. Spread your fingers and touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger; release your index finger and touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your middle finger; release your middle finger and touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your ring finger and little finger.

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

If you don’t have time to do finger and wrist exercises, you can also relax your wrists and fingers by a simple method – rubbing paper balls. Choose paper with a hard texture, roll it into a small ball, then unfold it, then roll it into a ball, and keep repeating this action. There is no time or place limit, and you can do it over and over again. Printed paper and newspaper within easy reach are great choices.

“Mouse hand” seems to be a small disease, but if you don’t pay attention to it, it will drag into a big problem, causing irreversible damage to the hand function, affecting normal work and life. Therefore, usually must pay more attention, take effective measures to actively prevent the occurrence of “mouse hand”.