If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
RSI - how to treat in the short-term?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I work in an office, 9-5 Mon-Fri, and my job involves a lot of typing and picking up the phone. I also did four hours waitressing last night and gradually today my right wrist has been feeling progressively worse. I was getting some pain about six months ago, but that stopped until now. Presumably, it's just a touch of RSI and I'll be okay with rest, but is there anything else I can do in the meantime? I've got it strapped up with an elastic bandage now which is stopping me using it (so helping me rest it - I'm right-handed) and am about to take a couple of Nurofen (they're anti inflammatories, aren't they?). I have had a look at NHS Direct, which suggests hot and cold packs, but which am I supposed to use - hot OR cold, or both?!
Any suggestions, anyone?
Any suggestions, anyone?
0
Comments
So instead, I went back to my GP and he's referred me to a specialist at a different hospital. The specialist will also do some tests to see if I've got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
All I can suggest is to see your GP about it. Ilora x
Ilora x
I had this a number of years ago, it was the standard DELL mouse that was giving me problems - it was simply too wide for my hands and it was deisgned for both left handed and right handed use which isn't a very good thing - at one point it hurt just to pick up a normal pen.
In the end I bought my own right handed mouse and used that and it improved things a lot.
I'd also suggest you look into changing the keyboard - speak to your employer, mine at the time wouldn't give me a new mouse so I just bought my own and took it with me when I left.
DG, my mouses (mice?!) at home and work are both standard Microsoft right-handed ones. I got a gel wrist support for along the bottom of my keyboard (about this time last year), paid for by my employer (then everyone jumped on the bandwagon, complaining "well my wrist hurts too.. "!!) but I have to admit typing with my wrists that low feels really weird so I don't use it all that much. Will have to start using it now!
Sorry if most of that sounds obvious or if it's already been said.
it's not exactly the same problem, but for inflammation in my joints i get told cold reduces inflammation and swelling, and warm eases pain and stiffness.
use whichever, depending on which of these is troubling you at any one time.
My problem is that I'm typing audio tapes recorded by other people - don't know if there's anything that I could play the tapes into which would then type them out again. To be honest, I can't see my bosses ever paying out for anything like that. It was hard enough work convincing them I really needed the wrist rest! They all thought I was just wittering about having too much work to do, not that the work I was doing was actually hurting me.
Thanks for your advice too, Kaffrin. It's mostly pain I get (haven't noticed any swelling) so I'll try heat on it next time it happens.
You have the right to:
To work in places where all the risks to your health and safety are properly controlled. To stop working and leave the area if you think you are in danger.
To inform your employer about health and safety issues or concerns.
Your employer must tell you:
About risks to your health and safety from current or proposed working practices.
About things or changes that may harm or affect your health and safety.
How to do your job safely.
What is done to protect your health and safety.
Prevention is better than cure. Just putting a heat pack on it the next time it happens will help for the short term but you may be doing irreversible long term damage to your hand.. Talk to your employer.