any ideas on why my wrist/elbow hurts?
just looking for opinions, not "go see a doctor". I don't have insurance and it's not bad enough or frequent enough for me to go into debt over. I'm just looking for things it might be and what I can do to help the pain...
so here's the details. I don't play sports, I do exercise a few times a week but nothing that would hurt my wrist. I'm on the computer a lot during the day and I'm very short so it's hard to me to do things "ergonomically". the pain is sometimes in my wrist and sometimes in my elbow. it's the same type of pain and it usually lasts a week or two and happens once every couple of months for the past year or so. the pain is a throbbing hot pain. when it's my wrist it shoots down from my thumb to my wrist when I bend my thumb but it's still throbbing and hot not sharp like a normal shooting pain. when it's in my elbow it just hurts to move at all and sometimes gets to the point where I cry or have to go to sleep to get away form the pain. ice doesn't help, I haven't tried heat yet.
I don't think it's carpal tunnel because I heard that's more tingly and mine definitely doesn't tingle. any idea on what it might be or what I can do for it?
Update:it hurts when I do the reverse praying thing, but not a shock kind of pain at all. it's still more of a throbbing hot kind of pain.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Arthritis maybe? I have rheumatoid arthritis and that's what happens when i hurt. Try researching it.
I would strongly recommend applying heat to wherever it hurts. Mostly on the joint. ie. your wrist, elbow, finger etc... After my joint heats up i feel so much better. The pain is cut in half and sometimes completely gone... I take a daily vitamin, and glucosamine pill every day to put liquid between my joints.
It is probably computer use--I have had a similar problem. Standard keyboards and mice are actually terrible for you because of the horizontal position they force your wrists into--it is unnatural. Try a more ergonomic keyboard, one with a good curve to it that allows your wrists a more neutral position (the more vertical, the better). I also highly recommend a vertical mouse--I use the Evoluent brand and it has almost completely solved my hand/wrist/shoulder pain. It is super weird to get used to but can be so worth it. It doesn't work for everyone though, so you may have to go through some trial and error.
To see if it is carpal tunnel, do a kind of reverse praying thing. Instead of putting your palms together with your fingers up, curl your hands down, put the backs of your hands together and then push them together. If you get a shock sensation then that is a good indicator of it. If it hurts where you are talking about then i guess that means its that too. A nurse practioner had me do that and I found out I have it when I didn't know it.
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apply heat pack when its hurting