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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!akgua!mcnc!unc!howes
From: howes@unc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ("Hacker's Hand")
Message-ID: <7424@unc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Jul-84 13:32:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: unc.7424
Posted: Tue Jul 10 13:32:18 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Jul-84 01:29:07 EDT
Organization: University of North Carolina Comp. Center
Lines: 27

I have recently been diagnosed as having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome,
a compression of the median nerve by the carpal bones in the wrist.
The symptoms are a loss of sensation in the thumb, index and middle
fingers of the hand.  In my case this (fortunately) involves only
the tips, but in extreme cases it can involve the entire thumb side
of the hand, cause considerable pain and lead to loss of motor func-
tion.  Fortunately, the condition is not permanent and I have a nifty
brace to wear on my wrist and hand for the next two months.

This would normally not be of interest save that the doctor informed
me that they had been seeing a great deal of this recently, as it
is an occupational hazard of waiters, truck drivers, typists and...
computer programmers.  All of my bad typing habits (resting my arm or
hand while typing and bending my wrist) have caught up with me!
Further, apparently all of my doctor bills will be paid by workman's
comp.  

Question:  Does anyone know more about this, how it can be avoided or,
in my case, any treatment which might speed healing.  While not
painful (precisely the opposite, in fact) this is definitely cramping
my lifestyle.
-- 


					   Byron Howes
					UNC - Chapel Hill
				  ({decvax,akgua}!mcnc!unc!howes)