Cheiralgia Paresthetica (Darn-it, My Hands Suck)

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Julia-C

Well-Known Member
#1
I'm not sure if I put this in the right place or not. Mods feel free to move it if need be.

This thread is mostly going to be a means of easing the future explanation of why my typing sucks. I type really slow and have a lot of difficulty keeping up in chat rooms, fast updating forums, and often one on one chat conversations. Some of you might have noticed that I don't join the chat room all that often and when I do I seldom stay long. The
reason why is because I become frustrated. By the time I respond to a chat room comment, 3,4,5, 6 or more comments have already been made and the comment I was responding to has drifted away in to the digital forgotten past. I have the same problem when I debate in political forums and so forth. It seems that the person who decides to engage me in debate are professional typists. Oh I get so mad at my hands sometimes for not working the way I need them to. When I type accurately at 12-15 W.P.M. and somewhat readable at 20 W.P.M., it can be very hard for me to keep up.

Cheiralgia Paresthetica is a uncommon cause of wrist and hand pain that is often associated with numbness. It is also known as Handcuff Neuropathy. It is generally caused by the sensory branch of the radial nerve in the wrist being compressed. One of the most common causes of this compression is wrist restraints. Handcuffs under normal lawful use have a bad reputation for causing a temporary to prolonged neuropathy in the wrists, hands, and fingers. Cheiralgia Paresthetica can also be caused by wrist watches that are too tight or even casts that are used for broken wrists etc.

BEGIN SLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING
When I was a child living with my parents my dad use to do some really vile and sick things to me. Nearly every time it also involved me being tied up in various imaginative by him while he did what he desired to do. His favorite choice of restraints was nylon wire ties, followed by handcuffs, and then leather belts. Although those three were the most common items he used to tie me up, he also used rope, wire, twine, and fishing string.
END SLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING

When the wrists are being restrained for long periods of time not only is there a risk of cutting off blood circulation and causing damage to the wrists, hands, and fingers, but it can also cause nerve damage. The squeezing pressure or pinching affect of handcuffs and many other restraints can cause direct physical damage to nerves.

I have physical damage to the radial nerve in my right and left wrists. I also have nerve damage in my hands and fingers. For the most part I have full use of my hands but I have to really concentrate at times to get them to do what I want them to do. I have nearly zero sensation and useable mobility in my pinky fingers in either hand. My ring fingers have only about 50% sensation and 40% mobility. My index and middle fingers are almost normal. My right thumb is 90% numb but it still works pretty good. My left thumb is 60% numb but I have near full mobility. All of this adds up to uncoordinated typing, writing, and precise motor control.

It took me years to decide to go to a doctor about this problem. I was worried about the questions they would ask. I knew they would want to know what caused it. I knew if I were to tell them the truth, my secret would be out, the cat would be out of the bag, and people would see me as the damaged person I really am. When I finally decided to go to the doctor it was about 10 years after all the damage was done. To make a long story short at this point the damage had already been done and there was very little they could do to help. Other then exploratory surgery to "look and see what is pinching my nerves" there's very little they can do. Of course I know that nothing is currently pinching my nerves. That all ended 20 years ago, but the damage is done. I have seen a physical therapist on several occasions. It has helped with the coordination, but nothing I know of or have researched will help with the numbness.
 

Sadeyes

Staff Alumni
#2
Hi J and so sorry you are going through use...have you thought of using a speech to type program so you do not have to type at all? They are now commercially available and not cost prohibitive..just a suggestion...
 
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Sadeyes

Staff Alumni
#4
My associate's daughter has quadriplegia, and hers was adjusted to her voice as it is very unclear...maybe there is some customization that can be done...also the newer versions of "Talk it Type it" has a broader range of speech recognition
 

Julia-C

Well-Known Member
#5
I am too cheap to spend more money on this. If I couldn't type at all then I would be pursuing voice recognition more then I have. I manage to get by, just a little slow. I just have to take my time and try not to get aggravated with myself.

I am sorry to hear about your associates child. That must be really hard for all of them.
 

Sadeyes

Staff Alumni
#6
Car accident; drunk driver...so tragic when it could have been avoided...just dont drive drunk...simple! Glad you can type enough for your needs...J
 
#7
I'm very sorry about you hands Julia and all of the abuse you went through you deserved so much better from your family :hug: hand injuries certainly suck and yours sounds quite severe i imagine hand writing would be hard as well?

Maybe you could look into a voice recognition system that was more country accent friendly lol :)

It deeply saddens and distrurbs me anyone could tie someone up and abuse them like that let alone their own daughter.

You're a strong person, I'm sending you my best wishes.
 
#8
I'm sorry to read this and understand how frustrating it must be for you at times. But I'm most sorry for the cause of this.

Even on my best days I have to retype things as what my brain says to my fingers doesn't travel down and translate to what my fingers end up typing - words backwards etc. So, don't worry, slow & steady wins the race. :hug:
 

Julia-C

Well-Known Member
#9
I am too cheap for high end voice recognition software. I type well enough to get my point across. I just have to take my time and remind myself that it's okay to mess up often and be slow.
 
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