I've been getting some seriously painful nerve pain in my left hand (I'm right handed) from my wrist to the centre of my hand. I have been using the computer a lot to get assignments finished, though I haven't had problems before. Just wondering if anyone else has had any problems like this???

Carpal tunnel, except wrong hand. Sharp pain on the left side to extremeties could be a lot more serious than computer use. BTW, I'm a lefty and often have to switch the mouse due to a series of alternating pinprick type pain.

Thanks Tracy - Carpal Tunnel had crossed my mind - if it continues I'll get it checked out. I'm interested to know if it could be computer related.

Gel padded mouse mat/keyboard wrist rests are the way forward.

If you ain't got them, get them.

Probably most of us here think nothing of spending 8 hours & upwards sat at our computers, I know I can spend anywhere upto 12-14 hours at a time most days at mine, so ya gotta do what ya can to make yaself as comfortable as possible.

Here is hoping it is nothing serious. (:

Sounds like a repetitive strain injury in the works...I wouldn't waste any time in getting it checked out. The next thing after an injury comes arthritis and loss of movement. Get it checked before it causes more damage;-)

I totally agree with everyone else/ Get it checked out as soon as possible. I have a bad case of a tendon/ligament problem in my left hand and the dos. told me to exercise it. So I wish ya luck. And remember check it out before it gets bad.

Thank-you everyone for your advice and concern - I'll let you know how it goes...

Agree with everyone else, sounds like the start of carpal tunnel syndrome, I've had it in both hands and have operations for it in both hands as well.
An anti-inflamatory should help..."do not" use heat as an application it only makes it worse.
cold compress is best. Check if your using the proper typing position, most likely the problem. And gell pads are great!!!

Hey thank-you for the interest, I HAD used a heat pack (won't again!) I have a cold pack - it's amazing how many people have had some sort of trouble!!! Take care - and thank-you again....:)

Well, it's not exactly as if humans are well-developed for hunching over keyboards and mice all day. You're all aware of evolution, or at least this artist's depiction, right? :-)

Exactly;-)

Hey that's it!!! Xentrik you are absolutely right!!! Probably another 100 years of evolution to adapt!! It will be called 'keyboardalution'....maybe..

LOL! Loved that link, xentrik.

wow, you guys all sound pretty banged up . . . hope it's all okay. the only pain i get in my hands is the skin--it really really hurts when it starts to dry out and peel like crazy, and this especially happens the colder it gets. right when you DON'T want to put lotion on. but it sounds like a minor prob compared to yours. my mom has fibromyalgia and arthritis, inflammation stuff, and heat packs aren't a good idea for inflammation. she uses cold packs. we have about five hundred which is nice when both she & i have migraines at once. keep cold packs handy. they're good for all sorts of things. i've had problems with that area that i'm not sure to call my neck/shoulders/back--you know that in-between area and spreading out to all my neck, shoulders, and upper back--anyway, on and off for about seven yrs or so by now. and lemme tell ya, after last tues. night when i stayed up all night to write a paper after being over desks & pcs all day and then spending wed. the same way, that would've felt really good. only problem was i was too tired to care.but really--cold packs are good for everything. jamming a finger. i did that once. whatever. and they're definitely helpful after having a seizure, you get such nasty headaches--only had three, two were in very early childhood, but the afteraffecting headaches are so bad i'll never forget . . . of course that first time i had a concussion too . . . okay i need to go to bed. i didn't sleep again last night because i couldn't. only sleep i got was in chem class *shame*. but trust me on this. COLD PACKS ARE YOUR FRIENDS.

I just bought a wireless mouse/keyboard set-up and it's been a revelation in that my wrists are no longer under the machine's command.

Do you mean because you can move your keyboard/mouse stuff to where it's comfortable? I'm glad to hear you're doing better, though. That stuff sounds painful. And you can't do much without your hands . . .