For the majority of us, including old adults and young children, smartphones have become a necessity for daily life. These gadgets assist us in studying, playing games, sharing and liking content, sending emails, viewing videos, keeping in touch with loved ones, and a variety of other tasks throughout the day. Many of us even take work meetings from our phones.
Step back and think about the number of times you use your cell phone in a day. Before you even eat breakfast, you’ve probably checked the weather, your emails, and your social media platforms. That’s after you turned off your alarm and checked to make sure you didn’t miss any texts while you were sleeping.
Why Does Your Hand Hurt After Using Your Phone?
The tendons at the wrist that link to the thumb might become inflamed from excessive usage of smartphones, which can hurt the wrist. If you hold the phone with your elbow bent all the time, this might also have an impact on your elbow. Overuse can cause a “trigger finger” or “trigger thumb.” It’s thought that part of the reason this happens, besides overuse, is because of how we hold our phones.
Most hand pain caused by smartphone use doesn’t require medical attention. However, you might want to consult a hand specialist if you consistently experience side effects from using a smartphone, such as numbness, tingling, or stiffness. Repetitive stress injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and arthritis are all potential causes of incapacitating and irreversible conditions.
What Can You Do to Reduce the Pain?
Give yourself a break: It’s critical to give your phone a break. Flexing your wrist, hand tendons, and other muscles backward and forward will keep your muscles loose while you’re taking a break from your smartphone.
Use a cold or hot compress: Use a heated compress to soothe the tendons and muscles surrounding your arm. It facilitates more fluid movement. A cold compress may be more effective for treating acute discomfort that lasts for approximately a week (heat may result in swelling and more throbbing pain).
Rub Your Hands: A massage can relieve muscle spasms and assist in breaking up the ball-like muscles in your hand.
Consider your thumb: To avoid “texting thumb,” alternate between using your other fingers to type on the screen.
If you find yourself using your phone for more than fifteen minutes, change the hand you’re holding it with. Even better, use two hands when you use your phone or go hands-free when you can.
You can also use try a few hand stretches throughout the day to help ease the pain.
Summary
There are a variety of things you can do to reduce the pain in your hand after using your cell phone. But, if those things don’t decrease the pain, or the pain begins to interfere with your day-to-day tasks, make sure to contact your physician.
