Touchscreens & touchpads
 

Hi,

New to the forum so hello everyone.

Just wondering if anyone here gets shooting/ tingling sensations from laptop touchpads and smartphone screens. I've personally found some tablets to be the worst (especially ipad), to the point where I can't actually use the device anymore due to the pain. I have to alternate the fingers I use or swap hands most of the time.

I will also get occasional shooting pains through an elbow, toe, knee or some other random places in my body. These are getting more prevalent so I'm thinking there might be a connection with the proliferation of these electromagnetic devices.

Cheers
Jon

Hi Jon

Welcome to NeuroTalk :).

I have mild/moderate PN in my hands (probably a consequence of when I used to abuse alcohol) and have not noticed what you have experienced with touchpad devices.

Best wishes.

Nothing here.

Some of it might be partially posture based due to using smaller devices.
Hunching shoulders, tilting head downward for extended times, locking elbows in to body Those postures can close down the area where a lot of our veins, arteries & nerves travel.

It's hard to set up a tablet or phone be very ergonomic.
But stretches & doing reverse postures at times can help offset the negatives.

You might check for head forward, shoulders forward postures and see if working on that makes a difference for you..

But there is EMFs to consider also.. EMF stands for electromagnetic field.
EMF Health Effects - Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Safety from Safe Space Protection

EMF - Google Search

Thanks for the responses, obviously just me who experiences this.

I think it's definitely related to electromagnetism because I will get tingling in my fingers as soon as I touch the screen/ pad. I can even feel a buzzing sensation through the charging cable if it's plugged in. Also, I usually don't spend much time on computers because I work outdoors so I don't think ergonomics are an issue.

Fairly sure there's no cure anyway so might have to go back to an old style "dumb" phone and a mouse!

I don't get symptoms from devices, but sometimes when I put my hands under the faucet, the first place the water touches receives a sensation like a big electric shock. My hands are pretty much the only place I don't have SFN symptoms otherwise! It's all very strange. I've heard the saying that everyone's lupus is unique, and the same thing seems to apply to SFN.

Just a thought, there are thin knitted winter gloves that have a special fabric on the fingertips so touchscreens can be used with them on. It might be worth a try to see if that protects you from those sensations.

Thanks Dogwalker, I might try some thin knitted gloves.

I've also had shocks off water taps but this turned out to be a faulty earth in the house I was living in. Apparently it can be quite dangerous, even fatalaties have been recorded. A building electric system is often earthed through the old copper plumbing pipes but in dry conditions, or if there's a loose earth connection, then it is possible to receive a shock through the taps. Might be worth checking out!

Perhaos try using a styllus. There are many inexpensive multi packs on certain shopping sites, though if you try a cheap one from a drug store and it works, you may wish to consider buying a more well built and likely more expensive model.

Of course if holding writing implements is bad on your hands this solution is not for you.

I find devices with touch screens ddon't always read my movements, though I am unsure if that is related to neuropathy.

I have this neuropathic pain/ tingle/numbness/ pricking in all my finger tips which makes using touchscreens hard - but not as hard as I find using a stylus. The problem with stylus’s in my experience is that you still have to hold then in your fingertips and the process of typing is slow. So it’s actually even harder and more sorethan putting up with the pricking.

Just my take on things though - a lot depends on our own personal preferences or tolerances. I did use a stylus for a year or so when the pain first started in my fingertips.