Cold Mouse Hand DEFINED

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Mouse Hand Warmer, Cold Mouse Hand
Cold Computer Hands – Cold Mouse Hand, Cold Keyboard Hands
Mouse Hand WarmerDesigner Mouse House – The perfect mouse hand environment for cold hands.

  • Cold Hand Medical Conditions
  • Computer Mouse User Environments
  • Costs & Payoffs: A Proactive Approach to Hand Injury

It's not fun to be cold. Cold is not a pleasant feeling especially when it's a cold mouse hand. When we have to work at the computer with a cold mouse hand, it makes for a very uncomfortable experience. Seems as though the only relief to the cold mouse hand situation is to stop working –which isn't always a possible option. So, we created a fix.

The Mouse Hand Warmer uses no electricity or has cords to get tangled on your desk. It's a cozy, fleece blanket to keep your mouse hand covered while you work. Actually, it's like crawling under the covers on a chilly night. It's a perfect environment to relieve a cold mouse hand.

We've tried to find specific medical information about a cold mouse hand without much luck. We even asked Oprah Winfrey's Doctor Oz through Oprah.com. Maybe the lack of information about the cold mouse hand problem is due to lack of research about the specific mousing problem. When specific information is found, we will include it on this page.

Below is information about the cold; chronic cold hands, medical conditions with cold hand symptoms, typical cold mouse hand environments, and the costs and payoffs pertaining to addressing your cold hand condition.

Cold Hand Medical Conditions
There are certain medical conditions which may result in a person experiencing chronic hand pain or cold associated with one or both hands, i.e. cold mouse hand. The information found below was found on the Internet through a variety of medical-related online resources. Please consult a medical doctor for more detailed information. Never rely solely on medical information found on the Internet.

There's no known medical term to identify chronic cold mouse hand, but there are a number of known conditions with chronic cold hand symptoms. If your mouse hand gets cold from being exposed and held in the same position using a computer mouse, you may want to consider using the Mouse Hand Warmer products to create a warm mousing environment. The Mouse Hand Warmer covers your cold mouse hand with a cozy, fleece blanket. The infrared heated USB warming mouse and warming mouse pad provide healing, soothing heat to cold mouse hand pain. When all three Mouse Hand Warmer products are used together, the ultimate, healing mouse house hand environment is created. Read more about the healing effects of infrared heat here.

Here's a list of causes of Cold Hands listed in alphabetical order from WrongDiagnosis.com. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms. For a detailed explanation of each condition listed below, visit WrongDiagnosis.com.

  1. Abdominal Aneurysm – cold hands and feet
  2. Buerger's disease – poor hand circulation
  3. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – cold hands
  4. Circulatory disorders – Poor circulation
  5. Cockayne syndrome – cool hands
  6. Cold weather
  7. Hip cancer – cold hands and feet<
  8. Marine turtle poisoning – cold hands and feet Marine turtle poisoning – Green Sea Turtle – cold hands and feet Marine turtle poisoning – Hawksbill Turtle – cold hands and feet Marine turtle poisoning – Leatherback Turtle – cold hands and feet Marine turtle poisoning – Loggerhead Turtle – cold hands and feet Marine turtle poisoning – Soft-shelled Turtle – cold hands and feet
  9. Meningococcal disease – Cold hands and feet
  10. Naked brimcap poisoning – cold hands
  11. Raynaud's phenomenon – see also "causes of Raynaud's phenomenon"

Knuckle coldness & Finger numbness: The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Knuckle coldness. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms. This information is from WrongDiagnosis.com. For a more indepth coverage of each topic listed below, visit WrongDiagnosis.com:

  • Environment
  • Peripheral Vascular disease
  • Neurological disease
  • Diabetes
  • Alcohol related neuropathy
  • Hypothermia
  • Knuckle injury
  • Finger injury or Hand injury

Buerger's disease: Poor hand circulation. Defined by the Mayo Clinic. Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans) is a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs. In Buerger's disease, your blood vessels swell and can become blocked with blood clots (thrombi). This eventually damages or destroys skin tissues and may lead to infection and gangrene. Buerger's disease usually first shows in the hands and feet and may expand to affect larger areas of your arms and legs. Buerger's disease is rare in the United States, but is more common in the Middle East and Far East. Buerger's disease usually affects men between ages 20 and 40, though it's becoming more common in women. Virtually everyone diagnosed with Buerger's disease smokes cigarettes or uses other forms of tobacco, such as chewing tobacco. Quitting all forms of tobacco is the only way to stop Buerger's disease. For those who don't quit, amputation of all or part of a limb may ultimately be necessary.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: From NINDS National Institute of Nuerological Disorders and Stroke. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers (although not the little finger), as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move. The carpal tunnel – a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand – houses the median nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed. The result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm. Although painful sensations may indicate other conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies in which the body's peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized.

Symptoms usually start gradually, with frequent burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers. Some carpal tunnel sufferers say their fingers feel useless and swollen, even though little or no swelling is apparent. The symptoms often first appear in one or both hands during the night, since many people sleep with flexed wrists. A person with carpal tunnel syndrome may wake up feeling the need to "shake out" the hand or wrist. As symptoms worsen, people might feel tingling during the day. Decreased grip strength may make it difficult to form a fist, grasp small objects, or perform other manual tasks. In chronic and/or untreated cases, the muscles at the base of the thumb may waste away. Some people are unable to tell between hot and cold by touch.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself. Most likely the disorder is due to a congenital predisposition – the carpal tunnel is simply smaller in some people than in others. Other contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that cause swelling, such as sprain or fracture; overactivity of the pituitary gland; hypothyroidism; rheumatoid arthritis; mechanical problems in the wrist joint; work stress; repeated use of vibrating hand tools; fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause; or the development of a cyst or tumor in the canal. In some cases no cause can be identified.

There is little clinical data to prove whether repetitive and forceful movements of the hand and wrist during work or leisure activities can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Repeated motions performed in the course of normal work or other daily activities can result in repetitive motion disorders such as bursitis and tendonitis. Writer's cramp – a condition in which a lack of fine motor skill coordination and ache and pressure in the fingers, wrist, or forearm is brought on by repetitive activity – is not a symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men. The dominant hand is usually affected first and produces the most severe pain. Persons with diabetes or other metabolic disorders that directly affect the body's nerves and make them more susceptible to compression are also at high risk. Carpal tunnel syndrome usually occurs only in adults.

The risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome is not confined to people in a single industry or job, but is especially common in those performing assembly line work – manufacturing, sewing, finishing, cleaning, and meat, poultry, or fish packing. In fact, carpal tunnel syndrome is three times more common among assemblers than among data-entry personnel. A 2001 study by the Mayo Clinic found heavy computer use (up to 7 hours a day) did not increase a person's risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

During 1998, an estimated three of every 10,000 workers lost time from work because of carpal tunnel syndrome. Half of these workers missed more than 10 days of work. The average lifetime cost of carpal tunnel syndrome, including medical bills and lost time from work, is estimated to be about $30,000 for each injured worker.

Arthritis: Arthritis is a disease that causes pain and loss of movement of the joints. The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation (arth=joint, ritis=inflammation), and refers to more than 100 different diseases. Arthritis affects the movements you rely on for everyday activities. Arthritis is usually chronic. This means that it can last on and off for a lifetime. There are over 100 kinds of arthritis that can affect many different areas of the body. In addition to the joints, some forms of arthritis are associated with diseases of other tissues and organs in the body. People of all ages, including children and young adults, can develop arthritis. Inflammation is a reaction of the body that causes swelling, redness, pain, and loss of motion in an affected area. It is the major physical problem in the most serious forms of arthritis. Normally, inflammation is the way the body responds to an injury or to the presence of disease agents, such as viruses or bacteria. During this reaction, many cells of the body's defense system (called the immune system) rush to the injured area to wipe out the cause of the problem, clean up damaged cells and repair tissues that have been hurt. Once the "battle" is won, the inflammation normally goes away and the area becomes healthy again.

In many forms of arthritis, the inflammation does not go away as it should. Instead, it becomes part of the problem, damaging healthy tissues of the body. This may result in more inflammation and more damage – a continuing cycle. The damage that occurs can change the bones and other tissues of the joints, sometimes affecting their shape and making movement hard and painful. Diseases in which the immune system malfunctions and attacks healthy parts of the body are called autoimmune diseases. This information is from HealthScouts.com.

Raynaud's phenomenon: Raynaud's phenomenon is a disorder that affects the blood vessels in the fingers, toes, ears, and nose. This disorder is characterized by episodic attacks, called vasospastic attacks, that cause the blood vessels in the digits (fingers and toes) to constrict (narrow). Although estimates vary, recent surveys show that Raynaud's phenomenon may affect 5 to 10 percent of the general population in the United States. Women are more likely than men to have the disorder. Raynaud's phenomenon appears to be more common in people who live in colder climates. However, people with the disorder who live in milder climates may have more attacks during periods of colder weather. What Happens During an Attack? For most people, an attack is usually triggered by exposure to cold or emotional stress. In general, attacks affect the fingers or toes but may affect the nose, lips, or ear lobes.

Reduced Blood Supply to the Extremities: When a person is exposed to cold, the body's normal response is to slow the loss of heat and preserve its core temperature. To maintain this temperature, the blood vessels that control blood flow to the skin surface move blood from arteries near the surface to veins deeper in the body. For people who have Raynaud's phenomenon, this normal body response is intensified by the sudden spasmodic contractions of the small blood vessels (arterioles) that supply blood to the fingers and toes. The arteries of the fingers and toes may also collapse. As a result, the blood supply to the extremities is greatly decreased, causing a reaction that includes skin discoloration and other changes.

Changes in Skin Color and Sensation: Once the attack begins, a person may experience three phases of skin color changes (white, blue, and red) in the fingers or toes. The order of the changes of color is not the same for all people, and not everyone has all three colors. Pallor (whiteness) may occur in response to spasm of the arterioles and the resulting collapse of the digital arteries. Cyanosis (blueness) may appear because the fingers or toes are not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. The fingers or toes may also feel cold and numb. Finally, as the arterioles dilate (relax) and blood returns to the digits, rubor (redness) may occur. As the attack ends, throbbing and tingling may occur in the fingers and toes. An attack can last from less than a minute to several hours. For more information, please visit HealthLink.mcw.edu.

de Quervain's tenosynovitis syndrome: de Quervain's tenosynovitis is a condition that causes pain on the inside of the wrist and forearm just above the thumb. It is a common problem affecting the wrist and is usually easy to diagnose. de Quervain's tenosynovitis affects two thumb tendons. These tendons are called the abductor pollicis longus (APL) and the extensor pollicis brevis (EPB). Tendons connect muscle to bone. Muscles pull on tendons for movement. The muscles connected to the APL and EPB tendons are on the back of the forearm. The muscles angle toward the thumb.

Repeatedly performing hand and thumb motions such as grasping, pinching, squeezing, or wringing may lead to the inflammation of tenosynovitis. This inflammation can lead to swelling, which hampers the smooth gliding action of the tendons within the tunnel. Arthritic diseases that affect the whole body, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also cause tenosynovitis in the thumb. In other cases, scar tissue from an injury can make it difficult for the tendons to slide easily through the tunnel.
At first, the only sign of trouble may be soreness on the thumb side of the forearm, near the wrist. If the problem isn't treated, pain may spread up the forearm or further down into the wrist and thumb.

As the friction increases, the two tendons may actually begin to squeak as they move through the constricted tunnel. This noise is called crepitus. If the condition is especially bad, there may be swelling along the tunnel near the edge of the wrist. Grasping objects with the thumb and hand may become increasingly painful. This information, and more details about de Quervain's tenosynovitis can be found at HandUniversity.com.

Tendonitis: As defined by About.com, a tendon is a tough yet flexible band of fibrous tissue. The tendon is the structure in your body that connects your muscles to the bones. The skeletal muscles in your body are responsible for moving your bones, thus enabling you to walk, jump, lift, and move in many ways. When a muscle contracts it pulls on a bone to cause movements. The structure that transmits the force of the muscle contraction to the bone is called a tendon. Tendons come in many shapes and sizes. Some are very small, like the ones that cause movements of your fingers, and some are much larger, such as your Achilles tendon in your heel. When functioning normally, these tendons glide easily and smoothly as the muscle contracts.

Sometimes the tendons become inflamed for a variety of reasons, and the action of pulling the muscle becomes irritating. If the normal smooth gliding motion of your tendon is impaired, the tendon will become inflamed and movement will become painful. This is called tendonitis, and literally means inflammation of the tendon. The most common cause of tendonitis is overuse. Commonly, individuals begin an exercise program, or increase their level of exercise, and begin to experience symptoms of tendonitis. The tendon is unaccustomed to the new level of demand, and this overuse will cause an inflammation and tendonitis.

Another common cause of symptoms of tendonitis is due to age-related changes of the tendon. As people age, the tendons loose their elasticity and ability to glide as smoothly as they used to. With increasing age, individuals are more prone to developing symptoms of tendonitis. The cause of these age-related changes is not entirely understood, but may be due to changes in the blood vessels that supply nutrition to the tendons. Sometimes, there is an anatomical cause for tendonitis. If the tendon does not have a smooth path to glide along, it will be more likely to become irritated and inflamed. In these unusual situations, surgical treatment may be necessary to realign the tendon.

Diabetes. Diabetes has many complications affecting the body. Poor circulation is one of the most dangerous consequences of diabetes. If the blood sugar (glucose) is not controlled, it can lead to a number of complications: Eye problems, Heart disease, Stroke, Kidney failure, Nerve damage, Loss of limbs, Tooth and gum problems. Diabetes injures the blood vessels that serve a number of key body organs. This can go on to damage your vision, your heart, your kidneys. It can delay or prevent tissues from healing. If wounds do not heal, it can lead to amputation. Blood vessel injury can lead to: Heart attacks and heart failure, Stroke, Loss of vision, even blindness, Poor kidney function, even kidney failure, Poor wound healing, including minor injuries, Poor circulation. Amputation, usually of toes, feet or lower legs, can result from poor circulation and poor wound healing. Poor circulation to the hands, arms, feet and legs prevent nutrients and oxygen from reaching the cells to help heal wounds and infections. Cells without oxygen or nutrients die. The affected area becomes numb or tingly or sometimes painful. Sometimes the poor, slow circulation causes blockage in a blood vessel. Blood that cannot flow through an artery can become a clot which can cause a heart attack, stroke or other blockage. With poor circulation comes infections. A cut or wound will not heal well or quickly if there is high blood sugar The germs feed off the sugar and multiply. The damaged blood vessels are not able to transport enough infection-fighting cells, natural antibodies, antibiotic medicine or nutrition to the wound to heal well. This information was taken from the Native American Cancer Foundation. For more information visit Diabetes.org.

Fibromyalgia. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, Fibromyalgia (pronounced fy-bro-my-AL-ja) is a common and complex chronic pain disorder that affects people physically, mentally and socially. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome rather than a disease. Unlike a disease, which is a medical condition with a specific cause or causes and recognizable signs and symptoms, a syndrome is a collection of signs, symptoms, and medical problems that tend to occur together but are not related to a specific, identifiable cause. Fibromyalgia, which has also been referred to as fibromyalgia syndrome, fibromyositis and fibrositis, is characterized by chronic widespread pain, multiple tender points, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbances, fatigue and often psychological distress. For those with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities. Whether you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or suffer from its symptoms, or have a family member or friend with the disorder, this section is designed to provide you with a better understanding of this chronic pain disorder that affects millions of people worldwide.

Chronic widespread body pain is the primary symptom of fibromyalgia. Most people with fibromyalgia also experience moderate to extreme fatigue, sleep disturbances, sensitivity to touch, light, and sound, and cognitive difficulties. Many individuals also experience a number of other symptoms and overlapping conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, lupus and arthritis. The pain of fibromyalgia is profound, chronic and widespread. It can migrate to all parts of the body and vary in intensity. FM pain has been described as stabbing and shooting pain and deep muscular aching, throbbing, and twitching. Neurological complaints such as numbness, tingling, and burning are often present and add to the discomfort of the patient. The severity of the pain and stiffness is often worse in the morning. Aggravating factors that affect pain include cold/humid weather, non-restorative sleep, physical and mental fatigue, excessive physical activity, physical inactivity, anxiety and stress.

Computer Mouse, Mouse Hand Warmer, User Environments
Computers and the use of technology for communication is widespread, and the number of computer mouse user environments have increased over the past few years. Think about how many people use a computer mouse. There are people on the move, people in remote locations, people in a variety of warehouse settings, schools, field jobs, military, at home and too many to list here.

The most common computer mouse user environments are in the work place and at home.

The Work Place: In today's transient society, the work place environment takes on a whole new meaning. People use computers and a computer mouse in a variety of settings. Think about the person who operates a computer from his/her make-shift desk top inside a trailer, car or van. There's the delivery person, service person, sales person, and the list goes on. A tactile hand/finger connection is required to use a computer mouse effectively. It's difficult to "mouse" wearing a glove. And, not everyone likes using the keypad mouse, even when using a laptop computer.

In the work environment, there's little opportunity to stop working if your mouse hand gets cold.

In today's energy conscious environment, fuel used to heat the work place will be kept to the minimum. Everyone is trying to conserve the use of electricity and fuel for warmth. Here's a list of common work environments and jobs where computers are used to perform tasks and temperatures may require the use of a mouse hand warmer:

  • School Rooms
  • Rental Car Front Desks
  • Warehouse Offices
  • Shipping Areas
  • Hospital Registration Areas
  • Construction Sites
  • Trailer Offices
  • Libraries
  • Museums
  • Churches
  • Retail Stores
  • Grocery Stores
  • Open Markets
  • Meeting Halls
  • Department Stores
  • Restaraunts
  • Police Stations
  • Fire Stations
  • Gas Stations
  • Service Centers
  • Information Desks
  • Reception Desks
  • Customer Service Counters
  • Call Centers
  • Computer Artists
  • Graphic Designers
  • Ecommerce Businesses
  • Photographers
  • Outdoor Stations
  • Airline Reservation Desks
  • Car Dealerships
  • Broadcasting, Radio & TV Production Studios

At Home: A person has more control over the warmth of the home office than the work place. And, in today's energy-efficient world, we are looking for ways to cut fuel costs. Heating and insulating the home has never been more important. Energy-crisis conditions are not going to fade or go away in the near future. As consumers of energy, we need to all become more conscientious of the role we play in conservation of energy to keep fuel costs down. We know the cost of fuel used at home is increasing each year.

According to an article printed in 2007 from USA Today: "The average U.S. household will pay $992 in heating costs this winter, up $94, or 10.5%, from last winter, says the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association (NEADA), a group of state energy aid officials."

We don't have the current estimated fuel heating costs for this winter, but we know the costs have increased. Here's a list of common home work areas and jobs where computers are used to perform tasks and temperatures may require the use of a mouse hand warmer:

  • Air Conditioned Rooms
  • Drafty Rooms
  • Window Areas
  • Ceiling Fan Areas
  • Large Open Rooms
  • Patio Office
  • Garage Office
  • Library
  • Consultants
  • Artists
  • Designers
  • Photographers

Costs & Payoffs
Every choice we have and decision we make come with costs and payoffs. Be prepared to handle the consequences of your actions by the decisions you make. Join our conversation by adding your thoughts about addressing the cold mouse hand condition.

What is the cost of not addressing your cold mouse hand problem? The chances of a cold mouse hand going away are minimal if you've been suffering with this ailment for any length of time. After the onset of experiencing a cold mousing hand when using a computer mouse, there's high chance whenever the temperatures drop, your mouse hand will become cold again. Computer mice users report the mousing hand gets cold and the cold hand pain begins within a few minutes of using the computer mouse in a chilly environment.

There are a number of severe ergonomic computer user medical conditions, and the chances of developing severe medical conditions from not keeping your mouse hand warm are unknown. We do know taking action to relieve the cold hand reduces the pain associated with the cold mouse hand condition. So, there's no reason why a person should spend time with a cold mouse hand when it's easy to create an energy-efficient, insulated, warm mouse hand environment.

Read the medical definitions listed above and some of the medical conditions where a cold hand is common. If you find your cold hand may be the cause of a medical condition, seek the advice of a doctor.

What is the payoff of using a Mouse Hand Warmer? If you have cold hands when using the computer, there are products available to help relieve the cold hand pain. The ValueRays® Infrared Heat, USB Hand Warmers are a healthy addition to the computer work area. Infrared heat delivers deep healing warmth through the skin's layers to the muscle tissue. When using a ValueRays® USB Hand Warmer in combination with the fleece Mouse Hand Warmer blanket a perfect mouse hand environment is created. The Mouse Hand Warmer is a fleece blanket to keep your mouse hand covered while you work using a computer mouse. The blanket keeps your hand covered and protected from chills, drafts and reduces the pain experieced by the cold. There's no scientific proof warmth prevents illness. We just know cuddling under the covers in chilly temperatures feels good, and isn't that our goal?

There are two styles of the Mouse Hand Warmer blanket pouch. The non-USB Mouse Hand Warmer uses no electricity or wires. It is made of fleece blanket material which is designed to insulate heat generated from your body. It has a non slip surface and is large enough to accomodate just about any size mousepad or mouse. You can even use the Mouse Hand Warmer without the use of a mouse pad. The USB Mouse Hand Warmer is like a mini-electric blanket. There's a patented carbon heating element sewn between the layers of fleece to produce a therapeutic infrared heating Mouse Hand Warmer. For more details about these items, please refer to their individual product pages.

The payoff of using a Mouse Hand Warmer is creating a warm mouse hand environment anywhere you want with or without the use of electricity. The payoff of using the Mouse Hand Warmer is lower heating bills, no cords to get tangled on your desk, no worry about breakage, it's reliable, consistant, and dependable. The Mouse Hand Warmer is hand washable and dryable. It's earth-friendly and the world's newest computer accessory and geeky gadget.

Think like a Geek! Share this novel invention with your family members and friends. The Mouse Hand Warmer is available online at many of your favorite shopping locations: Warm-Mouse-Heated-Keyboard, Etsy, eBay, Amazon and through the manufacturer at www.heatedmouse.com.