Some of you who have corresponded with me lately may have noticed that I have been brief with my responses. You may also have noticed a number of spelling and grammatical errors in recent WUWT blog postings. This is due to the fact that after over five years of blog posting, I have succumbed to a problem that plagues many people who use the computer too often -carpal tunnel syndrome.
During the last week the problem has gotten severe enough to interfere with my ability to use the keyboard and mouse, as I have constant pain in my right hand. So tonight I decided I would try something new.
That “something” turned out to be speech recognition in Windows 7, which until tonight I didn’t know existed. I started looking for a off the shelf program to do the job but in the Google search discovered that it was built into Windows 7. After going through the tutorial on it I am using the speech recognition utility to write this blog posting.
As with any new technology it takes some getting used to. But, I am getting the hang of it with continued practice. So far I’ve only had the correct about six or seven mistakes in the paragraphs preceding this.
Over the next few days I planned to take a little bit of a break in blog posting and I will use that time to get more familiar with the speech recognition software. Hopefully by taking a short break I will be able to improve the situation with my right hand. Of course, I also have to learn how to dictate more effectively as it is something I’m not used to on a regular basis. I will say that that dictating to the computer allows me to write faster than I have been able to for quite some time. Further, it seems the speech recognition software is quite good at picking up the nuances of my voice and inflection which results in an overall increase in typing speed.
For those of you that have Windows 7, you might want to try getting a USB headset with a microphone and practice learning how to use the speech recognition software -it may help you write better comments. One of the most interesting things I learned is that screaming at the headset results than nothing being typed at all – the computer gets confused. So, on the plus side if everyone use speech recognition for writing comments we would probably have less trolls because they tend to shout. 🙂 it even recognized when I said the emoticon in the middle of the last sentence.
In the meantime, those of you that wish to submit stories should use the submit story button on the WUWT menu. Please bear in mind that when submitting a story it should be submitted as if it’s actually going to be posted rather than as a tip or advice. Please use tips and notes in the menu for those sorts of notifications.
As always, thank you for your patience and consideration. -Anthony
I’ve read that Pyridoxine 200mg three times day for a couple of weeks will do wonders for your carpal tunnel problem. Since it’s a water soluble B Vitamin, what your body doesn’t use get’s flushed out right away, so there’s little danger.
If it is that bad, why not consider surgery? My wife has had the surgical correction on both hands. Carpal Tunnel Surgery is highly effective and the recovery time is only a couple of weeks.
Amino Acids in Meteorites says:
June 27, 2012 at 1:11 am
I’ve been using the Logitech trackball of that style for a couple of decades now, and have been computing since the late 80s. No signs of CTS at all.
david.gibson +1
The DVORAK kb is great. I’ve abandoned it now, as the “need” has gone, but loved my experimentations with it. I just used the s/w remapping and memorized the new keys, with help from a taped-up map nearby for reference.
10 yrs + ago my CTS got worse, and as a freelance online editor “rest” was not an option. Ended trying wrist braces (both hands), ergonomic kb (I still prop up the front bottom edge to make them slope down, not up!), wrist pad. Pain had spread all the way up to the left shoulder and was heading up the right arm.
Then on some oddball website I read the assertion that Vitamin B6 was a/the precursor to the lubricating enzyme in the carpal tunnel. Started on 75mg/day, and within days the pain had eased. With a couple of weeks it was barely noticeable. Within 2 months it was gone, and has pretty much remained ‘gone’. If I ever feel twinges, I take it again for a few days.
About kb design: drooping wrists are much easier on the CT than cocked wrists! The “upsloped” kb is the worst possible design.
The best is very rare, almost impossible to find: split vertical. The two kb halves stand on edge, so the wrists don’t have to rotate at all. The problems that “legacy” thinking and design have laid on IT are endless, it seems. 😉
I see now you beat me to it! That’s B6, which I used. But at about 1/8 the dosage you mention, 75 mg once a day. So there’s obviously a wide range of workable doses.