What does RSI from typing feel like?

The NHS says the symptoms usually start gradually, and that the pain may feel like burning, aching or throbbing ¹. The feeling is not the same for everyone, and the pattern matters more than any single sensation. This page sets out the common patterns and what each can mean. For the full picture, read RSI from typing: symptoms, causes and recovery.

Early pain shows up only while you type

At first, you may notice symptoms only while you are doing the repeated action, according to NI Direct ². That early stage is easy to dismiss. It can look like a sore wrist at the end of a long writing session, or a tight forearm after a day of email. Early symptoms are common among people new to computer work. In one cohort of newly hired computer users, 32 percent of hand or arm symptoms appeared during the first month ³.

Symptoms can spread from the hands into the neck and shoulders

The UK Health and Safety Executive defines upper limb disorders as aches and pains in the shoulders, arms, wrists, hands and fingers, as well as in the neck ⁴. Typing pain that reaches the neck or shoulder falls within that definition, so it belongs to the same family of symptoms.

Tingling in the fingers can signal carpal tunnel syndrome

Numbness and pain from carpal tunnel syndrome are mainly felt in the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers, and they often wake people at night, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ⁵. That pattern comes from pressure on the median nerve at the wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a named condition with its own guide, and it needs its own assessment.

Pain on the thumb side of the wrist is a different pattern. OrthoInfo says the cause of de Quervain's tenosynovitis is not completely understood, but that movements of the wrist and thumb, including typing and texting, can make it worse ⁶. The glossary entry on de Quervain's tenosynovitis explains the term.

Symptoms left alone can become constant

NI Direct says that without treatment, the symptoms of RSI may eventually become constant and cause longer periods of pain ⁷. The word "may" matters. The guide does not say how many people follow that course. It is a reason to act while the pain still comes and goes with activity, rather than after it has settled into every working day.

Nerve symptoms need the most attention. If carpal tunnel syndrome is left untreated for too long, it can lead to permanent dysfunction of the hand, including loss of finger sensation and weakness ⁸.

When the feeling means you should see a doctor

See a doctor if your symptoms continue, if you notice numbness or weakness in the hand, or if pain wakes you at night. NI Direct advises seeing your GP if symptoms continue, despite attempts to change how you work ⁹. Numbness, weakness or pain that does not respond to changes in your work needs a clinician's assessment.

What to do this week

1. Write down the pattern. Note the task, how long into the session the pain starts, and the body part.
2. Change the task when the feeling starts. Stopping the repeated action early is better than pushing through to the end of the day.
3. Book a doctor if the pattern continues. Bring your notes, because they show which task brings the pain on.

For the next questions in this series, read what RSI is called now, how long RSI from typing takes to heal and whether touch typing prevents RSI. If you are deciding whether to stop typing altogether, read should you stop typing with RSI.