14 DAY TRIAL // We use our smartphones a lot, there’s no doubt about it, and the most recent statistics are worrying, to say the least. BankMyCell data shows that the average smartphone user unlocks the device no less than 47 times a day. This means we check the phone more than 17,000 times every year, and 87 percent of us do it within 1 hour before going to bed.
What’s more, each smartphone owner spends on average 2 hours and 51 minutes using their phone, generating 2,617 taps, swipes, and clicks every day.
Given this addiction to mobile phones, it’s really not a surprise that some of us start experiencing discomfort, pain, numbness, or tingling in their hands and fingers.
One of the most common terms to describe the effects of mobile phone overuse is “texting thumb,” which pretty much comes down to the thumb pain that you feel after using a smartphone for a longer period of time.
What’s important to know is that there’s no such diagnosis as “texting thumb,” and people also use the terms gamer’s thumb, Nintendo thumb, or NIntenditus – the Nintendo reference is related to the injury that was experienced by kids playing video games on Nintendo consoles during the 90s.
In essence, the texting thumb is nothing more than an inflammation of the tendon and it occurs after it rubs against the tunnel around it for longer than it should. In other words, the more this happens, the bigger the chances for the thumb pain to be experienced. And given how much we use smartphones these days, it’s probably just a matter of time until everyone notices this discomfort.
While some doctors claim this isn’t necessarily a serious issue, others warn that the texting thumb can even lead to permanent damage that can only be corrected by surgery. A surgery is only recommended in case no other long-term pain relief is found and is essentially a minimally invasive procedure with a full recovery in one month.
As any surgery, it comes with its own risks, but doctors only attempt to provide more room for the inflamed tendons to move around the sheath.
Since surgery is most likely your last option, the easiest way to treat the pain is to rest. That’s right, taking a break from the smartphone is the most effective manner to give the muscles and the tendons a chance to recover, basically preventing the inflammation from developing even further.
Doctors also recommends several other treatments in case pain occurs, and this involve putting ice or cold water on the thumb to treat the inflamed tendon. This is most often a short-term treatment, so if the pain comes back, you’d better spend less time using your phone for the next week or so.
In theory, bigger phones cause muscles and tendons to be more stressed, so if you’re using a device like the iPhone 11 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, there are bigger chances to experience such discomfort without frequent breaks from gaming and texting. On the other hand, while smaller phones don’t get muscles so overworked, longer use can have pretty much the same consequences, so it’s essential to take a rest every once in a while to give your fingers time to recover.
At the end of the day, this is the only thing that you need to remember: the longer you use the phone, the bigger the chances for you to experience the texting thumb, regardless of the size of the phone. Resting is pretty much the best treatment, especially immediately after the pain occurs, but if the symptoms persist, go see a doctor as soon as possible.