[twe0708]

When I have very stressful situations my hands and wrist become sore. Almost like arthritis. I know this is very unhealthy for me and I am trying to control it. Does anyone else have this problem and what is a good way to deal with it?

[tarnalberry]

I'm prone to tendonitis in my wrists, probably originating from the time spent on the computer. If I get stressed out, however, even without spending a lot of time on the computer, my tendonitis can flare up and become quite tender and sore. Many of us have physical locations in the body that we "store" stress. (Really, when we're stressed, we tend to hold certain positions that involve tightening some set of muscles. If we stay stressed, or don't release that tension some way, the muscles reset to that shorter, and tight, length. Not only is that uncomfortable when trying to move, but the tighter muscles can cause pressure and rubbing on other tissues that induces inflammation.) The wrists aren't an uncommon place to tighten, though the shoulders and neck are probably the most common ones. (Of course, tension in the shoulders or neck can affect the nerves in the arm - running down to the wrist - or even the use of the musculature of the arm.)

If you watch your behavior/posture and pay attention to when things hurt the most and the least, do you see a pattern? Do anti-inflammatories help? Does stretching and strengthening help? Does ice help? Does rest help?