PlayStation palmar hidradenitis

Currently reading:
PlayStation palmar hidradenitis

Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Messages
48,609
Points
10,657
Location
Edinburgh
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7907489.stm?lss

A new skin disorder caused by use of games consoles has been identified by skin specialists.

The condition, dubbed PlayStation palmar hidradenitis, is described in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Researchers outline the case of a 12-year-old girl who attended a Swiss hospital with intensely painful sores on the palms of her hands.

The girl, who had been using a games console regularly, recovered fully after 10 days of abstinence.
If you're worried about soreness on your hands when playing a games console, it might be sensible to give your hands a break from time to time
Nina Goad
British Association of Dermatologists


Doctors who examined her at the Geneva University Hospital concluded she had a condition known as 'idiopathic eccrine hidradenitis', a skin disorder that generally causes red, sore lumps on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

The condition has been previously found on the soles of the feet in children taking part in heavy physical activity, such as jogging.

It it is thought to be linked to intense sweating.

Unusual symptoms

For the disorder to only affect the hands is very unusual.

The patient had not participated in any sport or physical exercise recently, and could not recall any recent trauma involving her hands.

However, her parents did say that she had recently started to play a video game on a PlayStation console for several hours a day, and had continued to play even after developing the sores.

The doctors suspect that the problem was caused by tight and continuous grasping of the console's hand-grips, and repeated pushing of the buttons, alongside sweating caused by the tension of the game.

The researchers said cases of addiction to using games consoles had been recorded, but the symptoms had initially been thought to be psychological.

However, some physical symptoms, such as acute tendonitis, dubbed Wiitis, had begun to emerge.

They said 'PlayStation palmar hidradenitis' could now be added to the list.

Nina Goad, of the British Association of Dermatologists said: "This is an interesting discovery and one that the researchers are keen to share with other dermatologists, should they be confronted with similar, unexplained symptoms in a patient.

"If you're worried about soreness on your hands when playing a games console, it might be sensible to give your hands a break from time to time, and don't play excessively if your hands are prone to sweating."
 
Ahhhh ok, i was wondering what the hell was causing my exma(sp) on my fingertips, only happend in the last year since i got my XBOX 360. I get the same as the above apart from the feet. its as if the outer layer of skin dies then flakes away leaving the red sore new skin underneath, plus it all goes scaley and scabby for a while! I hope i dont have to provide fingerprints any time soon as i dont have any!:eek:
 
one of my ps3 controllers actually hurts my hands if i'm on it for any length of time, yet my other one doesn't. which is weird. i bought a silicon cover for it off ebay (50p or so delivered:eek:) and it's fine now luckily but it was a bit odd.

i suppose this is a problem brought about by games getting more complex and longer, and things like online play means games are extended much further! repititive strain injury(?) has always been a problem (i think) on games consoles at least since NES and Master system etc. it's all about things in moderation, knowing when to stop tbh.
 
before i used to work i was on computer games at least 13 hours a day :eek: and i never got any blisters on my hands.. even today when i play my ps3 or xbox 360 skin seems to be fine.. the only thing that does happen is my fingers will go dead after a while... :D
 
Back
Top