Hands go numb, tingle from trackpad

Which fingers are numb? If they're the thumb, index finger, and thumb-half of the middle finger, you are experienceing compression of the median nerve - very likely from carpal tunnel syndrome. You would need to see a hand surgeon or orthopedist for a diagnosis - and a hand surgeon for treatment.

Does tapping on the middle of your wrist (palm side) induce tingling? That's another test for median nerve compression?

If you use a mouse with the MacBook Air does it go away?

The problem reads as though you're holding your arms lower than your hands.

Well, the status right now is that I am trying to figure out if the feeling is due to electricity (or similar) from the trackpad or if it is from bad hand posture. Thanks for all the answers and I will write here again when I think I have a more precise hypothesis.

Danshap has some good advice. I have been a machinist for 10 years and just developed carpal tunnel syndrome. Using my MBA can trigger the same symptoms. The keyboard is a bit smaller, and might by just enough so that you flex your wrist a little more to use the trackpad.

I'm going to go to the apple store sometime this week and figure out if they have heard about this problem or see if I can put in a request to apple to jump in on this. It's getting to the point I can't even use my trackpad without discomfort.

That sounds interesting. My expectation is of course that they will have no clue.

Have you guys had any fairly recent multitouch apple product before this one? I'm thinking that this might be some common thing related to their, otherwise fairly good and unique, multitouch technology.

I''m just lucky right now that my macbook air is not my main computer in any way. I use it on average for about 1 houre each day. I don't think I could have used it full work days.

spoontee: I just want to clarify that it is commulative for me as well.

By the way, can you guys feel any difference depending on how many fingers you use at once? I'm sure that people use the trackpad in different ways. Some probably mostly have one finger on it while others have three a great deal of the time. (the thumb ready to click and then two other fingers to scroll and similar)

same on my left hand..

did you get any help from apple?

i dont think they know this but i also think they are gonna ignore it..

I found this by trying to figure out why my track pad feels so weird especially after touching one of the newer trackpads. they have this cold feeling to them, when they are new, I noticed once that cold to the touch feeling wears off they start to just give off this numbing sensation when i touch it.. even the whole laptop surface gives off this numbing feeling, and the fingers i use to touch the track pad, start to feel iritated, almost like the slow virbation of the computer is causing an electromagnatic allergic reaction or something.. if that even exhists lol. it sure does feel weird I thought about getting my trackpad replaced, if thats possible, I don't really know what the problem is its just something about the trackpad and touching it gives off this weird feeling and using for a few hours makes my finger tips just feel worn off and numb..

a possible solution is i think the trackpad glass is worn out, and perhaps has become difficult to slide on.. I think getting the glass buffed or cleaned really well might fix it, I really don't understand why there is such a different "cool" feeling when touching the new macbook pro trackpad than when using one from 2009..

they both look the same, but the newer one has this cool to the touch feeling even when its been turned on all day.. the old one just feels warm and "vibrating" very very subtle.

my service battery indicator is on, so I wonder if that could fix it.

crap finally figured out why my fingers hurt with a burning sensation. apple's trackpad (desktop and macbook) ntm all smart phones all use glass. which however finished is an uneven surface with micro sharp edges that will microcut the skin and its nerves over and again. The longer you use it, gliding over said glass, the more damaged your fingers get. #covertheglasspronto

There's no glass or electric shocks happening here. I felt something similar to this for a while until I realized that it's really just my finger tips getting sensetive to pressing the pad for 7+ hours a day.

The solution?

Just change your settings so that you only need to tap lightly on the pad to click things. this way you never press hard on the pad.

I've never had an issue with that since.

Try that and see if it helps.

I already adjusted the settings last month after the sensation started.

I'm telling you, whenever I lightly brush-glide my fingertips across the trackpad I still feel the sensation. And it's getting worse.

I'm looking into the trackpad protection.

The trackpad surface is glass, an insulator, and it's impossible for you to sense any voltage. On the other hand (oh, look out for the pun), if you come in contact with the metal case, and the power adapter is plugged into the computer, and the power adapter in connected to an AC outlet that hax not been properly grounded, you can feel a vibrating sensation. Use the 3-prong power cord plugged into a properly-grounded AC outlet, and the sensation will go away.

dodi7biker, I am having the exact same problem and it is super unpleasant, like nails on a chalkboard unpleasant. This may be a problem without a solution that doesn't involve an external keyboard and mouse