I had carpal in my right wrist along with RSI in both wrists. RSI is what will cause the pain, where carpal tunnel will cause numbness and tingling with loss of grip (carpal can also cause slight burning on top of wrist). The pain at the top of the wrist is mainly from RSI (repetitive stress injury), which comes from doing one particular motor task over and over until the point where it doesn't recover anymore. RSI is USUALLY the cause of pain associated with keyboard and mouse usage according to the hand doctor I went to. If you wrist and forearm are burning, that is likely what it is, so long as there is no numbness and tingling with it. The are two nerves that will cause numbness. The Median nerve being compressed is what causes "carpal tunnel syndrome", which is when the nerve in the carpal tunnel gets crushed down, causing you to lose grip and sensation in your thumb, index, and middle finger, as well as the thick padded area of your palm that is at the base of your thumb. When I had carpal, I was not able to sense hot/cold or pain at my fingertips, and unable to produce enough force to grip a door handle and turn the knob.
For those of your talking about your pinky going numb, that is your ulnar nerve. This goes numb when your elbow is resting on something, since the nerve lies unprotected over the bone, just under your skin. This is why you get the tingling feeling when you hit your "funny bone", because it is very easy to make contact with the nerve. I am no doctor, so I don't know risks of long-term effects of constantly having your pinky go numb, but I know how to keep it from happening. Make sure that if you have arm rests on your chair, that you elbows do no rest on them. This is what is making your pinky go numb.
For those with pains, take breaks and do stretches. If you don't stretch correctly when you run and run on healthy surfaces, you run the risk of developing shin splints and tendinitis. It's the same for your hands and gaming peripherals. Make sure you have good posture and form, and take responsible breaks. I would also recommend wearing wrist splints during the night. I still have to years later. It helps immensely with pain/weakness.
*EDIT* Also, like others say, of course go see a damn doctor if it gets bad enough to where you can't use your hands correctly even after you take time off. We are no doctors here. Also some personal advice, be as 100% honest as possible with your doctor when he asks questions, and don't try to convince yourself you have carpal by telling him you have symptoms which you may not have. Tell the doctor exactly where the pain is, and be honest about any burning/numbness sensations. Your health is important, so take it seriously. You only get one pair of hands.
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