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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

clicky click click

27 replies

fuschiagroan · 15/10/2010 20:04

A woman I work with has a really annoying habit of moving her thumb joint so that it clicks. She does it ALL THE TIME, if she is just sitting down, in a meeting or chatting. It is a tiny sound but it completely grates on my nerves. How can she not know it's annoying?? I know there's nothing I can do about it as I can hardly say 'Can you please not click your thumb, it's incredibly annoying', can I?

She is perfectly nice apart from that, but AAARGH. AIBU that it annoys me so much?

OP posts:
DwainRooney · 15/10/2010 20:06

greenie at school used to do that.
uuuurgh

Chil1234 · 15/10/2010 20:07

People have murdered spouses for less justification... :) I think you can say 'Do you have a problem with your thumb? That clicking noise probably needs seeing to'. Sounds caring yet points out the noise at the same time. QED

cory · 15/10/2010 20:10

She probably cannot help it. Ds is like this, he is in so much discomfort he can't stop clicking his joints (besides, they click anyway when he moves). Be thankful you only have to put up with the noise.

cory · 15/10/2010 20:11

Chil, if she has hypermobile joints, they probably can't be seen to. Though I'd be delighted if you could send someone round to see to ds.

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 15/10/2010 20:11
Original poster
fuschiagroan · 15/10/2010 20:14

I have hypermobile joints myself, and they REALLY crack (shoulders and elbows especially). It is actually quite disgusting (but feels very satisfying to me). I try to not be near people when I crack them. The way she does it seems like more of a habit thing.

OP posts:
cory · 15/10/2010 20:15

With ds it is partly a habit thing- but the habit is because it eases the pain and discomfort.

Chil1234 · 15/10/2010 20:15

"Chil, if she has hypermobile joints, they probably can't be seen to"

Maybe her doctor would like to diagnose that rather than you declaring it untreatable?.... just a thought.

UltimateNachos · 15/10/2010 20:16

Ooh I feel your pain! I once had to leave a job as the guy next to me sniffed constantly...drove me nuts!
I second Chil1234's suggestion of the polite "ooh that clicking noise sounds sore...perhaps you should get it seen to..."

If Cory is right about hypermobile joints then I think amputation is the only sensible solution.

cory · 15/10/2010 20:17

Read my posts properly: I did not say that she has hypermobile joints, I said if she does, then that is an untreatable problem. I think any doctor would confirm that. Certainly that is what all the specialists have told us.

cory · 15/10/2010 20:19

Ah, there is a solution, and to think that I never thought of that, Ultimate!

Original poster
fuschiagroan · 15/10/2010 20:20

I have found that pilates helps, actually, cory. Not a cure by a long shot but it strengthens the muscles around the joints, so they can help support it. In the past I have damaged by wrist by changing gear in the car, because my joints will go back so far that it damages tissue. Maybe your DS could try pilates? It's not just for girls!

OP posts:
WhereYouLeftIt · 15/10/2010 20:21

"I can hardly say 'Can you please not click your thumb, it's incredibly annoying', can I?"

Err, why not? How else will she know?

cory · 15/10/2010 20:21

He does have physio and yes, it does help, fuschia. But not to the extent of stopping the clicking or the discomfort.

choufleur · 15/10/2010 20:23

Some of my joints just click when I move. I can't help it.

cory · 15/10/2010 20:24

Why you can amputate can't you, choufleur?

choufleur · 15/10/2010 20:25

It's not just my fingers that do it. Sometimes my neck does. Although amputating my head may solve the problem permanently.

cory · 15/10/2010 20:26

hang on, was Anne Boleyn hypermobile? she does have that long slender, almost Marfan look

Original poster
fuschiagroan · 15/10/2010 20:26

It might actually help a bit if he really tries not to click as much. I have absolutely no scientific evidence for this, but the more I click the more it seems to 'open up' the joints and the more they click (and ache).

You can also make the desire to click (when the joints sort of lock and the only way to release is to click or, in my case, crack) go away if you gently massage it - works on my wrists and elbows.

I would feel a bit mean saying it WhereYouLeftIt! I don't know if it bothers anyone else at work, as I don't want to 'bitch' about it or whatever. Maybe no one else notices.

OP posts:
UltimateNachos · 15/10/2010 20:40

To be serious, my DP does this ALL THE TIME and it drives me nuts. I did try Pavlovian type conditioning (the dog type, not the cakes) to do something equally as annoying whenever he clicked but it made no difference so I gave up. I do seem to become less annoyed by it over time though....
And of course the amputation of all his fingers did help.... Wink

cory · 15/10/2010 20:50

It's gone very quiet upstairs. Though the dripping sound is vaguely annoying.

UltimateNachos · 15/10/2010 20:59

Beginner's mistake cory....... did you remember to put plastic sheets down?

cory · 15/10/2010 21:01

ah bugger! but we did need a new carpet... I mean I do need a new carpet

UltimateNachos · 15/10/2010 21:11

I heard that throwing some white wine on blood stains may help. Or instead, drink the wine and go for the rug/new carpet option.
But hey, clicking problem solved.

OP - sorry for thread hijack. Are you considering the cleaver option for monday morning's click attack?

Original poster
fuschiagroan · 15/10/2010 21:17

I think HR would become involved. I really do think hers is just habit rather than anything else. I am very intolerant of things like this - sniffing and picking of fingernails also riles me

OP posts: