I'm in college, and therefore spend lots of time on the computer doing research, writing papers, etc. Lately I've noticed that when I stop typing after a couple of hours, there is a tingly feeling from my forearm up into my thumb area. I know that there are wrist braces you can buy to make repetitive motions more comfortable, but I'm not sure how well they work.

Does anyone have experience with them? If so, I'd greatly appreciate you sharing your story. Thanks!

I used them a couple of times, once when I injured my wrist and needed to keep typing (deadlines), and once when I had a similar case to yours. I ended up going to the doctor about it, who said using the wrist supports is not actually a good thing, especially not long term, as while it gives support, it means your wrist cannot move the way it usually does and that, combined with the inactivity of sitting in the wrist brace, will make it weaker. He suggested I get one of those little "wrist excercisers" to strengthen the muscles in my arms and hands, and take regular 5 minute breaks every 40 minutes of computer time- and that definitely helped more.

http://www.painbustersclinic.com.au/pain-areas/carpal-tunnel-neck.htm

Carpal Tunnel Begins in Your Neck, Not in Your Wrist

If Carpal Tunnel Syndrome comes from typing on the computer all day, why didn't people who typed on typewriters get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Because there was no computer screen to draw their heads forward, their chins tilted up, necks strained. Typewriters were placed lower than desks and typists tilted their heads down not forward.

The culprit in Carpal Tunnel pain, the Median nerve, exits the spinal cord from the lower part of your neck, travels through neck muscles under the collar bone to the front of your shoulder bone, then makes its way down your arm, past your elbow to your wrist where it passes through the Carpal Tunnel and into your hand.

(snip)

I strongly suggest you go to that link and read more.

The Median Nerve does not exit the neck. It is not the Median nerve yet. Multiple nerve roots go into the Brachial Plexus and then begin to form Axillary, Median and Radial nerves.

Ref: Greys Anatomy Book.
The Carpal Tunnel is in the wrist. The Median nerve courses through it.
There are conditions that can cause wrist pain and paraesthesias of the median nerve sensory distribution originating in the neck, but it is not Carpal Tunnel syndrome. A carpal Tunnel release will not cure a neck problem.

BTW - the Carpal Tunnel syndrome is caused by edema of the median nerve locked in by the transverse carpal ligament. The nerve has place to swell so pressure developes and one gets the same type of feeling as hitting your funny bone, which is trauma to the Ulna nerve. If you rest the wrist for a few days the swelling will go down and the symptoms will go away until you traumatize the nerve area again with constant pressure on the area. Just like leaning on the bar all night drinking will cause the radial nerve to go down and get a wrist drop.
When typing don't be so lazy. Hold your hands up instead of resting your wrist on the board.
You won't need the computer pad if you hold your wrist up.