Forget carpal tunnel, the new computer-induced ailment is called "Mouse Rage Syndrome."

I wish I were making this up.

But Information Week is reporting today that Social Issues Research Centre in the United Kingdom identified "Mouse Rage" as a new medical syndrome. Signs include: quickening of the heart, profuse sweating, and furious clicking and bashing of the mouse. In extreme cases, the ailment can be identified by loud screaming at video screens.

According to a study of 2,500 Web users, these symptoms affect all Internet users sooner or later. The study was released Tuesday.

The primary cause of Mouse Rage is "badly designed and hosted Web sites," according to the research center. That includes slow-loading pages, layouts that are difficult to navigate, pesky pop-ups and unnecessary ads, including banners. The most evil, however, is "site unavailability."

"The test results indicate that users want Google-style speed, function, and accuracy from all of the Web sites they visit, and they want it now," according to the SIRC report. "Unfortunately, many Web sites and their servers cannot deliver this."

So, make it your New Year's resolution to design your Web sites better.