I was so crippled up last year from tendonitis I thought I was going to have to change careers (from a computer keyboard or typewriter for 20 years, not from music, sad to say), and it was a terrible time for me.

However, I'm about 80% now, so it can get better. I never had the luxury of stopping my work, and don't know if I'd know how anyway. So I attacked the problem on all fronts. I did ice, and physical therapy and began lifting weights to strenghten all the muscles around the injury. I took Ibuprophen -- large amounts, but unfortunately I didn't take it with meals or milk all the time and it basically ate a hole in my stomach. So now I'm taking Relafen fairly regularly, always with food!

I also get massage every other week and would get acupuncture if there were anyone around here who did it. The ultrasound seemed to help a lot, and massage, particularly on the trigger points in and near the injured area has been almost magical.

And I changed the ergonomics of my desk to use my hands and arms differently. Maybe you can adjust the way you play some and give yourself a break.

And if you CAN take a rest, do your body a favor and lay off for a while. Take this seriously and take care of yourself, because it really can be crippling.

Sorry to hear of your predicament. Hope you'll keep us informed of your progress and any new tricks you might learn. It's something that concerns many of us.

WyoWoman