I am nearly 69 and have been playing guitar on and off for around 50 years and banjo and mondola daily for around 15 years. I have suddenly started to get knuckle pain a day or so after playing guitar, banjo or mandola. The pain feels much worse if I try to lift, carry or manipulate things.

I guess this is some sort of arthritis. Is progression inevitable? Will any exercise help? Are their any kind of drugs, exciting or otherwise I can take to relieve the pain?

No banjo jokes please