Hi Ebbie, and I'm sure you are going to be ok... I think foolstruope is over-reacting a bit... and it does sound like you've been playing a lot! Great! Playing out is soooooo good for you in soooooo many ways, and I'm sorry that your finger is complaining...

Here's my input... I've been playing guitar for many years, and for many hours a day. Bleeding fingertips, sore and swollen joints, nails broken somewhere back below my knuckles, quirky arthritis, and just plain sore hands... and very fatigued muscles... These come and go, as I'm sure you know... In my experience, cronic pain due to a repeated motion has one best solution, and that is... to find new ways to achieve the same result, by using different movements and techniques. There are many ways to play your chords, and you can experiment with them when you have a little time... giging alot creates a kind of inhibition on your technical inventiveness due to time constrictions on your 'play' time... also, when you have to get through the show, you can justify 'a little more' pain, instead of putting it down and getting a glass of water and relaxing.

Also, water is very important for your 'jock' of a hand... with all of it's dancing around and extreme exercise... need I say nutrition? I find "B" vitamins very helpful, and many people like the Cal-Mag products...

But most of all, finding new ways to finger your chordings will open interesting doors musically, while reducing the repeating stress moments on your incredible hands.

Oh, and another thing... try to 'challenge' your hands in other ways to give them new and different stresses... I know it sounds weird, but it works for me... Our hands need a variety of grasps and movements to stay healthy...

Good Luck, and may you find great music in your soul! ttr