Finger Pain in the Left Hand

Subject: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 06:05 PM

The last few months I've developed pain in the ring finger of my left hand, my chording hand. I've been playing 15 to 20 hours a week, and sometimes the tunes are fast and sometimes we do medleys, so the hand gets lots of use.

Although there's not much of an arch, I've noticed I can't completely straighten that finger. The pad at the base of the finger is also tender deep inside.

At this point I'm exercising that hand and stretching the fingers before I start to play. After I play for awhile I'm rarely aware of pain- but the next day it hurts quite a bit. Tonight I'll be playing for a four-hour dance- I don't doubt that I'll get through it but I think it's possible that the next few days will be iffy.

Has anyone else had this kind of problem? I'm going south for a couple of months and although I'll make some music then, there won't be nearly the amount that I have here - will the finger get better with rest?

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 06:34 PM

STOP!!!!

You keep at it and you WILL have permanent damage, and may be unable to play at all - personally, I'd recommend you skip the gig, as you are on the way to permanently crippling yourself.

Tendonitus - look it up. Also called "over use injury", Playstation thumb, PC keyboard hand, etc, etc, etc.

The pre playing exercising and stretching are ALSO aggraving a serious problem - it won't heal if you keep using it! Pretty much total rest will assist - see a doctor - some anti-inflammtory stuff MAY help - IF you stop damaging it... It may take years to stop the pain.


Robin
Who had the syndrome caused by handwriting at work years ago.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 07:01 PM

50+ ...arthritis is very common.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 07:21 PM

Yikes, Robin. You could be right. I'll do some serious studying.

pdq, it could be arthritis, I agree. However, doctors so far have told me that they have found no signs of arthritis in me, including when I had an MRI done on a damaged knee (turned out to be the meniscus).

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 07:33 PM

Ebbie, sorry to hear you're having aches and pains. Dr. Alaska Mike says to take two asprins, drink plenty of fluids and learn to sing acapella for awhile until the pain is gone. Take a break so you don't have to quit altogether. Hope you feel better soon.

Mike

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 07:44 PM

Sound like Trigger Finger? When I was a kid, I knew another kid who had the problem and wound up having to have the surgery. (Worked fine for her.)

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 07:49 PM

Oh, and if it were me, I try resting it before opting for cortisone. If there's a nodule or irritation, it may be at the point you feel the pain, and it may be something you're doing a lot of (like maybe the finger/hand hits the edge of the fretboard there) that's causing it.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 07:50 PM

Ebbie,

Sympathy and aspirin are well meaning but you need REST. OK?

Asparin IS an anti-inflammatory, but I meant SERIOUS anti-inflammtories, From the description of your problem, it is not a trivial matter.

Personal Experience Mate!

Your "The pad at the base of the finger" - sounds like bruising from overuse - that is not tendonitius - but you could have an internal blood blister -----> blood clots ------> serious inability to use that finger for ages. this is IN ADDITION to the comments about tendonitius.

Arthritus? Well if there is, then the overuse syndrome has swamped it for the moment...

Give up music - well the guitar at least, sing, play harmonica, the fool, take up bar tending one handed, anything :-) but give that hand some REST - and don't talk to Mrs Palmer on that side of the street either for a while - I said REST!   ;-)

SERIOUSLY, seek competent medical opinion... even if you have to pay for it - the doctor may well tell you to lay off for 3-6 months....

Robin

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 08:16 PM

Well, danged, as a certain Catter might say. You've convinced me that it ain't a good idea for me to plan to play for the dance tonight. The band already knows I'm having a problem so it won't be too much of a shock for them- they'll just shift players around- the main mandolin player will play guitar, second mando will do breaks, second guitar player will resort to chord charts... But darn, guys.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 08:25 PM

A short break from playing MUST be better than HAVING to stop permanently. Good luck with it.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 08:28 PM

Ebbie,

Stuffing up the bands plan for tonight is better than amputation...

think on that for a while....

and I would also advise - from personal experience and from the gory "OOOPS!" slides they showed us when I did my Aust Sports Medicine Federation Sports Trainer Certificate - to try almost anything before cortisone... it can have some really nasty side effects (fortunately not so common) unless monitored medically properly - I wasn't totally joking about amputation... cortisone should be a last resort, there are other prescription anti-inflammatories.

Don't overdo Asprin (or paracemetol) - you can kill your kidneys (or yourself)...

Keep Well, or at least in the circumstances, as well as you can.

By REST, I also mean you could put that forearm in a sling for a while - it would help you to remember to not use it so much - might even help you with the groupie chicks after the gig too... :-)

Robin

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 09:05 PM

Oh, gads, not the chicks! That's not for me. ("Not that there's anything wrong with it.")

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 09:08 PM

A lot of folks here are giving you cautious well meant advice, and all I want to do is add to that -even though it counters what's been said. Bear in mind that everyone is different, and everyone's body reacts differently.
A number of years ago, I was playing guitar an awful lot. I had it in my mind that since guitar playing was my job, I'd put in 8 hrs. of guitar playing each day, mon. to fri. After a couple of weeks or so, I started to notice that my fretting fingers were swelling up like sausages, and becoming tender and sore. Stubbornly, I figured that I'd just play thru the pain. Surprisingly, after a couple of weeks, the swelling decreased, and the pain subsided, and I continued to play on thru. I WILL admit that it was hell for a while, and that I had to make sure that I didn't keep doing the same things over and over for too long. I also found that Krazygluing my fingernails down to my fingertips helped. (I was doing a lot of bending)
I guess what I'm trying to say here, is that some pain is to be expected -especially if you're playing a lot, but try to be 'smart' about things. Try different exercises if you find yourself 'seizing up' after a while, and take the time to think about what you are doing.
Oh yeah: I also found that soaking my hands in very hot water, and then switching to very cold water helped. I'm no doctor, but it worked for me.
Good Luck!

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 09:29 PM

Thanks, GUEST. Someone else suggested the alternating hot/cold treatment to me. I'm going to try it.

I hope your experience turns out to be mine. I could be wrong, of course, but at this point my finger doesn't seem overwhelmingly bad. I'm going to lay off on the playing for a few days and see if there is noticeable improvement. Thank goodness I can still sing! Being in the presence of music is the important thing.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 09:43 PM

While the anonymous GUEST may well be sincere, remember...

"Pain is Nature's way of telling you to slow down."

You ain't getting enough oxygen in the tissues or there is too much lactic acid, and the tissues are dying...

If you get pain in your chest while running a marathon and try to "run thru the pain", you may well have a heart attack and die...

And only a fool would glue their fingernails on if the body was in such a state of disrepair that the fingernails were falling out...

You have pushed too hard for too long, Ebbie... face the music... :-)

The warm soak may help, some Epson Salts (Magnesion Suplhate) in the water will help - also look in the supermart for some sort of "Radox" bath/spa salts or similar product.

The warm/cold cycling bath thing works on the idea that the warmth allows the tisues to expand, then the cold allows them to contract, thus pumping oxygen in, and some 'toxins' i.e. waste products like lactic acid out.

You CAN do 8, 10, 12 or whatever hours a day of the same repetitive muscular activity without damage, ONLY IF you have gradually worked up to it - only a fool tries to eneter a marathon without having built up to it, why would you want to risk your future earning capacity?

I have no respect for people who post such dubious "advice" counter to formal knowledge anonymously, sorry.... as the anonymous GUEST who posted in a thread about internet scams that he/she was making $5000 a day from those African frauds was told in no uncertain terms by me....

One thing we were warned about in the ASMF ST course was the "massage out the bruise" stupidity some trainers/coaches stll adhere to. Legs, for example, have muscles that are encased in a membrane. A bruise may fill the membrance sac with fluid, causing great pain, and immobility due to pressure of fluid caused by internal bleeding. Strong massage may break this membrane, allowing the fluid to leak out. This may appear to fix the problem, but if the muscles are bruised, then they are bleeding internally. If the idiot coach then administers Aspirin either with the rubbing fluid or it is taken internally, then the bleeding is not stopped but promoted..... shall I stop now?

But, it's your life mate....

Say, I got this nice white powder - real cheap - that will take away all the pain... no it's not addictive, trust me...

Robin

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: jimmyt
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 09:53 PM

Ebbie, my best friend is a hand surgeon, and was recently telling me about the diagnostic methods to diagnose trigger finger. First, if you open your hand and look at the palm, palpate the area proximal (toward your palm) to the joint. this should be on your flexer side (palm side) if the tenderness is there and feels almost like a pea a small knot in your finger it is most likely trigger finger.

This is probably one of the best diagnoses you can have in that it is very correctable, but it will require a small surgery to release the tendon that is putting a bind on your tendon. I had a similar surgery on my thumb a few years ago and it was 100 percent successful with very little time to heal. Good luck If you want any additional info pm me

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 10:12 PM

Jimmyt, it doesn't seem to be trigger finger- I've seen that on other people and my experience is very different. I have control over the finger- except I can't quite straighten it out and I can't quite close it in a fist. The tenderness on the palm extends to about 1 1/4th inch away from the finger. The joint closest to the hand is somewhat swollen.

I've been trying to establish whether the ring finger has the most work to do when playing. It kind of appears that way. It extends, goes on a diagonal, curls into a 'spider' stance (thanks for that image, Amos!)in a lot of different chords; does any other finger do all that?

Foolstroupe, I'm not ignoring what you're saying or taking it lightly- but it is Saturday night and I'm sitting at home. Rather dismayed, in fact. A friend is going to stop by the dance and tell the band that I don't particularly like playing for dances and I'm sitting at home with a drink.... Both true- but irrelevant:)

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,smokeyjoe
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 10:39 PM

First off, sorry I didn't have a name to my post. I deletet a few cookies a while back, and I posted without realizing that my 'handle' was not included. Secondly, I said what I said out of personal experience. Isn't that what these threads are for? I'm not gonna say that you shouldn't do something just because you ASSUME it's bad for you. Intuition, and common sense are wonderful things, but they both are subject to personal experience. I just say to proceed with caution, and try to figure out what works for you.
FOOLSTROUPE: I don't know what the hell you are talking about with your "$5000. scam" statement. Furthermore, gluing the ends of my fingernails (no, they weren't falling off -just pulling away from the ends of my fingers enough to cause a bit of discomfort)worked wonderfully. I was quite proud that I solved a problem so simply and effectively

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 11:59 PM

Ebbie, I'd strongly recommend that you do what I did - marry a chiropractor. Barring that, the Good Doctor (my wife) says that stretching is good for it, but that you really should see somebody. You may need work going up to your shoulder to relieve the cause of the pain. She can't say more without seeing you.
She does suggest that you spend some time stretching the finger between sets, and ice it afterwards. Self-massage on the hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder should also help. She can't tell if playing an instrument would do you more damage - she'd have to see to tell.
Good luck.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 12:32 AM

Ebbie, if it is Tendonitis, it MAY come right again with rest. My shoulder is almost right, 3 years on, but it is a gradual process.
I was offered the Cortisone treatment, but when I inquired how it works, it is an injection RIGHT INTO the tendon sheath, and it works by STOPPING HEALING. That is what I understood, I'm not a doctor.
The hell with it, I changed jobs.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 12:55 AM

Thanks, guys. I've never taken a finger to a chiropractor before, Joe! Made me smile.

At this point, I've begged off on playing the dance tonight and at tomorrow afternoon's music I'll just sing. What the hey, I like to listen too. Monday noon's music- well, we're working on harmonies- don't need two instruments for that. Tuesday night's music- that's harder: fiddle, flute, 2 guitars. Ah, well, we need only one guitar. Wednesday noon I'll probably have to cancel- several mando players come up the hill to me and I just back them up on the guitar. Wednesday night, I can just listen, maybe sing some. No music Thursday, no problem (Oh, oh, this Thursday is different. Oh well, I'll just listen.)   Friday night's music here- I'll have to put my guitar in the case, no doubt, or I'll be playing. Hard to resist. Oh, darn- it's my birthday- and I can't play? Maybe by that time, my finger will be feeling pretty good...

This too shall pass! Truthfully, if I had to stop playing rhythm guitar I'd take up a dobro. The music is the thing, not the instrument.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 01:18 AM

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

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,KT
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 02:40 AM

Ebbie.....15 to 20 hours of playing per week is a LOT!! Time to give it a rest. If you can't stay away from that guitar give it to a friend for safe keeping for a week or two. You'd be surprised how much good a few days off will do ....It's really a shame you had to miss the dance though.......KT

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 03:02 AM

Fall harvest/planting is wrapping up....you will have the winter to rest. Avoid sugar and refined starches.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,Frankham
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 11:33 AM

Ebbie,

Two things. One is diet. This affects the tendons. Eat foods that don't promote excess calcium.

Second, don't fret hard. Keep your hand relaxed. Check the action on your guitar so that the strings are not inordinately high.

Frank

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 11:44 AM

It IS something you're going to have to figure out for yourself, possibly with the help of a qualified medical practitioner.

It DOES sound like some form of tendonitis, and rest can help. Complete immobilization may hurt more than help. Anti-inflammatories may help, and the over-the-counter ones can be quite effective.

Inflammation is part of the healing process, but if you don't give whatever it is a chance to heal, the inflammation just gets worse. Cortisone reduces/stops the inflammation, so that may be what Gurney's talking about. (It may go farther than that, but I don't believe so.) I had a cortisone injections once, for my shoulder. It worked, and I've had very infrequent and minor pain since - mostly when I do things I know I shouldn't.

GUEST,smokeyjoe, that "swelling up like sausages" thing would scare the crap out of me. If it was some form of arthritis, "playing through" might have helped...dunno. Over-use problems rarely get better unless you stop the over-use. They will if the body can possibly compensate. (Callouses being an example of how the body compensates for a minor type of "over-use".) Tendons don't get better unless you quit beating up on them.

Thomas the Rhymer has some good advice, IMO.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 07:38 PM

I'll apologise to smokeyjoe, now that his cookie is back, but with some reservations...

Glad what you did worked for you. As a qualified trained person, I say the idea of "breaking thru" pain is not given much credence, other than VERY MINOR aspects thus: building up the human body DOES require a LITTLE pain - you regularly go to the point where the body is at its limit, then back off.

Weight lifting, for example, only makes the muscles stronger BECAUSE you have done sufficient stress to cause slight damage at the micro level, so the body heals stronger. Keeping it up too long with out rest periods causes "overtraining" which is detrimental - but I think we're getting a bit beyond the scope of this discussion.

Also: you were very lucky that human skin sheds, and the glue thus eventually let go, as well as the fact that nails grow fairly slowly, other wise you would have had even more serious problems, which I won't go into here....

The 'scam' thing was in another BS thread, don't remember details of which one now, didn't expect it was you that posted.

~~~~~~~~

If I did overreact, I only wanted to make Ebbie stop and think with out the "macho push ahead at all costs" idea. It seems to have worked. :-)

Cortisone "works" by shutting things down when the body is in crisis, _sometimes_ necrosis (tissue death) can occur - Gurney's response was very sensible...

Thomas the Rhymer's (and similar) suggestions are very good.

You break the cyle of damage due to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) by either stopping, or modifying the muscle/tendon/joint action, especially after some rest, to start/promote healing.

Looking at the instrument (checking the height of the action, etc), and looking at things such as playing the chords in different fingerings, etc, are VERY GOOD suggestions.

The diet ideas are good too. Vitamin C, E and some others (see someone with more precise knowledge than me!) help healing, and can help the body resist the further effects of RSI, once you have healed.

Relax and hang in there - sorry about putting a damper on you celebrating your birthday, but a little care taken now will stop a lot of pain later - maybe just a few minutes playing MIGHT not do you any great harm, but if you don't want to stop playing when you have a few drinks, then hiding the guitar might be the best solution for now... :-)

If people thought I was suggesting COMPLETE immobolity, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that - for God's sake don't do anything really stupid like putting it in plaster - that will only make things worse by giving you rigid scar tissue that even surgery is unlikely to assist.

You DO need "gentle movement within the limits of pain" - some gentle stretching "within the limits of pain" will limit the formation of scar tissue. But I can't help you on here, - you need "hands on" contact with someone who really knows what is going on - a Chiro may be able to help.

Just don't carried away to extremes...

Now you just need some TIME to allow healing...

Don't get too depressed, that doesn't help either...

My best warmest positive thoughts are with you.

Robin

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 08:04 PM

Thanks, Robin. I plan to not play at all until further developments. At the moment I'm using aspirin and gentle stretching. My grandmother had an injury-caused rigid finger that I found fascinating when I was a child but it isn't something I want for myself!

Incidentally, I'm a woman- so the chicks and the macho approach isn't much of a temptation for me.:)

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 08:11 PM

Intuition and common sense work well if based on reality, but can be very dangerous guides if based on fantasy.

Your whole arm MAY be partly at fault - the fingers/hand/arm is a complex mechanism - the mucles that move the fingers do so by means of long tendons well away from the point of movement - it is a good idea to see someone competent. Another guitarist, especially one who has suffered similar problems may be able to look at you and see something that will help you.

Posture is something to think about - many musicians develop problems which can be alleviated by a good consultant Physiotherapist.

An Australian Singer around the early 1900's developed a method which is much in vogue for dancers and singers and musos involving postural concepts - my dysnomia won't remember the name at the moment... some Physios are now incorporating that knowledge.

The body is a complex mechanism that causes engineer types some distress - so many parts of the body depend on others - robots isolate the movement of each part - which is why frozen shoulders (I have had both go on me) can be started by a muscular spasm in the back, and they won't go away or heal till the key muscle that started it is dealt with. That one muscle goes into spasm, and the muscles near it try to take the load, until the whole shoulder locks up and you pass out when it is bumped...

Also I note that there is a currently active thread by a harpist on Ulnar Nerve Compression for those with a scholarly interest.

Noted your comments there, Ebbie. So you seem to be on the right path...

Robin

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Mr Red
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:56 AM

If it is the same tendon problems you get with tennis lbow I was told by an England Badminton coach (no point in messing with amatuers) to play through and on pestering him got info on a tennis elbow brace (they are everywhere now). The brace was the best solution. Can't see it being any use on hands (the tendons' ends may be away from the pain)

If you though it was joints I would suggest Neatsfoot Oil. It is a paliative not a miracle cure but it does it for me. & I dance every Saturday I can - though I gave up Badminto when the hip started hurting for the rest of the week.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: mooman
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 10:29 AM

Dear Ebbie,

This is fairly common with a lot of playing and may be also be related to the position your hand is in whilst playing, there is a complex system of levers and ropes involved in this simple-sounding exercise.

My guess is that, with some rest and stretching and with attention to diet, this will pass fairly quickly by itself. I had a similar problem with the wrist of my picking and strumming hand a few years ago when I was doing several 4 - 5 hour gigs a week. I did not take anti-inflammatories which I tend to not like but did change my style and posture and also took a number of acupressure treatments which did work in my case.

I would consult a doctor, especially if the symptoms persist after a rest and change in playing habit, as it could be tendonitis or arthritis.

The pain below the callous is pretty common. I still occasionally get it after a heavy session of playing, even though I've been playing a wide range of fretted intruments for 40+ tears. Again, easing off for a while should help this.

Peace and best regards,

moo

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 11:16 AM

....It came to me in a dream.... playing twentyfour seven... never feeling pain or hunger... ;^)

Actually, Ebbie... the single best solution not including positioning, nutrition, variety, water, and awareness... is.... get the 'action' on your guitar nice and low, and use a lighter set of strings. Sorry to have been distracted from this most obvious point... It's the first thing I do when I get a new guitar, and then I forget about it. Makes all the difference in the world! cheers, ttr

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 12:42 PM

As an alternative to paracetamol, you could try ibruprofen - it combines both anti-inflamatory and pain-killing properties. I have found that it particularly useful when I have had a physical pain that has interferred with sleep. Obviously you should keep within the recommended dose and only use it when really neccessary.

I once fell off a ladder and damaged a kneecap, but there was a five hour waiting list when I got to the local Accident & Emergency dept and I didn't fancy sitting in uncomfortable conditions for that long so I asked my partner to drive me home again. I took ibruprofen, went to bed and slept reasonably well, woke up early and was driven back to the A&E to be seen immediately. The doctor told me that I'd probably done the best thing.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,Sharon G
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 01:44 PM

Having experienced a couple of bouts of repetitive stress injury that reduced or prevented me from playing music for extended periods of time, my advice is-

Don't ignore it!   Seek a professional's opinion, one who deals with computer related rsi's or similar. Generally, if there is an actual injury (tendon, nerve etc) it will not improve without rest and some additional treatment. Don't just take the opinions of other musicians, do a lot of research on your own and get treatment.

This is a very good place to start:
http://eeshop.unl.edu/music.html

Sharon

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 05:09 PM

As a friendly, light hearted warning.... :-)

'No, Really, I'm Sure I'll Be Fine!'

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Folkie
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:58 AM

I had severe pain in my hands 20 years ago caused by too much typing (my job). My doctor was most unsympathetic and suggested I was imagining the pain! A cellist friend suggested I tried taking a zinc supplement. It worked and I've never had any further trouble. I still take zinc.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Bearheart
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:26 PM

I've addressed similar stuff in the thread on ulnar nerve stuff-- massage and so on can be very beneficial, but go to a professional, and one who has been recommended to you by someone who has experienced similar problems and gotten relief. (Healers of any variety are not created equal, unfortunately.) Acupuncture has helped me with a wide variety of ailments. The most important thing is having a clear diagnosis-- it's worth consulting several practitioners. Having pain ina finger or even a region of the body can be due to a lot of things. Overuse is only one cause. And it doesn't necessarily originate where we feel it.

My incipient arthritis reversed itself when I changed my diet. For me wheat, dairy and coffee definitely make it worse. I was having horrible pain in my elbow for about six months which was totally gone in two weeks after dropping those things from my diet. It comes back when I consume those things. (I do not think that the same thing works for everyone, but 40% of all Northern Europeans are gluten intolerant--wheat intolerant-- according to my uncle's doctor. Makes sense when you realize it's a Middle Eastern food that only became popular and accessible in Europe in the last few hundred years. Some of us just don't have the right equipment for digesting it.)

Lots of nutritional supplements can be helpful too-- but again, what helps one person is not always what helps another. It's worth experimenting with different things to see what helps. Good sources for info are two books titled "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" and "Prescription for Herbal Healing" by an MD and his nutritionist wife. Fairly complete, they include info on each supplement/herb in part 1 and recommendations for treatment of specific health problems in part 2, including not only supplements and herbs but up to date info on causes and other aspects of treatment (heat/cold, food allergies, environmental aspects of illness, etc.)

Do hope you figure this out-- how awful to suffer for doing something you love.

Bekki

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 05:01 PM

Thanks, guys. I have every hope that it will come right- if it doesn't occur passively, I'll pursue healing aggressively.

Bearheart, it could be worse, much worse. A great deal of the passion and pleasure in making music is auditory. So even if I can't make music myself for awhile, I can still enjoy it tremendously. Now, if one's hearing left... shudder

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 05:35 PM

Ebbie, Mozart managed...

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 06:56 PM

NO. He didn't "manage". He made it for others to hear, Foolstroupe; he didn't hear it himself.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 08:45 PM

Are you refering to Beethoven, rather than Mozart?... I'm not aware of Mozart losing his hearing... Though Mozart may have lost his marbles, while believing himself to be poisoned... He evenually died of Typhus... Don't you just love his music though? ttr

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: DonMeixner
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 12:05 AM

Ebbie,

I've experienced finger pain in the left hand before and I sympathize. Best advice from me is do the dishes by hand.
Every meal do the dishes when you are done with the water as hot as you can stand. And at sometime go to a large pharmacy and get a pressure glove of the type used for burns and wear it after you play.

And cotrary to many statments here I'd continue to play everyday but in extreme moderation. Don't lose the flexibility you now have because of total inactivity. I have stories about muscular atrophy you don't want to hear.

Don

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:40 AM

Yea Beethoven!

He heard it in his head! Whoever he was, dysnomia notwithstanding...

Don is right about muscular atrophy.

Robin

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: breezy
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 05:37 AM

change hands
no bar chords
   play bass

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 05:49 AM

Breezy - I don't associate you with a pain in the hand - cocynx, yes.

- only joking John.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: EBarnacle
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:32 PM

Consider playing an autoharp until the hand is better. It will keep you in mental shape and uses different movements.

Subject: RE: Finger Pain in the Left Hand
From: GUEST,easyal
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 07:24 PM

Ebbie,
I just went through this with my first finger ,left hand ...would cramp after short periods of finger-style playing...went to a hand specialist..."tendinitis and ligatitis" ... but all clear in the x-rays as far as bone splints or arthoritis...first I tried two weeks of ant-inflamitories and wearing finger splint that kept it straight with my middle finger ...then did take a cortazone shot...mainly I took some time off finger style and focused on slide , which I've gotton much better at and am digging ...anyhow, it's gotten much better...I try to spend some warm up time... I think we all can tell what pains we should be working through and what ones require rest. Would love to hear any comments on "learning fight hand alternate picking in middle age"

First time here...smoked a joint once in highschool, so forgive the spelling...

Easyal