finger pain

[Bert]

So....I've been suffering from pain in the knuckles of all my fingers (except my thumb) on my left hand for the last couple months. Doctor says lay off the guitar which I've been doing for almost a month now, and put me on a course of anti-inflammatories, but I'm still having issues. Sitting in front of a computer keyboard for several hours a day certainly isn't helping as I can't really type without pain in my left hand either. But not typing isn't really an option or my job productivity will go to hell.

I'm not even 40 yet and I'm wondering if my guitar playing days are already over. Wondering if anyone out there has had similar problems and gotten over it.....

[Cygnus X1]

I'm going on 45, no problems yet...
I used to crack my knuckles frequently, I rarely do anymore...I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I ought to be a candidate for carpal tunnel. I keyboard a lot at work, I play keyboards and guitar, and I hang out and post at the boards. But, you said nothing about CTS...
Arthritis, perhaps? Does aspirin do anything?

[Bert]

Yeah arthritis is something that is a potential cause so I had an xray done 2 days ago but don't have the results yet.... Aspirin and related stuff help a bit with the pain but don't seem to be solving the underlying problem which keeps coming back.

I've never had any carpal tunnel syndrome nor do I have any CTS like symptoms now (numbness, wrist pain, etc..) so I doubt that's it.

I'm hoping it's just RSD (repetitive stress disorder) which will resolve on its own by laying off the guitar for a while, but so far no such luck.

[VitaminG]

I don't know if it will help your particular circumstance, but I've occasionally relied on glucosamine supplements to deal with joint pain & stiffness from my old sports injuries. The supplements I've used have been things like Arthri-eze & Osteo-eze, both containing additional components to rebuild cartilege. They seem to lubricate the joints too for smoother operation & less discomfort.

I don't know how available these products are over there, but this is the kind of thing you can buy over the counter at pharmacies here:

http://www.blackmores.com.au/Products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=1898

[åron]

Try and break up your work time at the keyboard with regular breaks for stretching and rest. Look into a more ergonomic keyboard. Proper typing posture and position is important. Don't neglect your diet and nutrition. There are some supplements that may help, though I am no expert on the subject. A bit of research should yield some information about foods and substances that promote healthy cartilage and ligaments.

On the subject of playing vs not playing and anti-inflammatories: not playing presents a whole different problem, in that the muscles in your fingers deteriorate a bit and under certain circumstances, sore out-of-shape finger muscles compound arthritis-like feelings. If you can make some changes at work and get sufficient down time between practice sessions, you should be able to see some improvement. Using aspirin or ibuprofen BEFORE you practice will greatly reduce the inflammation.

All this is based on my personal experiences and in no way represents professional advice. I've been in your shoes in the 9-5 computer bound job and have had the same kind of problems. I changed my habits with the computer, improved my diet and kept up with my guitar conditioning and the chronic problems have all but disappeared. These hands of ours are machines that wear out too soon without proper treatment.

[Bert]

I'm going to give glucosamine/condroitin a shot (my doctor suggested that too), though I worry that (as with pretty much every other "supplement" I've tried in the past) it's nothing more than a bit fat overpriced placebo.

I had an ergonomics workup as well and have been making some changes with computer work habits. I still have some ways to go before I'm following all that advice though.

Regarding not playing resulting in a lack of conditioning, pretty much any amount of playing just makes things much worse. So I guess I need to figure out something else to do to keep the fingers conditioned.

[Newc]

Pop your knuckles.

[Norton]

I'm going on 45, no problems yet...
I used to crack my knuckles frequently, I rarely do anymore...I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I ought to be a candidate for carpal tunnel. I keyboard a lot at work, I play keyboards and guitar, and I hang out and post at the boards. But, you said nothing about CTS...
Arthritis, perhaps? Does aspirin do anything?

It causes the joint capsules to tear apart which causes calcification.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

Im so glad this was brought up. My left index finger is a cluster right now. the joint and first knuckle creeks and pops, and has gone numb at work when i have to do alot of keyboarding. thanks for the suggestions ...

[emperor_black]

I had a similar problem but with my wrist a month or so ago. I think I was lifting my kid too many times and must have done it at a wrong angle or something...

Anyway, I experienced the same problem. the whole day there was a pain, I could not use the keyboard without experiencing some pain and I am a software engineer. LOL. I felt that it worsened immediately after playing the guitar. then I figured it out.

warmup. Warmup really well before starting playing. Get yourself one of these and use it a few mins or at least until your finger muscles start burning and only then play the guitar.



As I started following this practice, my wrist/fingers stopped hurting anymore after playing the guitar. Take it along with you and try to keep your fingers warmed up most of time during the day. A 50 year old Unix admin does the same thing. he says he never leaves the house without his gripmaster. And he says that he practices 3 or 4 times a day. LOL . good luck.

[Rsmacker]

Stick it up your bum, or better still, your Missus' bum.

Let us know how it goes.

[Cygnus X1]

It causes the joint capsules to tear apart which causes calcification.

Yes, I have heard of that. It used to feel like I had to crack them
to make them feel normal. I stopped doing it about ten years ago,
and that problem has gone away. Fingers crossed, no problems so far.

[fett]

Try having a minor stoke. I did. I lost the use of my pinky and the finger next to it on my left hand for over a year. They would not work. Period. It's all better now. No doctors. No nothing. It just mended.

[Tekky]

Sitting in front of a computer keyboard for several hours a day certainly isn't helping as I can't really type without pain in my left hand either. But not typing isn't really an option or my job productivity will go to hell.

3 words and a linky for you...

Voice Recognition Software

http://www.consumersearch.com/www/software/voice-recognition-software/index.html?referrer=yahoo_ssp

[Bert]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going out and buying one of those freakin' grip-bastards tomorrow! The good news is my xray shows no signs of arthritis, so I'm pretty encouraged that this is just something temporary.