Hand falling asleep while playing

[Shawn Lutz]

Story of my life ..especially since my neck injury.

Years ago I developed carpal tunnel from playing "too much", I had a brace fitted for me. It was hard practicing with that brace on, but it keeps your hand from compressing that nerve at your wrist by your thumb. That did help!

That's prolly your prob..same symptoms.

fess up Bill, you got CP from playing with "your pud" too much, not guitar

[Leo Chang]

Screwed up both of my wrists with too much guitar, and too much martial arts... so now with either... I make sure I take a break as soon as I detect any unnecessary tension in my wrists.

So 30 minutes, then a few minutes break, then play for another 45 minutes... then a few minutes break...etc.

Also been doing a lot of wrist / grip strengthening exercises, and they help quite a bit too.

But yeah... go see your doctor first and see what he says.


- Leo.

[horns666]

fess up Bill, you got CP from playing with "your pud" too much, not guitar

Actually, many say jerggin' it when your hand falls asleep feels like someone else is doing it..that's not true!

[The_Tonemonster]

Could be carpal tunnel, or possibly thoracic outlet syndrome/brachial plexus syndrome depending on your overall playing posture. If your head or shoulders are fall forward out of good posture, over time this can put pressure on your brachial plexus (a large nerve bundle that supplies your arm that is located between your collarbone and first rib) thus causing parsthesia(tingling and numbness). If you're playing a lot of intense material or tend to watch your fretting hand alot when you play, this is a consideration. This is fairly easy to treat with postural re-education exercise and stretching. Carpal tunnel is fairly common, but many cases thoracic outlet/brachial plexus syndrome is overlooked. I treat for this in the clinic I work in frequently.