Arthritis

First make sure it is arthritis but if it is there's really nothing to be done other than whatever you find that works you to relieve pain.

I have significant arthritis to the point where my hands will freeze up sometimes and they hurt all the time to various degrees.
Things that help me are:
Aleve (naproxen .... you can get prescription higher dose versions but I just take a couple of the 220mg.)
And truthfully ..... liquor works about as well.

A carpal tunnel brace when I sleep ( because some of mine is carpal tunnel but not enough to be worth the surgery as it's mostly arthritis)

Heat ..... sometimes I'll just run the hot water and shove my hand under it but I also have one of those hot paraffin machines. You can get them at WalMart for around $30.

However ..... I have it everywhere in my hands and even to the wrist area so I don't know about all these measures just for one joint. But on my worst finger the last joint has actually deformed and lessened my reach .... meh. I still gig or play every night.
It's just pain ...... walk it off!
:D

Seriously though ...... there's really nothing to be done to fix it ..... all you can do is deal with the pain.
 
I know abslutely nothing about arthritis.

I do know about the importance of having good posture when you play. Urge everyone to keep your wrists straight as much as possible and don't use any more force with your fingers than is necessary. Try and maintain a natural curvature in the fingers.

Establish your base posture this way.

1. Make a fist
2. Let your arm fall by your side
3. Relax

(at this point your hand should be half way open)

4. Now place the neck of the guitar in your hand

This should be your starting point for how you play. My first guitar teacher was a shredder and he played all stiff with his fingers straightened. By the time he was 30 he had major problems.
 
As many have said, the first thing is to get a handle on what the real problem may be - and don't accept that an internist can give you the right answer.

That being said, I'm 62 and many of the musicians I work with are around my age - and arthritist, joint wear and tear, carpal, etc. etc. can all start to catch up to us when we've been playing an axe for long time. Sometimes, there is nothing that can be done other then to self medicate in one way or another (which can bring it's own set of risks/problems).

So, we learn to adapt, play to our strengths and learn to accomodate the weaknesses - and accept that stuff that didn't use to hurt now does hurt (often) ....... but not playing is simply not an option!!!!
 
Definately see the doc.

I have what they call a carpal boss on my right hand. Its a wierd bone lump (arthritis) right at the wrist that a small percentage of mostly men tend to get around 40.. I drew that lucky card. I know its not the same as if it were left hand but it did hurt to play for any period of time as the act of pinching the pick began to hurt.

It started really bothering me a couple years ago and it got bad enough I saw a surgeon. I asked as a last resort to try a cortisone injection and even though he said not to expect much.. to date (2 years since injection) I have no significant pain from it, and don't have any plans to let them use the chisle on my hand
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. Funny the shit we talk about relating to music.

I do plan to go see the ortho for this sometime soon. He's the same guy who fixed my knee, my legs, my shoulder... he'll be happy to see me. :D
 
cakewalkgg said:
Definately see the doc.
I asked as a last resort to try a cortisone injection and even though he said not to expect much.. to date (2 years since injection) I have no significant pain from it, and don't have any plans to let them use the chisle on my hand
Click to expand...

I've had my feet, shoulders and one wrist done up with cortisone and for me it was a miracle drug, as usual YMMV.
 
I went to a chiropractor for elbow pain, diagnosed with tendentious with a touch of bursitis. The Dr. has been giving my physical therapy and adjustments. It really helps.

I hate taking drugs, even aspirin. And I'm definitely not going to let someone cut me open, well maybe, but only as a last resort.
 
I had quite severe carpial tunnel syndrome once, it's definitely the worst thing you can possibly get as a musician (apart from having the hand chopped off)
 
Btyre2013 said:
I had quite severe carpial tunnel syndrome once, it's definitely the worst thing you can possibly get as a musician (apart from having the hand chopped off)
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Me, too...both hands in two years. But really, arthritis is worse, cause you can't stop it. Not being able to hang on to my pick for more than 15 minutes without my fingers going numb was bad. Having to be in constant pain to play my guitars would be torture. Yngve Malmstein went through this. Chili, maybe you could call him up and get ahold of his his doctor. :laughings:
 
Sorry, Chilldude, I'm not laughing at your pain, just the thought of being able to just call up some big name and chat about arthritis he had/has gave me a smile.
 
BroKen_H said:
Having to be in constant pain to play my guitars would be torture.
Click to expand...
meh ..... it is what it is. I gig a LOT ...... hitting my busy season and I'll do 5-8 gigs a week till Sept. My hands hurt constantly and will cramp up from time to time ...... nothing to be done so I ignore it as best I can.

My philosophy about such things is:
1. I bet dying's gonna suck too and
2. My dead dad would LOVE to have even my most pain-filled day.
I'm a man ....... i can take it.

Lastly ..... I laugh at my pain .... why not? Best attitude to it I can have .... pain is part of life's way of telling you you're not dead yet. :D
 
Lt. Bob said:
meh ..... it is what it is. I gig a LOT ...... hitting my busy season and I'll do 5-8 gigs a week till Sept. My hands hurt constantly and will cramp up from time to time ...... nothing to be done so I ignore it as best I can.

My philosophy about such things is:
1. I bet dying's gonna suck too and
2. My dead dad would LOVE to have even my most pain-filled day.
I'm a man ....... i can take it.

Lastly ..... I laugh at my pain .... why not? Best attitude to it I can have .... pain is part of life's way of telling you you're not dead yet. :D
Click to expand...

nice! I like your philosophy on pain
 
I am well past the sell by date at 72 and suffer from arthritis, I always use hand stretching exercises, take ibuprofen and soak my hands in a solution of water and Epsom salts, details on net.
 
acidrock said:
I've had my feet, shoulders and one wrist done up with cortisone and for me it was a miracle drug, as usual YMMV.
Click to expand...

I was going to pm you about this, but I decided others might might be interested in your anwer, too.

How did you have your feet treated with cortisone? And how many treatments were there for the various body parts, and how long ago? Just wondering how long the relief lasted. Also, was this in regards to a specific injury, or just the cumulative effects of life?
 
I've recently developed what feels like a combination of arthritis in every, and I mean every, joint coupled with muscle and tendon pain, and cramping. The joint pain doesn't just come when I'm using it, I can just be sitting there and get a stabbing pain in my (name a joint here). The web, being the wonderful doctor substitute it is, makes it sound like lupus. Lupus, being an autoimmune disease, would kind of make sense as I'm already a type I diabetic - what they used to call 'juvenile' diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. They did some tests, though, and even though they said I had a high rheumatoid factor, it isn't lupus or RA. Going back to the dr on Thursday, so we'll see what's next.

Anyway, needless to say, I'm interested in any of these suggested remedies. Just need to be able to get through the day, got a lot of shit to do.
 
On a related note, I guess if they can't figure out a way to fix me, I'm probably going to have a bunch of stuff for sale. No need to have 40+ guitars if you can't bend your fingers. I know, i could play slide, and I do - it's kind of my first love, Duane and all that, but right now, I can barely hold a pick.
 
notCardio said:
I've recently developed what feels like a combination of arthritis in every, and I mean every, joint coupled with muscle and tendon pain, and cramping. The joint pain doesn't just come when I'm using it, I can just be sitting there and get a stabbing pain in my (name a joint here). The web, being the wonderful doctor substitute it is, makes it sound like lupus. Lupus, being an autoimmune disease, would kind of make sense as I'm already a type I diabetic - what they used to call 'juvenile' diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. They did some tests, though, and even though they said I had a high rheumatoid factor, it isn't lupus or RA. Going back to the dr on Thursday, so we'll see what's next.

Anyway, needless to say, I'm interested in any of these suggested remedies. Just need to be able to get through the day, got a lot of shit to do.
Click to expand...

You should get tested for Lyme disease.
 
notCardio said:
I was going to pm you about this, but I decided others might might be interested in your anwer, too.

How did you have your feet treated with cortisone? And how many treatments were there for the various body parts, and how long ago? Just wondering how long the relief lasted. Also, was this in regards to a specific injury, or just the cumulative effects of life?
Click to expand...

All shots except for the wrist, that was a patch. I haven't had any problems since and it was a concern of mine that I would need repeated shots and diminishing returns. I'm thinking it was six years ago for the feet, five and four for the shoulders.
 
acidrock said:
All shots except for the wrist, that was a patch. I haven't had any problems since and it was a concern of mine that I would need repeated shots and diminishing returns. I'm thinking it was six years ago for the feet, five and four for the shoulders.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks. A patch, huh? My foot pain is mostly concentrated in my ankles, so that might be helpful. I'll ask the doc about it this week.

But was yours because of an injury, or just wear and tear?
 
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