Frettinghand joints getting old. :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jouni
  • Start date Start date
my uncle finally got to where he couldn't play at all around 68 or something.
he'd done it his entire life, bar gigs and er...more bar gigs.
his last few years though he be sent off by the manager for puking up beer on stage or falling over on stage..... actually, with a good manager you could sell that act. but they didn't have a manager.
 
I have problems with my hands too. I'm 58. I would lay off for a few weeks and I take high doses of fish oil which seems to help. And you really have to warm up.
Aside from that asprin and proper technique work for me.
 
I've been playing for 30 some years and I don't experience pain or cramping untill I try to overdo some acrobatic stuff(4 and 5 fret stretches for a few bars or something similar). My fingers are fat..i struggle with an open D chord getting all the strngs to ring clean. As a result I just adapt and do what I can.
 
Lt. Bob said:
or get an appointment sooner than Nov?
Click to expand...

Is it really that bad in the US of A? Saw a doco the other night on health systems around the world... yours seems a bit scary...

Anyone for universal health cover?
 
In the US, for elective stuff, waiting 4-6 weeks for a specialist is pretty typical in many metro areas. If things are acute, many docs will work you into their schedules, but you gotta ask.
 
glucosomine/chrondoiton does work on about 30% of those who try it.
It doesn't work on everyone and had absolutely zero effect on me after taking it for about 8months. Didn't help even a little bit.
However, it does work on some and there's no real side effects so it's worth trying. It does take 3 or 4 months of consistent taking it for it to have an effect so take it religiously for that long.
The hot wax/ wrist braces will have some effect on absolutely everyone so try those too.
 
The specialist thing is pretty universal I fear.
GPs and are a diff matter as is access to ER down under.
Our govt pays for the bulk of a GP bill (pun intended Oz folk) and a fair chunk of a specialist's too. If prepared to walk into the ER and wait we can get that for free.
Back were I lived for the 1st 14 years of married life the local GP was free (he bulked billed the govt) for consultations, very minor surgical procedures and accupuncture. On one occasion he even drove my wife to the pharmacy, for temporary relief, then hospital and came back to check on her that evening. He ought to've been sainted but was too unassuming for the honour.
I've done some research on glucosamine - it seems it's most efficacious with load bearing joints and has minimal, if any, effect on small joints.
New Zealand Green Lipped Muscles on the other hand...
 
At age 68 I have stiffness in my hands . Actually it came on suddenly one evening. I fell asleep watching TV andwhen I awoke an hour or so later my hands were so stiff I couldn't close them all the way. The doc said that it was an allergy, probably to food but we never persued it. It still happens occasionally but massage and flexing clears it up in a few minutes. I do 15-20 minutes of warmups ( scales and arpeggios) every day and try to get around to at least 2-3 guitars in the process. (It is great to be retired) Then I fire up my studio and work on tracks. Did I mention that it is great to be retired??? I'm gonna try that glucosamine-chondroiten to see what happens.


chazba
 
us healthcare

I've never had to wait for any health care. I can see a doc tomorrow, follow-on with a specialist within 1-3 days of that. I've been treated by Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Cedars Si in L.A. and never had to wait. My canadian friends bitch all the time of their care, and from all the people in the UK i've seen with canes and missing teeth... ummm, I'm good with private health care!
 
It's free here in Australia. Must suck to live in a country where basic human rights (i.e access to basic medical care) come in at a dollar value.
 
I too recommend glucosomine/chrondoiton. The Walgreen one I use also has the MSN in it. My problem wasn't my hands/fingers, but rather my feet when I got up in the morning. I really had problems just getting around until they got warmed up - and I was about 48 at the time.

I'm 50 now and every now and then stop taking it to see if it's really worth the trouble... sure enough the pain in my feet joints come back. I only take the minimal dose (1x/day). The label says to take it 3x/day. So someone like me has a lot of room to play with dosing. I helps with my knees also.

As far as American health care, I usually am able to see my doctor or his assistant the same day if it's urgent. Or a week or two for a general physical. My specialists are around 2 weeks (surgeon, butt doctor, etc) for the initial evaluation and maybe a 2-3 weeks after that for a procedure if needed. But I tend to be a more "aggressive" patient and do my homework first so I sort of have a clue of at least some of my options before hand.
 
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