Serious wrist issue question - UPDATE.

[hamerhead]

I know I post a lot of stupid stuff, but this has me freaked out a little. Last Friday or Saturday I was playing along minding my own business when I bent a note and sent a stabbing pain through my left wrist and halfway up my forearm. Never had that happen before, so I tried it again. Oh yeah - knife in the lower forearm again. I thought 'this is bad' and stopped playing until tonight, thinking a few days rest it'll be good as new.

Nope. Now I'm a bit spooked. I got three 1-hour sets to do Friday night, then I'm off for a month. I can play some, but certain turns of the wrist and ring-finger bends are at best scary and at worst pretty painful.

Well doctors - what the hell is it? I'll need any short-term pain relief ideas you can think of (a good brandy is always close by), followed later by an actual fix.

Thoughts? Tendinitis? Brain tumor? Venomous duck?

Seriously - I'm all ears. And thank you so much for taking the time.

[Ting Ho Dung]

50

[Ting Ho Dung]

Okay, sorry. My first response was smart assed. Sorry. But that is what's going on. Age. I do know a bit about physical medicine. Not much. So take it with a grain of salt. Unless it's sea salt then it's a half grain. I would suspect that if you are bending that note it is with your ring finger, yes? Then it does have a direct tendon or muscle structure to your inside elbow. Is that where you are feeling the pain? Or is it on the outside of your forearm? If it's the former you may try a restrictive band that is usually made of velcro placed on the upper forearm. Also try Aleve and or both. If it's the outside of your forearm then I think you are done for a few weeks. But Aleve will help there too. Be careful to read the dosage.

[velorush]

Sorry about that. I've had cramping, but never sharp pain.

Might be a position/ergonomics thing. I know through experience (and some great advice from our own Shredmeister) guitar height has a lot to do with long term playing ability. Have you changed that lately, or gone to a different guitar that hangs differently?

Given your looming gig, I'd get that checked out really quickly - that way you have time to respond. If there's no quick fix, your band can try to figure out what to do. If there is a quick fix, you have more time to let it work.

[3of5]

See an orthopedist. Get a referral to the best physical therapist in your area. Plan on taking some time off. Maybe a lot of time, maybe not. Good luck.

[Jimbilly]

I recently went to a physical therapist for a couple things that have been going on, one is persistent elbow pain I've put off dealing with for quite a while. I had a very good experience with physical therapy, my chiropractor made the recomendation to a Dr of PT that just happened to be about a half mile from my house, which made it easy.

It was $99 for the first visti/consult, $75 for each following visit, after a total of 4 visits I have exercises and stretches to do and I don't have to come back unless things don't continue improving.

Get that referral and get to a PT, you could recover quickly with professional help, or put it off for 9 months like I did and then get help.

[Bass Guy Dave]

Most important, see a doctor, as it's been said.

Entirely unprofessional/uneducated opinion, is it sounds like you might have a pinched nerve in the wrist (ala CTS,) and tweak it just right with that particular motion. Unti you can get checked out, an anti-inflammatory shouldn't hurt (ibuprofen, etc) and try to stay hydrated.

I had tendinitis/CTS problems about 20 years ago that got out of hand, and it hurt so friggin' bad I could hardly believe it. Thankfully, treatment options and diagnosis is so much better these days it seems, than for a poor college kid living off of Pop-Tarts, hot dogs and beer back then, lol.

I'd say if you have to play on Friday, take it easy and try to simplify your parts--plus, be careful how you sleep, so you don't add to the injury in the middle of the night.

Best wishes

[ArnieZ]

Is there any numbness or burning associated with he pain? Does it feel at all like you hit your funny bone? The source of the pain is critical. If it is neurologic it could be either carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome. If it is purely orthopedic, connective tissue, tendon, muscle or joint pain, it would respond differently to treatment. Either way resting the affected part is critical. Use ice and get an examination and diagnosis. Try to avoid doing anything that causes the pain.

This isn't intended to be specific, just good general advice. Get thee to a Dr.!

ArnieZ

[hamerhead]

No numbness, burning or that tingly funny bone feeling. I feel it most on the inside of my lower forearm, just up from my wrist. As there is a tendon right there, tendinitis is probably the culprit.

I'm thinking about wrapping it for the show (maybe a matching one for the other arm? ) and hoping for the best, then looking into it seriously. I had tendinitis in my elbow (after 15 years of swinging a hammer) that lasted for about 2 years. I'm really hoping not to repeat that.

[murkat]

ulnerve.

the nerve at the elbow joint, it is pinched, creating a relay signal between the joint and wrist.

the nerves in the muscle tissue are reacting to the relay.

My world, 24/7, both arms. some days are good, some days are bad.

Change of weather has an effect.

stop what you are doing, relax, take it easy. massage.

[gtone]

I used to have the same problem when my #1 was a Hamer Special. Got to the point I couldn't get through more than a few minutes pain-free (aging sucks!). Part of the reason I switched to SG's was that I could play for hours again without difficulty/pain anywhere. Go figure...

[FrankieIII]

Was it a hammer special or standard you were swinging?...lol... But seriously, I've read that playing a guitar with a fuller/thicker neck profile may help with your pain issue.

[bubs_42]

stop what you are doing, relax, take it easy. massage.

I'm pretty sure that is what caused this wrist issue.

[Submariner85]

That sucks. Tendonitis?

[geoff_hartwell]

I'm younger than most of you, but have had my share of wrist difficulty including cysts and minor surgery.

The two most immediate things I can recommend for all of these sorts of maladies are: 1) water and 2) bananas.

Dehydration, even on low levels, is no good and has a serious impact on your motor skills, and restricts blood flow etc.

Potassium is essential for your muscles and connective tissue (tendons, etc) but is very difficult to absorb, even with vitamin supplements, and it turns out that bananas are just the best option.

So before you play, have a bottle of water and a banana, then stretch gently and thoroughly.

When you have discomfort, pay attention to your whole body (posture, shoulders, arms AND legs, hips etc) so you can make minor adjustments - hand problems seldom start in the hand, and you might be surprised at what an impact your overall position has.

I've also found that really lightening up on my touch overall, and using light strings (D'Addario 10s) has had a great impact.

I still gig 200 times a year, sometimes more.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for whiskey and weed to be the solution, but it turns out that they're not - for this particular problem anyway, haha.

GH

[Ting Ho Dung]

I'm younger than most of you, but have had my share of wrist difficulty including cysts and minor surgery.

The two most immediate things I can recommend for all of these sorts of maladies are: 1) water and 2) bananas.

Dehydration, even on low levels, is no good and has a serious impact on your motor skills, and restricts blood flow etc.

Potassium is essential for your muscles and connective tissue (tendons, etc) but is very difficult to absorb, even with vitamin supplements, and it turns out that bananas are just the best option.

So before you play, have a bottle of water and a banana, then stretch gently and thoroughly.

When you have discomfort, pay attention to your whole body (posture, shoulders, arms AND legs, hips etc) so you can make minor adjustments - hand problems seldom start in the hand, and you might be surprised at what an impact your overall position has.

I've also found that really lightening up on my touch overall, and using light strings (D'Addario 10s) has had a great impact.

I still gig 200 times a year, sometimes more.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for whiskey and weed to be the solution, but it turns out that they're not - for this particular problem anyway, haha.

GH

Fuck you Geoff Hartwell!! Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you for being younger than us, LOL But #1 on nutrition. Bananas are good in the morning but avocados are good in the evening with cervesa and tequila. Rehydration through intravenous methods as we are professionals and old and accustomed to needles.

[hamerhead]

Update:

Doctor says it's a tendon. Got some anti-inflammatorys, so I can't give you guys sh!t for 2 weeks. Or play the guitar, which sucks because I have a gig coming up and will have to go in cold. Fortunately it's a short one, and my understudy will be on hand. We'll see how it goes.....

[Steve Haynie]

Oh, you can still give us trouble. Just type short messages with one hand.

[hamerhead]

Steve - I am truly saddened that that went over your head.

Now, you must be dope-slapped. With my good hand.

And Rodip - Thanks! Normally it's just my Mom, so the extra is appreciated.

[Steve Haynie]

[LordOfTheThighs]

I suggest switching hands.

[sixesandsevens]

I suggest switching hands.

The judgmental bear avatar made that comment priceless.

Best of luck Hamerhead, and it's great to see such a ... free and open exchange of solutions offered.