You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Carpal Tunnel Syndrom
Nothing gives me more pleasure and satisfaction (with one exception) than playing acoustic guitar. If my wrist didn't hurt after an hour I would play all day long. Has anyone found a way to get around this problem short of surgery? I sleep with the splint and use ice and ibuprofen but I still have problems with my left wrist. Last year I was gigging 5-6 nights a week. This year I plan to gig 3-4 nights a week and hope that will ease the problem.
Interesting, I was having some carpal tunnel symptoms when I was typing a lot more... the guitar doesn't seem to bother me at all however. Hmmm... then again, I also don't play as much as you probably do. 
When I type a significant amount, I do still get some flare ups. Have you tried some compression wraps while playing? Also, since carpal tunnel syndrome has to do with the wrist/hand carpel bones pressing together, I have found that gentle massage pulling the bones away from one another (pressure middle of the hand top and bottom and gently pull and massage toward the thumb, repeat going in the direction of the pinkie) seems to help a lot with easing the pain before putting the splints on at night. Of course, the surgery is an option... but my mother had that and her hands/wrists still bother her (waitress). GOOD LUCK!
My Doctor prescribed me Voltaren gel (not the pill!) just rub it on and it works. Ask your doc if its appropriate for you and try to get a sample and try it out. Where I live, its prescription only.
I suffer from it a bit. I just chalk it up to the price I pay to play, and suffer through. Tylenol helps, though, when attitude alone doesn't do the trick. 
Did something to the ring finger of my right hand the other day, & had a searing pain across my hand & up my wrist. Now if I put any weight on this finger or move it the wrong way I get the pain again. Was worried this might be CTS, but having looked up the symptoms, I don't think so. Relieved - CTS sounds bad, especially for guitarists! My finger problem doesn't seem to affect me when playing guitar, fortunately. Will try to avoid straining this finger again & see if it clears up. Left hand is also a bit stiff in the mornings - think that's just age...!
I've had 2 surguries on each hand for "trigger" finger. This is a condition caused when a bulge developes on a tendon in your hand. Think of a tendon as a rope and the knuckles as a pully. The tendon passes through the knuckles and your muscles open and close your hands (fingers) When a bulge developes it will pass through the knuckles in 1 direction but will not allow the bulge to pass back through going in the other direction. easily. Quite a bit of pain is associated with this and having your fingers stay in a kinda "locked" up position. Cortizone shots are extremely painfull when used to treat this condition and , at least to me, only work for a short period of time, Surgury has helped but I seem to be developing this condition again in my right hand,
Nela
Man up, mind over matter. Pain is temporary, music is forever. Meditation is surprisingly powerful, and THC ain't bad either...............( where it is legal of course...)
I started to suffer from it mildly.
The cure was getting a fatter neck (Allparts) and learning a new playing technique (Hendrix style).
The cause was my long fingers trying to play on a thin neck.
Dm
I've had 2 surguries on each hand for "trigger" finger. This is a condition caused when a bulge developes on a tendon in your hand. Think of a tendon as a rope and the knuckles as a pully. The tendon passes through the knuckles and your muscles open and close your hands (fingers) When a bulge developes it will pass through the knuckles in 1 direction but will not allow the bulge to pass back through going in the other direction. easily. Quite a bit of pain is associated with this and having your fingers stay in a kinda "locked" up position. Cortizone shots are extremely painfull when used to treat this condition and , at least to me, only work for a short period of time, Surgury has helped but I seem to be developing this condition again in my right hand,
Nela
Interesting. I get something like this when I spend the day in a kayak. The middle finger on my right hand locks up on the paddle and I can't put it down without reaching over with my left hand and peeling the finger up. I try to stretch every now and then but about the third time my paddle partner threw a soiled bilge sponge at me, I figured I had better stretch ALL the fingers at once. Seriously though, it is a bit of a problem and I wonder if this "trigger finger" is the cause.
Sure sounds like it, Zurf. I would recommend seeing a doctor who deals strickly with hand injuries in lieu of a regular orthopedic surgeon if you decide to go that route. One of the 1st treatments they will do is to give you a cortizone shot between your fingers. Be sure to carry an extra pair of drawers with you, when you go, cause you WILL ruin the pair you have on. That shot hurts. From all I know, from experience and from what I've read up on, the only treatment to correct the problem in the long run is surgury.
Nela
acupuncture helped me
I can only play for 45 minutes and my fingers go numb....it really hinders my practice time especially since I just started playing 6 months ago.
I've started serious hand and wrist stretching before practice or gig. One finger at a time the first round, then all four fingers. Four fingers to the right and then roll your wrist to the left and stretch in that position as well. Then back to one finger at a time and then forward with the wrist then all four fingers backward. I do this routine for five minutes before I play and it has helped seriously. Also I use a wine cooler/insulator that you put in the freezer overnight and then slip over the top of a wine bottle to keep it chilled. I slip my hand through the cooler and hold it on my wriswt for 10 minutes. It's intense cold and is a little uncomfortable at first but you have to gut it out and then REST your hand. Also, 400-600mg of ibuprophen before bed helps too. And don't forget your wrist splint.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Carpal Tunnel Syndrom
