Playing with arthritis

[DUSTER44T]

I have a few heath issues and arthritis is one of them. Sometimes my hands really give me trouble. Mainly my left......go figure, I'm a right handed player. I just sat down a few minutes ago to check if my string hum is still there and I can hardly move my fingers and my hand. Sometimes I play even if I don't want to just to get some movement in my hand. I'm sure I'm not the only one that deals with this. Any secrets or recommendations?

[S. Rock]

I have arthritis, as well, but so far it hasn't affected my playing too much. I've heard to keep moving the joints or they really will stiffen/"freeze" up. so, just keep playing as much as possible. I gonna play as long as I can. after playing for 45 years, it's kinda hard to stop anyway.

[tjnugent]

Celebrex seems to help with the inflammation. The rest of it is just continuing to play as much as you can. That seems to be the only way to beat back the stiffness. I have it as well and if I let it, it will take my chops. If you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, you can take biologic shots like Embrel. I used to take it and it helped, but not as much as I would have liked. I was then given Humira and that really worked, but gave me the worst bacterial infection of my life. It about killed me. I stopped taking that one. lol Death is listed as a side effect. Never a good thing to read on the label.

TJ

[stranger4life]

I'm 34 and have had 3 shoulder surgeries, all on the right side - the side I strum with. It often "locks" up on me. Oddly enough, when playing the shoulder sits in the perfect position where the motions are unaffected by the bone spurs and stuff. 14 years of football and a dozen dislocations were my reason for not playing thru my 20's. Nothing really helps that I've found otc. Keep the joint moving I guess. Mornings are the worst but I never pop outta bed at 6 a.m. and decide I'm gonna wake up the neighborhood.... now when I got home after a live local show Saturday at 3 was a different story

[Kid Klash]

Take an over the counter anti-inflamatory like ibuprofen 30-45 minutes before you play, and soak your hand in warm/hot water for a few minutes before playing...

[dman]

Originally Posted by Kid Klash

Take an over the counter anti-inflamatory like ibuprofen 30-45 minutes before you play, and soak your hand in warm/hot water for a few minutes before playing...

This...and taking glucosamine.

Another possibility is buying one of the small home ultrasound units, very similar to what physical therapists will use. They're a little pricy (mine was about $125 four years ago), bu they do help. I've used it on a variety of age-related problems, including a knee diagnosed as having "arthritic decrepitance" (just the name of it makes me feel old!) and have had good reults.

[smokinalder]

Arthritis sucks. Glad to hear you're just playing through it. I think it's the best thing. For me, I've doubled my playing time.

I've been taking glucosamine and Neproxine for years, (for all my joints - it's the knees and hips that keep me awake at night) and they have helped. Now, because my finger joints are starting to get all knarled I am determined to keep them movin', to stay one step ahead of the reaper. LOL

Recently i have begun to lose feeling in the lower fingers of my right hand - pinched nerve did some nasty nerve damage. It's the bottom two and a half fingers, so i can still hold a pick, but can't feel much with the pinky and ring fingers.

To adapt, i have learned to practice economy of motion when I play. I have been working on chord based soloing - something I should have done it years ago. Means i can play some great solos without hardly moving from the chord position - which has increased the fluidity of my playing.

I also reversed my pick and play with the rounded end instead of the pointy end - with allows me to caress the strings, giving me a softer touch and coincidentally, beautiful tone. I also changed to GHS boomers, which are much softer and easier to press down than many other strings. They are also smooth as silk. It allows me to still play 10s, and they sound great.

Bottom line is, although I flub the occasional fret, I'm actually twice the guitarist heading into my 60's than I was in my 20s.

Good luck - hang in there. Just play on as long as you can!

[KP Will]

I have arthritis in my left hand as well. It is painful when I begin to play, but the hand feels really good after a few minutes. However, it stiffens back up within just a few minutes of stopping.

[Papa Joe]

Because of my other meds the doctors tell me that Tyelnol is the only think they want me to use...It does help...

[tabdog]

Originally Posted by Papa Joe

Because of my other meds the doctors tell me that Tyelnol is the only think they want me to use...It does help...

Same here. But I can only take a limited
amount of Tylenol because of my liver. I
only take it when it's real bad, and then
sparingly.

I just tough it out for the most part,

Tabdog

[5thumbs]

Just never give up.. never give up.

[YeahDoIt]

Maybe the cold of winter makes it worse. Even when I'm hurting I play at least a little. I think it is important to move every day. If my hands hurt then I might play slide, use open tuning.

[YeahDoIt]

Originally Posted by smokinalder

I also reversed my pick and play with the rounded end instead of the pointy end

I use the rounded corner of the pick for playing fast. The pointy part of the pick can stick in the strings.

[Budwen Stevie]

Yeah do it...the winter is not much of a factor to me....the arthritis is managed with alieve....my problem is the fused pinky diget I have. it limits my scales big time.

[cheesehead]

I too have arthritis...that is the main reason I started playing again...figured if I can keep my fingers moving they wont lock up as often...since I own my own diner I cant afford to take time off...just the other day my index finger on my left hand locked up and I just forced myself to fret notes with it and it helped..hurt like hell at first. All I can take is tylenol everything else gives me severe stomach pains...apparently having arthritis and owning a squier is a common thing

[YeahDoIt]

When I lived up north I had arthritis and I also used to get sad in about October, November when the sky gets grey and the wind blows cold. One day a friend suggested that I stop drinking for a week, notice how I feel. I stopped feeling sad and much of my arthritis disappeared. Since then I rarely drink alcohol.

[DUSTER44T]

Last week at the doc I told them that I picked up the guitar again (after many years of not playing) with the thinking that it may help my hands. I looked at my report she/they wrote up and it's in the report. I don't know how they wanted to come across when putting it in there but it seems negative to me (the wording).

[3Strats]

I don't have pain in my hands but my knuckles and finger joints are kinda stiff. I hope this isn't the onset of arthritis or something.
Was there any early symptoms besides pain itself? I hope you don't say "stiffness in knuckles"

[12Rant]

Seems like you've had different post on many anti-inflammatory meds which all have pro's and con's. I have number "hot spots". The best medicine ( Recommended by Ortho -Surgeons) is moderate exercise. It helps produce fluid in the joints and will lubricate them. Playing,(over time), will help and when your idle, you can use a squeeze ball. Which will build up you muscles, tendons and such. I've nerve damage to my left hand from splinters of wood, glass and Muck (sharp rock). I only started in December last year and find improvements already. But my greatest inspiration was watching [PBS American Masters - Les Paul, Chasing Sound (2007.HDTV)].The man who started it all. He played into his late 80's with knuckles knurled with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was so inspired watching this, that went out and bought a Squier Strat. Which I will never regret.
Best of luck.
Jaimie

[3Strats]

Welcome to the site 12Rant, Timmins eh, now that's up north, how's the winter been, we don't have much snow in South West Ont.