The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been to the doctors today as I have this pain originating from the centre of the palm of my hand. Tendons he says, swollen, maybe arthritis! I've got to wear this Left hand splint, support bandage and see how it goes. Pain goes from tips of fingers half way up the arm all the time but if I lean on something like an armchair end or a stair hand rail end, the pain is chronic. The doctor was wondering whether it is because of slide guitar playing as he has seen this before in musicians.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Naw David,Its called getting old..ha I got it all over..c ya...
Charlie...

Be sure you're not lifting your left shoulder when you play.

I knew there had to be a price to pay for playing as good as you do...

But seriously, David, sorry to hear this news. Hope you can get it resolved quickly.

Jim

I heard you're coming to Ireland in October Jim?


Had my eyes tested too, need new glasses and optician said I needed a blood test for cholesterol checks....I had that done today also...

It may be time for me to alter my ways.....

But I still like fry ups, cigarettes and beer and whisky, and all the fun things....

I sometimes wonder about doctors. Once I went there with sciatica and lower back pain and he gave me a load of pain killers and said don't sit on my wallet when driving!

And he was serious.

I've took the stupid arm strap off now, it hurts less with it off.

Hi David,

I developed something similar some years back spending way too much time practicing bends on a telecaster. Went though a lot of tests and physical therapy with very little progress.

I did modify a lot of things. I stopped doing anything nonmusical that made it hurt. I don't ever do push my self up with a flat palm, and I slide rather than bend on guitar.

After a time I realized that although the pain was in the middle of my palm it was effected the most by my thumb. I went and bought a simple thumb splint and that helped clear it up.

Now if I feel it start I put on the splint and am good within a day.

Good luck finding your solution.

Ed

P.S. I bought You and John's Amarillo disc in Dallas and totally dig it. It just plain makes me smile.

Doctors = fun police
But who else can you trust with advice ?
I sympathize with you David and hope it gets better .
BTW I really enjoy your youtube clips .

David,Been thinking about altering my way,but think I'm about 50 years to late. On a serious note I'm sorry to hear about your problem. You play too good to have something hinder you. Really hope you get better. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Hi David, Just discovered you on you-tube about six weeks ago and have spent way too much time watching and listening to your videos since then. I really enjoy them. Hope you get that hand problem fixed. Bobby

Hi David, Just discovered you on you-tube about six weeks ago and have spent way too much time watching and listening to your videos since then. I really enjoy them. Hope you get that hand problem fixed. Bobby

Sorry about that double post.

Hi David, I had stop playing with the same problem.
It was Carpal Tunnel. I had an operation that fixed it.
Have a look here..
http://www.therapygloves.com/carpaltunn ... 4Qodli3JJg

Hi David,

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I've learned that muscle/tendon pain is often "referred pain" caused by an impinged nerve at a "trigger point" a good distance away from the painful area.

I had "tennis elbow" in my right arm about 10 years ago, diagnosed as tendinitis by a mandolin-playing physician friend. (I don't play tennis.)

I then learned that very often tendinitis is caused by inflammation and/or knotting of the shoulder muscles impinging on the nerves, a foot or so away from the painful spot. The impingment location is called a "trigger point", and the painful spot is known as the "referred pain point".

Often the trigger point for "tennis elbow" is the supraspinatus muscle in the shoulder, which in my case was slightly damaged from a long-ago rotator cuff injury.
The discovery of trigger points and treatment of them is attributed to Dr. Janet Travell, President Kennedy's White House physician.

My wife found an excellent book "The Frozen Shoulder Workbook- Trigger Point Therapy" by Clair Davies that explains exactly how to gently massage these trigger points, and what to do to prevent recurrence of the problem. In my case, a problem that had been bothering me for weeks, was 90% gone within about three days!

I hope this is helpful.

- Dave

"said don't sit on my wallet when driving!

And he was serious. "

Had a doc tell me that years ago. In my case, numbness, he was right! Driving or sitting in a chair. Got a thinner wallet, and put it in my front pocket. Took about two months but the numbness problem finally cleared up. Good luck. A second opinion is not a bad idea, unless this doc comes highly recommended.

Once I went there with sciatica and lower back pain and he gave me a load of pain killers and said don't sit on my wallet when driving!

Me too. I have a lower back injury (L4 & L5) that affect my sciatic nerve. I get the pain and numbness in my right leg and removing my wallet when I drive long distances prevents this.

But back to the topic at hand (pun was intentional)

I also had injuries that I received on my last job to my right arm. The symptoms were real similar to yours.

but if I lean on something like an armchair end or a stair hand rail end, the pain is chronic.

This was caused by my tendonitis in my elbow (tennis elbow -- seems those of us who don't play tennis get it the most ). Evidently, there was scar tissue that was pressing on my ulnar nerve (funny bone) and causing the pain in my hands (along with the tennis elbow and carpal tunnel). It felt like I had hit my funny bone at all times, but when I rested my elbow on something like you stated, the pain would just about kill me. I had 3 surgeries to my right arm to cure this (performed all at the same time). The carpal tunnel surgery, re-attaching the tendon to my elbow, and re-locating the ulnar nerve from the back of my elbow to the inside of my elbow (nerve transposition). I still get some pain, but nothing like before. I can still pick pretty good, although not as fast. It did affect my handwriting though.

I am assuming your doctor had you do nerve conduction tests. If not, that is the best way to tell for sure that your nerves have a problem.

As was stated by Dave M., the problem can be located far from where you feel the pain. In August of 2009, I went to the doctor because my left arm was hurting bad and going numb (thinking heart attack). He gave me prescription strength Ibuprofen (what a waste) and just said to watch it and see him in a month. Well, the pain was so bad that I went back after only a few days. Finally, he sent me to a Neurologist who had me do a nerve conduction test. It showed which nerve was being affected. An MRI showed that a nerve in my neck was being pinched by a herniated disc which was also pressing against my spinal cord. Had to have the disc removed as if it pinched further into my spinal cord, I could have been paralyzed.

The moral of my story is, have the test done if you haven't already to make sure what the problem is. Don't take the chance that the doctor is missing the real cause. Pain killers and physical therapy never helped with my arm problems.

David,

The problem is best left to experts who have dealt with similar problems countless times. LOL in the future!

David, good luck with the problem. I do think you will be able to overcome it. I would say, from previous experience with hip pain:

1. to get several tests and opinions from different doctors. I had terrible pain in the right groin area when I would sit or stand up or bicycle. It would quickly go away once I was moving. One doctor told me I'd "just have to live with the pain as I was getting older." I was 58 at the time. Screw that advice!!!
I eventually had the hip replaced and the pain was nearly gone. I continue to do exercise to keep the area working properly and that too has helped.

2. go from least invasive to most invasive solutions.... diet, exercises, etc. to surgery.

All the best, stevet

David, good luck with the problem. I do think you will be able to overcome it. I would say, from previous experience with hip pain:

1. to get several tests and opinions from different doctors. I had terrible pain in the right groin area when I would sit or stand up or bicycle. It would quickly go away once I was moving. One doctor told me I'd "just have to live with the pain as I was getting older." I was 58 at the time. Screw that advice!!!
I eventually had the hip replaced and the pain was nearly gone. I continue to do exercise to keep the area working properly and that too has helped.

2. go from least invasive to most invasive solutions.... diet, exercises, etc. to surgery.

All the best, stevet

Well, David M. (there's about FIVE of us) and Steve T. have it right. I unfortunately know a lot about this stuff. Nerves can get pinched anywhere from your neck all the way down to your actual hand. If you've already had problem with sciatica - nerve pain in your leg, caused by pinching in your spine - it becomes far more likely that arm pain is from aging discs. I'm surprised the doctor didn't flash on this. All your discs age at the same speed. The nerve conductivity test is non-invasive, quick, and diagnostically definitive.

And as long as he's zapping your arms with the magic wand, you should have him do your legs too, to see if it's something systemic. You mention whiskey and cigarettes - ack. At the very least, lay off the known nerve poisons and start slamming a B complex vitamin daily till you find out what's happening. This stuff can take your playing away if you don't get out ahead of it.