The Steel Guitar Forum

I am now at thr age of 75. My hands are starting to shake making it very difficult to grab grips. Has anyone else had the problem and if so is there a remedy only stell players know? lol

Maybe your grips are harder to get but your vibrato should be improving!
Erv

thanks ERV. I feel much better.

Mike,
Wishing you the best!
Erv

I have found that (1)shot of Jack Daniels will steady your hands. Dr.Debakey, the heart surgeon used to do that before all of his heart surgeries.
It helps some folks before playing. Not to be overdone!
This contraption is hard enough to play!
Good luck!

Roy,
Does it have to be Jack?

“Erv” wins…the best response to a thread on the forum… Maybe we should take a “Best Response “ survey..

Shucks, it was nothing.
Erv

Erv Niehaus wrote:Shucks, it was nothing.
Erv

I should have known, getting a serious reply from a bunch of pickers was out of the question. LMAO

Mike, to be serious and sympathetic,

As a career brass player, in recent years I've developed a "quiver" in my lip muscles that is getting worse. It may be called "focal dystonia" and I feel my best years are behind me. It's one of the reasons I'm diving into playing PSG. It doesn't affect my hands.

I'm not providing a solution but just sympathy in the fact I am losing the ability to do something I love well.

P.S. Jack does not help me-and I've tried-REALLY tried!

Thanks Jon. I've got an appointment with my Doctor. I just thought maybe someone had experienced this and had a solution. It' mostly impossible to play when your right hand won't stop shaking.

Mike ask your doctor about a medication prampexole.
It is used for Parkinson's and I use it for restless leg syndrome.
It works well for me and a friend says it has really helped with his hands shaking from Parkinsons.

Mike, there is a condition called essential tremor, too. I believe it is a non-Parkinsonian syndrome but it presents as trembling. Your neurologist can diagnose, though.

Me? I have developed mild arthritis of the thumb joint . . . the CMC joint. Not uncommon in older people, I understand. I am currently treating it with exercises, CBD lotion, and trying to hold the saxophone correctly!

Chris

Mike, my mentor and friend, has the same problem. He had someone to weld a finger hole onto the bar that way he can have better control of the bar.

The first thing look at the side effects of your present medicine, Are you taking a medicine that one of the its side effects is hands shaking.

A local steel player had heart surgery and his doctor had to change one of his medicines 2 or 3 time till he got control of his hands back. Shaking was his side effect.

I was diagnosed with essential tremors years ago. At first it didn't affect my playing but it has gotten worse to the point that I can't play. Tried all kinds of medicine that didn't help. The only thing I've found that helps is pot, which I hate. But if Kentucky ever legalizes it, I'll use it just so I can play again.

Thanks everyone. I knew there had to be some steelers out there with the same problem. After all, old steelers don't quit unless they have to for medical reasons. We just fade away. lol Merry Christmas everyone.