arthritis/playing guitar/ginger

[alf cockle]

I started getting arthritis in a few fingers 2 years ago,and it is getting worse…to the point where I started changing how I played the guitar…yesterday I had lunch at a great Chinese buffet,where they offered awesome sushi,as well..and I really pigged out on the pickled ginger…BINGO..I could move my arthritic fingers with ease..WTF …this was the 2nd occasion where I had eaten the ginger,and the 1st time,I didm*t pay attention,but there is something to it..so,all you guys with*stiff* fingers,try it out..

 

[Flash Gordon]

Health Benefits of Ginger for Arthritis - Living With Arthritis

 

[Rialas]

I think I'll give the sushi a miss lol.
I've had terrible circulation lately causing pins and needles and finger pains. Diet definitely pays a major part in how severe symptoms are.

 

[Flash Gordon]

I've been struggling with carpal tunnel and pinched nerves in my neck. I always want to play but lately most days it's like my hand is moving through mud.

 

[glockaxis]

Try tumeric/curcumim supplements and magnesium malate for starters. I was put on prescription NSAIDs (these have nasty long-term effects) and haven't touched them since going with the supplements.

 

[kbaim]

Saw thread title---had my hopes up on a hot red head pic playing a music man

 

[DrKev]

Careful, you'll get a sweaty Ed Sheerin!

 

[Jamie M]

Careful, you'll get a sweaty Ed Sheerin!

Lol good one Kev

 

[fbecir]

For arthritis, try to wear copper arm rings. It really works.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Glad you have found a remedy.

I haven't been able to play guitar for 3 months due to my first encounter with Lateral Epicondilytis.
It's improved but is still not a nice condition to have!!

 

[Siddius]

Boswelia, curcumin, and an anti-inflammatory diet are the way to go if it gets worse. The anti inflammatory diet seems so absurd and extreme until you are about 6 weeks in and you realize how easy it is to live without all of that crap. I had to overcome some real wrist - neck problems and the anti inflammatory diet was absolutely essential. Now I treat it as more of a cleanse than a constant diet, but after a good 9+ months that anti inflammatory diet helped my doctor's / physical therapists finally find the root of my ailments; it was totally hidden by inflammation.

 

[ohdamnitsdevin]

Lots of good stuff in this thread! Does anyone know of any #lifehacks for playing guitar with Carpal Tunnel?

The best thing I've done for my hand health was follow along with this video:

 

[Siddius]

this was a Facebook comment I posted when a friend of mine was struggling with tension:

---"Drop your shoulders. Try to be relaxed as much as you can. Breath. Most sorness comes from tension, so be aware of your body and he comfortable."
This is # 1. Find the problem to find the solution. What is tense? What techniques make it tense? From here you can adapt your technique, your tools, or your music. I had to do all three. There is some stuff I just cannot play, so I'll tell the bass player "cool riff, I'll just harmonize it!"

---"If you have a double sink in the kitchen , fill one side w cold water the other w hot. Soak your hands in the hot side for 15 minutes then switch to the other for same amount of time.
Two large bowls will work if the sink is not an option."
Do not go from hot to cold to hot immediately- this can cause nerve damage. A pitcher will do just fine if you don't have to go above the elbows. My recommendation would be a 2-5 minute ice bath after you play, then just let it warm up naturally and stretch lightly. If you are desperately trying to get yourself ready for a gig, then 2-5 minutes in, 5 minutes out, 2-5 minutes in, 5 minutes out, and so on. Warm the hand up after your last dip. If you want to try going cold to hot, try using lukewarm water.

---" ibuprofin & deep tissue massage @ the joints"
2 Aleve twice a day is the same as a prescription dose of aspirin. Make sure to take at least a week off every month, because the medicine can have some adverse effects on organs (ulcers, i think)

---"Stretching, ice, Advil...repeat as necessary" Yup

---" Always staying hydrated and reducing inflammatory foods (i.e. potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, onions, etc.) are good places to start." Keep a a full cup or bottle of water next to you at all times when you are playing. The anti-inflammatory diet goes a bit deeper: Red meat (lamb, bison, and deer are good), dairy, bread, nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant), and ... probably everything else that you enjoy eating. If inflammation is a problem, cut these out heavily for over 6 weeks. You will get used to a diet without them, so that they will no longer dominate your diet when you bring them back in. These are some easy choices: Bison burgers, chicken, turkey, and fish instead of beef and pork, no cheese on your sandwich, no milk and cereal for breakfast, nuts for munchies, and so on. This is the hardest thing to do because it involves making a fundamental change to your day to day life. I did it for 6 months, and it did wonders. I'm pretty non-strict about it now- I opt for the non-inflammatory foods when I can, and I get primarily fruits and vegetables from the grocery store.

STRETCHING AND MASSAGE: This is just about the most important part., outside of hydration. It isn't cut and dry, so textual interactions can only go so far. It is a mindset of understanding your body and learning how to attack the areas of tension. This has been my life for 6 years.

 

[Rialas]

Lots of good stuff in this thread! Does anyone know of any #lifehacks for playing guitar with Carpal Tunnel?

The best thing I've done for my hand health was follow along with this video:

My goodness I've never seen such bendy fingers. He's probably got hyper mobility.

 

[Rialas]

I had bad circulation in my legs and started cycling, approx 2 years now, made a huge difference.

Hence bought my self a cycle machine for my arms, hoping this will help with the blood flow, carpel, in the fingers.

 

[Tollywood]

Lots of good stuff in this thread! Does anyone know of any #lifehacks for playing guitar with Carpal Tunnel?

The best thing I've done for my hand health was follow along with this video:

Hello Devin,

I have really bad carpal tunnel in both arms. I play very sparingly these days, since I am in pain after about 20 minutes. I've recently started getting a hot stone massage for one hour, only on my forearms. It helps very much; I feel somewhat better for about three and a half days afterward. Please try that and let me know if you find some relief.

Ultimately, I'd like to get the surgery (hopefully soon). Oh, I almost forgot...I also had two rounds of cortisone wrist injections, which definitely helped but I must warn you: it is wicked scary. The needle is very large and it's hard to hold back your self defense reflexes when it is coming at your wrist. The needle looks like a drinking straw. It is worth the terror, though.

Good Luck!

 

[Siddius]

Hello Devin,

I have really bad carpal tunnel in both arms. I play very sparingly these days, since I am in pain after about 20 minutes. I've recently started getting a hot stone massage for one hour, only on my forearms. It helps very much; I feel somewhat better for about three and a half days afterward. Please try that and let me know if you find some relief.

Ultimately, I'd like to get the surgery (hopefully soon). Oh, I almost forgot...I also had two rounds of cortisone wrist injections, which definitely helped but I must warn you: it is wicked scary. The needle is very large and it's hard to hold back your self defense reflexes when it is coming at your wrist. The needle looks like a drinking straw. It is worth the terror, though.

Good Luck!

Hey, if you haven't tried much of the stuff I posted, give em a try. I came back from some crippling stuff- it affected way more than my guitar playing. Deep massage points between the muscle/ligament seams near your shoulders and elbows, and make sure to get the muscular part of the webbing between your thumb and pointer finger. You can dig pretty deep, imagine destroying the tension. Also, the bucket of ice water is great for digging into that inflammation.

 

[ohdamnitsdevin]

Hello Devin,

I have really bad carpal tunnel in both arms. I play very sparingly these days, since I am in pain after about 20 minutes. I've recently started getting a hot stone massage for one hour, only on my forearms. It helps very much; I feel somewhat better for about three and a half days afterward. Please try that and let me know if you find some relief.

Ultimately, I'd like to get the surgery (hopefully soon). Oh, I almost forgot...I also had two rounds of cortisone wrist injections, which definitely helped but I must warn you: it is wicked scary. The needle is very large and it's hard to hold back your self defense reflexes when it is coming at your wrist. The needle looks like a drinking straw. It is worth the terror, though.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the reply man, I'm gonna get hot stones stat! I'm very early onset with the symptoms and the pain definitely is there but I'm more concerned with numbness in my left ring finger. Surgery seems pretty extreme and last resort for me. I'm hoping I dont have to go that route in the future but who knows? Best of luck to you with that! I hope it gives your relief.

My grandmother told me about the shots helping her a lot. She neglected to tell me how massive the needles are and as someone who's deathly afraid of needles, this is a problem. haha

Please, keep me posted on the surgery if you have it soon, I'd like to know how you feel afterward.

Keep rockin'

 

[Siddius]

I don't know how much you read into my posts, but seriously, I recovered from the very edge of never using my arm for anything.

The shots are b.s., they might help for a little, but there are much more effective things you can do for free. There is no quick fix, you have to deep massage, stretch, hydrate, and play loose. Try deep massaging the meaty part of the web between your thumb and pointer finger. You also need to figure out what techniques put too much strain on you and figure out how to compensate.
There is some good stuff in these

Chiropractors who specialize in "Applied Kinesiology" were extremely helpful, but I was also an extreme case.

 

[KevTN]

I started getting arthritis in a few fingers 2 years ago,and it is getting worse…to the point where I started changing how I played the guitar…yesterday I had lunch at a great Chinese buffet,where they offered awesome sushi,as well..and I really pigged out on the pickled ginger…BINGO..I could move my arthritic fingers with ease..WTF …this was the 2nd occasion where I had eaten the ginger,and the 1st time,I didm*t pay attention,but there is something to it..so,all you guys with*stiff* fingers,try it out..

Ginger is known to help with Uncle Arthur...The reason though you had problems after eating at the buffet is the amount of sodium they use in their sushi...it causes water retention and will cause joints to swell that makes the arthritic symptoms worse. I too have alot of Uncle Arthur in my body, just had my shoulder replaced last September and at some point I get to buy a new hip and knees. I find that Alieve and warm compresses is the best for my joints. Of course the more you move the better. Good luck